Choosing to Live with a Biblical Foundation Part 2 | Peppermint Stick Learning Company

This post series provides some general principles and Scripture references for choosing to live with a Biblical foundation.

For the Introduction to this series and Part 1 (about the Bible – where we find spiritual truth), please go HERE.

Because the Bible is from God, He has lovingly revealed to us everything that we need to know now about Who He is.

We can simply trust that what the Bible says about God, is true!

Teaching Note: This is one of our posts which is also being put into a downloadable printable version that can be used for teaching purposes such as for discipleship, individual, or small group Bible studies in church or the home. To learn more about this feature, please go to this page, where you can find the links to the free student/teacher printables for this post as well as others as they are added.

Alongside the points below are Scripture references for you to read, either in a printed Bible translation (see that page mentioned above if you need help finding a good translation in English or another language) or to hover over to see the verse(s) pop-up in the NKJV.

Who is God?

There are definitely limitations for our finite human minds to understand how to describe the infinite God (e.g. Romans 11:33)!

And much could be written about what God has revealed to us about Himself in the Bible!

In Part 2 of this series, I wanted to highlight just a selection of points.

Our God is Pre-Eminent and Good

God is pre-eminent – This means that He is above all things. He is the King of Kings and the God above all of the gods that people might worship. (Colossians 1:15-17; Psalm 50:21; Psalm 95:3; Isaiah 55:8-9; John 3:31)
- God is self-existent. This means that nothing made God. (Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:17; Psalm 90:2; Acts 17:24-25)
- God is self-determining and all-powerful. This means that God determines by Himself what is done. (In huge contrast, we are very limited in what we can do in choices God gives us to make.) (Isaiah 40:13-15, 25-26, 28; Ephesians 1:21-22; Jeremiah 10:10, 12; John 19:11)
  - All-powerful also means that God is far-stronger than any evil power, and NOT ‘equally-opposite’ to it. What a comfort it is to know our God’s power is far-greater than anyone or anything and that NOTHING can thwart/stop Him.
  - God is able! Think of various Bible where even just those simple words are written…
    - “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25 (cf. James 1:21)
    - “For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” 2 Timothy 1:12 (cf. John 10:29)
    - …”God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” Acts 20:32 (cf. Romans 14:4)
    - “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8
    - “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” Hebrews 2:18
    - “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,” Jude 1:24
    - “Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began…” Romans 16:25
    - Despite how powerful people seem to be in their pride of controlling situations – “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down [humble].” Daniel 4:37 (cf. Proverbs 21:1, 2 Samuel 22:28, Psalm 147:6)
    - Regardless of huge threats – “If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.” Daniel 3:17
    - Even when our ideas and plans need to be changed or revoked in order to obey God – “Then Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what shall we do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?” And the man of God answered, “The LORD is able to give you much more than this.”” 2 Chronicles 25:9
    - “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to [His] power that works in us,” Ephesians 3:20

Our God is good. (Psalm 31:19, 33:5, 107:9, 143:10; Romans 2:4; Ephesians 5:9; Joshua 23:14)
- Our God is to be worshipped, honored, and obeyed. (Phil. 2:10-11; Psalm 66:4; James 4:7)
  - I’ve heard Psalm 14:1 being explained as “The fool has said in his heart, “No, God.”” (since the “There is” in our English translation is not in the Hebrew). Either way, denying Who God is as well as saying “no” to God, is foolish.

Our God is just. He punishes sin. He does what is right. (Isaiah 30:18; Psalm 33:4-5; Deuteronomy 32:3-4; Romans 3:26; Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 1:9)

Our God is love. He provides the way for people to have their sins paid for and to receive the gift of eternal life. And He is always with His people! (Ephesians 2:4; Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:9-10; 1 John 3:1; 1 Peter 2:24; Psalm 23; Hebrews 13:5)

Our God is the Only God

Our God is the only True and Living God. And Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father, to heaven, to have eternal life. John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 6:23)
- Jesus Christ is the exact representation of God. In other words, this Jesus IS fully God who became clothed in human flesh. (Micah 5:2; Hebrews 1:2-3; Matthew 1:23; Colossians 2:9; 1 John 5:20)
  - Jesus is NOT a ‘super-man’. He is NOT a created being with some extra power from God (or a ‘super-hero’ – that means a mythical and religious character with supposed super-powers).
  - And Jesus did NOT ‘become God’. Jesus always has been God. But He became Man at His incarnation (see Part 3’s post), a truth Christians celebrate at Christmas now.
  - He is real. He is God Who existed forever. (Whereas humans were and are created.) (John 17:24; 1 Peter 1:20; Col. 1:17; John 1:1-3, 14; Genesis 1:27, 2:7; Hebrews 2:9).
- Jesus Christ is the only God Who gave His life in death for us and also resurrected from the dead. (No other religion has a living Saviour! Our God overcame the power of sin and death.) (Revelation 1:5, 18)
  - (For a short list of reasons why Jesus had to die for us, see my post called, “Heaven and Hell” (linked here hopefully soon when posted).)

Our God is Personal

(You can read more about God’s personal care in my post entitled, “The Christian’s Security in a Fearful World“. The song added there also fits with the topic of “Who is God?”)

God is not a force of fate or luck. God is not impersonal. God describes also Himself as near, not far away. (Isaiah 65:11-16 NLT, Jeremiah 23:23, Acts 17:27)

The Bible teaches us that we can describe the Trinity as three Persons but one True God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all having personal attributes of –

mind (e.g. 1 Cor. 2:10-11; Romans 8:27),
will (1 Cor. 12:11),
emotions (Eph. 4:30; Heb. 12:2),
interacting with one another (while having different roles) and acting in complete unity as the Triune God.
- (A note about the characteristic of “Trinity” –
  - The concept of the trinity is taught within both the Old and the New Testaments. For example, the Hebrew name of “Elohim” for God (e.g. in Genesis 1) is considered a “uni-plural” word: one and more-than-one, at the same time. If you’re interested further, this Got Questions link has a short summary on this topic.
  - A few world religions and Christian cults and some heresies, have a “monotheistic” view of God without believing in a Trinity. But Biblical Christianity holds to believing in One Triune God, as taught in the Bible. In some writings, Christianity might be classified as “monotheistic” (meaning that there is one exclusive God, in contrast to multiple gods) but it should be also in the context of upholding a trinitarian belief, even if that aspect isn’t always as clearly mentioned.)

When we use the word “Person” referring to God, it does not mean a human ‘person’ like singular for ‘people’. It’s perhaps a closer word to the word personality – meaning a Someone Who has character qualities such as Someone Who can think, love, decide, communicate, plan, etc., as opposed to a force of energy like electricity that has no personality or character qualities to it.

A force cannot grieve or experience delight. But God can! (Genesis 6:6, Zephaniah 3:17)

In Genesis chapter 3:8-19, The Lord God talked personally with Adam and Eve in the garden.

Galatians 4:4-7 tells us that we can even call on our God as “Abba, Father”, which is an intimate relational term meaning “Daddy”. Throughout the Bible, God is often referred to as “Father”.

Jesus taught people to pray, “Our Father in heaven…” (Matthew 6:9, Luke 11:2)

God responds to requests similar to parents responding to their children. Luke 11:13 (ESV) says, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

God is not distant, remote, aloof, or uninterested in you! God took on human flesh in Jesus, living among people on our planet for a time and will dwell with God’s people in eternity (John 1:1, 14; John 14:1-3; Romans 1:3-4, 8:3; 1 Timothy 3:16; Revelation 21:3-8; Isaiah 45:18-22).

1 John 4:19 says, “We love Him because He first loved us.” Knowing God means having a personal relationship with our Creator!

“What about the Spirit of God?”

The Bible teaches us that the Holy Spirit is a Person, not a “force” or a “guardian” or a “guide” of some sort which people can make, buy, or invoke. The Holy Spirit is God, not just a spark or portion of God. And as such, the Spirit of God has character qualities and communicates to people.

The Holy Spirit teaches (John 14:26), guides/leads into God’s truth (Romans 8:14, John 16:13), is a witness to provide evidence for Who Jesus is to people (John 15:26), commissions Christians into serving the Lord (Acts 13:4), intercedes on the behalf of believers (Romans 8:26), convicts people in the world of sin (John 16:8), etc..

This question also overlaps with answers in Part 3 (What are Humans?) as the errors are often in views about the human soul and spirit. (It will be linked here when it gets posted, hopefully soon.)

Wrong Views of God

Sadly, even some who claim to be Christians actually teach some of these ideas these days! I’ve seen these ideas promoted in Christian homeschooling for seminars and in “Christian” health workshops and coaching, including with the ‘evangelicals’. I have seen such slip into the thinking sometimes of individuals I know. So I think we really need to grasp clearly what the Bible teaches about this, to avoid being led astray into error and danger.

As Christians who have the privilege of learning from the Bible, we must guard God’s truth that has been committed to our trust, and avoid the errors of what is falsely called ‘knowledge’ (1 Timothy 6:20-21, Ezekiel 22:26, Isaiah 5:20-21).

1. Pantheism and Monism –

A monistic (“all is one”) and pantheistic worldview (“all is God”) are both opposed by the Biblical worldview.

Pan-theism/monism is the incorrect worldview of some religions and the “new” age/spirituality. It teaches that God is everything and everything is God. In other words, that view says that the trees, the animals, water, the stars*, and even humans, are ‘god’ (or goddess), sometimes called a ‘universal oneness’. Or sometimes they will speak of it as ‘all are divine’ or ‘everything is sacred’.

Pantheism fails also to properly explain the reality of evil in our world. If everything is God, then God would be both good and evil. But the Bible says that God is only good, never evil, for example, in 1 John 1:5 (translated literally, “And darkness there is not in Him, not in any way.”).

You can also read about pantheism and panentheism on my blog post called, “Ecology, Relationships, and Communication”.

* An extra note re: stars, especially since people might think they are an “older part of the universe” and/or might look to them for direction/worship. The Bible says that they were created on Day 4 (Genesis 1:14-19). Grass and trees were created on Day 3. Adam was created on Day 6. But do notice that when God made these, He created them “with age” already – a tree, not a seed; a man, not a baby. Stars are simply shining from further away from our solar system because that is where God put them. Stars are not in “oldest” that we can observe, but rather the farthest we can see! (See also Isaiah 40:26, 42:5, 47:12-15; Jeremiah 10:2; Deuteronomy 4:19.)

The Biblical view of God is that He is NOT the trees, the animals, water, stars, etc. and that humans are NOT gods or divine.

The Bible teaches us that there is a distinction between God the Creator and creation. Read Genesis 1 (whole chapter), Isaiah 44:24, and again, Colossians 1:16.

The Bible teaches us that our God is the only God (Isaiah 44:6-8). But the wrong worldview wants to change people’s minds to think that there are other gods which are worthy of our worship and attention.

2. Pan-en-theism –

Pan-en-theism is also an incorrect worldview. It is a slight twist on pantheism and is getting more commonly taught in Christianity. Rather than a belief that God IS everything, it is a belief that God is IN everything. (See also notes below about “Quantum Spirituality”.)

Is God IN everything? Some will quote Ephesians 4:6 (sometimes also using a mis-translation such as NCV for this verse). Here that verse is in a good translation:

“…one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

But reading it in context shows that the “in you all” is referring to the recipients of Paul’s letter – “to the saints…and the faithful in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1, cf. Ephesians 1:12, 2:19-22), not the city of Ephesus, not the whole world, but instead, to Christians! Other verses also support the idea that God only indwells believers in Jesus Christ:
- “If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:15-17
- “And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” Acts 5:32
- Colossians 3:11 “in all”, again in the context of this letter (e.g. Colossians 1:2, 4, 21, 2:6, 3:1, 9-11, 4:5), shows that Christ is in all Christians, in contrast to ‘all people’.
- “Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” John 14:23

“God is the breath that I can breathe in and feel spiritual harmony and peace.”
- No. Biblically, you cannot breathe in or swallow down God’s Spirit.
  - You only breathe in material gases such as oxygen and swallow food – and these get eliminated naturally from your body. Jesus made it clear that our natural body functions are not tied in with spiritual wholeness in Mark 7:18-19ff. (See also Colossians 2:18-23.)

“God can be described as spiritual energy that flows.”
- No. The true God has personal attributes. The Bible never calls God “energy”.
  - Genesis 1:1 states that God created the universe. He is not the same as the matter and energy He made.
  - The idea of God being “energy” (a.k.a. “life-force”) is sadly mis-translated for example, in the Message ‘translation'(an untrustworthy paraphrase of the Bible) in Philippians 2:13 and Ephesians 1:20-23. In other words, this idea is not in the original Scriptures.
  - You can read more about the topic of God’s Spirit flowing in and through a person on my blog post called, “How Do Parts of My Body Communicate with Other Parts?” in the linked section labelled “Blocked or Needing Cleansing?”

3. A “force” of (higher) power to heal and/or a (higher) power to protect [wellness] –

For more about this point, you can go to this post – “Energy Healing and the Christian“.

Secular people tend to have their spiritual beliefs cloaked in some sort of scientific-sounding or psychology-sounding language. (The term “higher” might be used alongside or not.) The terms of just “power” or “energy” is more typical, especially as these people do not want their audience to think they are talking about a god or a religion. They might also blend together the science meanings of the words “power” and “energy” with the “spiritual” meanings (especially if they are also pantheist/monist because they do not see a distinction between forces of the physical sciences and spiritual forces).

But underneath it all, they are using the terms “power” and/or “energy” to mean an amazing “force” that people must “get” or “attain” or “turn to” in order to have health and well-being. (There are a variety of terms.) They might say it comes from a power in the air or a ‘subtle’ or ‘scaler’ or ‘vital’ energy from the Earth or universe or a “4th” dimension (beyond our “3-D” world of thinking). (Again, there are a variety of terms that they might use. These terms are associated with the occult – a.k.a. evil forces which deceive people to think that they are good forces.) See Ephesians 2:1-2, 6:12.

We all understand that healing and protection can be a result of natural means (e.g. how the body is designed, with treatments of medicines, physical therapy, habits that support good health, wearing clothes, making wise decisions to avoid danger, etc.). Christians also believe that God can heal and protect super-naturally.

In contrast, these others believe that planet Earth (or other fascinating or powerful created or invented things) can heal through invisible power beyond what has been understood or fits within the ordinary/historical natural sciences.

Whether people realize it or not, this philosophy is replacing the true God with giving honor to His creation instead (Romans 1:25, 30, 32, or to the work of men’s hands, Psalm 135). It is also a form of idolatry (which is attributing the abilities and character of what belongs only to God, to anything else). And they promote that such is worthy of much attention in one’s personal life – a type of worth-ship (worship).

There is nothing wrong with having education and “letters” after one’s name. But having education and passing tests does not mean that one is necessarily teaching truth. This is important also to remember, even if someone claims a “Christian” background (see also Matthew 7:21-23, 1 Timothy 6:9).

We must be careful that we are not just impressed at some idea that might “work” and feeling desperate to try anything that “works”, just in case it might “work for me” (pragmatism). Instead, let’s consider the main reason for ‘how’ it might ‘work’; and also take a bit of time to figure out where the main promoters of something are coming from, in their worldview:

Do they use some of those key terms or concepts of any of the wrong ideas of God or of some sort of power to heal or a power to protect that has some sort of ‘interconnectedness’ towards a harmony of everything/everyone? Is that how they explain “why” their product or advice “works”?
Who taught them? Are they graduates from a school which has a purposeful mission to spread false notions for these topics? And what associations or partnerships are they a part of?
Are there other warning signs we can spot for what they say/write on this topic, such as making any statements which do not line up with what we already know to be true?
If the answers to your brief search do not lead into what is right, this is not the time to “chew the meat and spit out the bones”. (2 Timothy 3:1-7; 1 Timothy 4:7-12, 16; 2 Timothy 2:15, 19, 21; Proverbs 1:22-33; Psalm 17:4-5)

“…they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed…They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. But he was rebuked by his wrongdoing by a donkey…These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity – for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.” 2 Peter 2:14b-19 (NIV’84)

And this verse written to Christians too: “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 ESV

“Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1 ESV

Quantum spirituality beliefs –

It is important to distinguish truth from error if you are being informed about “quantum spirituality” (which is false but uses similar science-sounding terminology) alongside “quantum mechanics” in school classes, by health care practitioners, on EMF information websites and seminars, etc. – as if they are both real truth.

(For more about the science of “What are EMFs?” – in other words, what are real electromagnetic frequencies that can be diagrammed on an EMF spectrum in physics or engineering classes – see my post about that topic linked here hopefully soon.)

Quantum spirituality is a relatively newer expression in today’s culture, resembling pantheism/monism, panentheism, and humankind’s search for higher power(s), but rejecting the God of the Bible. Essentially, it is an attempt to make pagan ideas appear to be acceptable truth by trying to explain the concept of “God” in scientific language.

It claims that all of creation is bonded together in a spiritual way – that all atoms of matter/energy have been a part of God (or at least having God “within”, panentheism) without realizing it. Therefore, it teaches people to “look inside oneself” for identity, wisdom, power, satisfaction to fulfilling dreams and to direct one’s own life. It has the idea of teaching that a person has more freedom to do what they want, without fearing consequences but rather “giving oneself grace”.

It can sound attractive and peace-loving. But that doesn’t mean it’s true.

Again, we must determine truth about spiritual matters by understanding what God has revealed to us in the Bible.

Can God be explained as EMF (electromagnetic frequencies)?

No. The true God is not a particle and He is not a force of energy.

The foundational first three verses of the Bible state that God, being in existence, decided to make physical light when He made our world. (See Genesis 1:1-3.)

God created physical light, radiation, etc. but He is separate and different from what He created.
- Think: You might be able to design and build a powerful airplane to soar across the skies. But you are not the airplane. You are a living being and separate from the non-living airplane. Regardless of where you are, inside the airplane or on the pavement in the presence of the airplane, etc. you are still not the airplane – you retain your human characteristics which are very different compared to what a plane is! God made radiation; but God is not radiation.
- God existed long before our world, including emfs, ever existed (Psalm 90:2, Isaiah 40:28). See also Isaiah 43:10-12.
- The word “holy” is the word used the most to describe God in the Bible. “Holy” means ‘separate from’. (Revelation 4:8, 11)

Just because something shows power, such as lightning strikes or airplane engines, doesn’t mean it has life. “Power” and “life” do NOT mean the same thing. (Additionally, biological life does not mean the same as spiritual life (John 3:6).)

Recall also that the true God has personality and care.
- And that God cannot be measured nor can He be contained/limited to any specific dimension of work.
- And God cannot be manipulated like impersonal forces can be. (People can manipulate electricity, temperature, etc. to a certain extent with science.)

Some might reply back with, “But the Bible says that God is light and that Jesus is the Light of the world.”

When the Bible describes God as “light”, this is a metaphor for describing a lack of sin – that He is perfect, not in error, but true.
It doesn’t mean that God is literally the physical light frequencies or wavelengths! That idea is easily refuted in Genesis 1:1-3, Deuteronomy 4:15-19, Nehemiah 9:6, Isaiah 40:26, etc..
See also Colossians 1:16-19 again.

God cannot be reduced into being described scientifically in terms of EMFs (or anything else in the universe); remember especially these three points: God is…

Holy – God is unique. We cannot equal Him to anything we observe in nature.
Eternal – God existed before the sun’s radiation, etc.. Our world had a beginning when it was created by God. But God Himself is eternal. And He is self-existent, not created.
Personal and Purposeful – He understands us, demonstrates kindness, communicates, works in power for a reason, desires relationship with us as individuals, etc..

EMFs have none of these characteristics.

People who seek scientific explanations for who “God” is, are in fact, turning their backs and rejecting the true God Who has said that it is through faith that someone can know Him.

They are in the process of getting ‘shipwrecked’ or ‘searing their conscience’ – to render it insensitive to feeling guilt, deceiving others, and turning from trusting God (1 Timothy 4:1-2; 1:5-6, 19; 2 Timothy 3:2-7).

“…without faith it is impossible to please Him, for anyone who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 (NIV’84, cross-reference to Isaiah 57:15)

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools…” Romans 1:20-22

4. Self or other humans as divine (e.g. “cosmic christ”, “christ-consciousness”) –

People would like a feel-good solution that makes them powerful-in-control and in no need of God. But we actually need to have Someone outside of ourselves to save us! (John 3:34-36) We need the True and Living God to work in our lives (1 Thessalonians 1:9). We are to “rely not on ourselves but on God” (2 Corinthians 1:9; Philippians 4:19; see also Revelation 3:17, Luke 6:31-32.

You and I are NOT God. The Bible clearly makes this point in many places including:

“Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of the gods, in the heart of the seas,’ yet you are but a man, and no god, though you make your heart like the heart of a god—” Ezekiel 28:2 ESV

There is one true Christ – Jesus Christ. But there can be other christs and others named “Jesus”. We need to follow the true Jesus Christ, not another one. Do not always assume that everyone who uses His name, in their books or counsel, is conveying God’s truth to you –

“And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” Matthew 24:4-5

“And He said: “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them.” Luke 21:8

“But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!” 2 Corinthians 11:3-4

“Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.” 1 John 2:18 (The word “antichrist” can mean “against” Christ and/or “instead of” Christ, e.g. fakes, copycats, counterfeits.)

What do the terms “cosmic christ” and/or “christ-consciousness” mean? Ray Yungen, in his book, “For Many Shall Come in My Name” (ISBN-13:978-0-9721512-9-0, 2007) explains these on pages 21-22 and the glossary. (This webpage of his publisher does too.)

These terms mean to attain a mystical knowledge that makes one believe that one’s self is higher and greater than previously thought and that “self” is actually already “god” (or “christ”). The word “cosmic” means universal, indicating that everyone who comes into the belief they are divine/christs, together are unified.

There is a saying, “Knowledge is power” that is sometimes applied to just about anything. This isn’t just used in the ordinary way like if you understand how to fix a washing machine, you’ll have a better ability to get it fixed, compared to if you didn’t have that education or “know-how” about washers. Instead, many people use this phrase to refer to a mystical interconnection with things in the universe, towards a feeling of “unity”, “peace”, and “love”.

Self-efforts (or submitting to a practitioner or coach or some drugs or even some repetitive elements of music) is how this “knowledge” (or “ancient wisdom” – that self is divine), is to be achieved. The most common method is through doing meditation – the meditation where repetitiveness (e.g. mindfulness) and/or body positions (e.g. yoga) help a person lessen their thoughts/thinking and surrender to a relaxed, dreamy feeling of emptying the mind. The goal is to subdue things which exist in real, active thinking. (This is NOT Biblical meditation, even though some people want to even use Christian words to do these kinds of practices. See our post called, “Peace and Rest” for a comparison.)

In this “new” (but old, see Genesis 3:5) spirituality/age mindset, a person is considered someone who has been “sleeping” as to why they are here (purpose); but once they “awake” or “conscious” to discover a god within themselves, they will be empowered to do anything [good], capable of controlling or creating one’s own reality or circumstances (e.g. healing oneself, controlling one’s own stress and peace, etc.). More understanding of this mindset is that after death, such a person can act as a spirit guide or master for giving advice to others who are “awakening”.

Are dead people the guides some seekers encounter? No. When people die, they are either in heaven with Jesus (“absent from the body is present with the Lord” 2 Corinthians 5:8) or in hell, awaiting God’s final judgment (Luke 16:22-26, Revelation 20:12-15). But fallen angels (demonic spirits) masquerade – appearing to be helpful, to people who reject God’s truth that has been revealed to them (Romans 1:18-25, 2 Corinthians 11:14-15).

The ideas in this worldview are not “new” discoveries, but rather old, with sometimes being talked about with “new” terms. Read, for example, Genesis 3:5, Deuteronomy 18:9-13, Leviticus 20:6, 19:31; Ephesians 6:10-18.

Some of the terms which mean the same as “christ-consciousness” include: discovering one’s true self, realizing divinity, having an inner light, realizing a divine center, awakening, having a transformation or enlightenment, being “in tune” (or attuned) with nature, being unlimited, getting an awareness or consciousness (a short-form of the longer term), getting a “secret knowledge”, to feel God’s presence as yourself (notice the word “as” instead of “in”), and “finding the kingdom within”.

In communicating – with both telling as well as listening to, we should aim to understand what the words or phrases actually mean. It is not important to be a scholar of worldviews or a ‘walking dictionary’; but it is important to understand basic meanings of what is being communicated, and to reject ideas which run contrary to Biblical truth.

Christians who get involved in such are being deceived into accepting Satan’s lie (Genesis 3:4-6).

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” Galatians 6:7-8

“For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.“
Philippians 3:18-4:1

Our God is Knowable

Although our finite minds cannot fully understand the infinite God, He is not “unknowable”. God IS knowable and invites us to know Him in a relationship of faith in Christ for Who He is and what He has done for us. (I write more about this in Parts 3 and 4.)

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3

Stick to the truth about Who God is – Who He has already revealed Himself to be. Let’s worship the right God! Knowing Him truly satisfies our deepest longings!

There is no one like our God!

“I am the LORD, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images.” Isaiah 42:8

We MUST reject all other gods. There is no one like our God.

Ian Leitch, was a speaker at a Bible college during a special week in 2016. (We have other sermons of his on our other website too.)

I’ve listened to the one below more than once over the years and it was what came to mind as I was finishing this post. “None like Him”

Song:

Steve Green sings about the Biblical foundation of understanding Who God is, in the piece called, “We Believe” –

Scripture verses quoted on this page are from the NKJV, unless otherwise noted.

General Bibliography: Besides the places that I have referenced directly on this page, there are various notes I’ve made over the years on this topic. One of the reference books that I have appreciated since my university days can be read for free online through Open Library here: The compact guide to world religions by Dean C. Halverson | Open Library. Another source I often use in my own personal Bible studies is the E-Sword computer program, where I can look up meanings of the original languages of the Bible’s text, and sometimes also a few commentaries which cross-reference to other similar verses (e.g. “Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge” (TSK)) or short explanations of contexts for the passages (e.g compiled by David Guzik, Chuck Smith, Warren Wiersbe). ‘Answers in Genesis’ and similar creation science ministries (e.g. CMI) also sometimes teach about this topic in their various resources.