December 2015
Have you ever believed something to be true only to discover later that it was false? This is a dangerous thing when it comes to where you will spend eternity! This issue deals with salvation and Bible myths. In it, we decipher, according to the Word, fact from fiction.
Have you ever believed something to be true only to discover later that it was false? This is a dangerous thing when it comes to where you will spend eternity! This issue deals with salvation and Bible myths. In it, we decipher, according to the Word, fact from fiction.
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
alancing energies bringing all<br />
things into harmony. Meditation,<br />
guided imagery, yoga, channeling<br />
spirits, consulting the dead<br />
and spirit guides are hallmark to<br />
this miry belief system (Smith,<br />
Buddhism, 1991) (Body, Mind,<br />
Spirit Guide, p. 1). It is prevalent<br />
in Eastern medicine, homeopathic<br />
medicine, mind-body<br />
exercise practices, and even<br />
touted in modern medical communities<br />
as beneficial. You will<br />
also see it in most chiropractic<br />
and massage therapy practices.<br />
Universalism believes that all<br />
religions are valuable and everyone<br />
should seek God in his<br />
or her own way. All ways lead<br />
to God. They have the Seven<br />
Principles as their core beliefs:<br />
Inherent worth of every person;<br />
justice, equality, and compassion<br />
for everyone; acceptance<br />
of one another and encouragement<br />
of spiritual growth; A free<br />
and responsible search for truth<br />
and its meaning; the right of conscience<br />
and use of democratic<br />
process in congregation and<br />
society at large; goal of world<br />
community with peace, liberty,<br />
and justice for all; interdependent<br />
web of all existence of which we<br />
are a part. (Unitarian Universalists<br />
of America) How confusing.<br />
These principles are followed<br />
regardless of the religious beliefs<br />
of the members so that no one<br />
will go to eternal judgment, forever<br />
separated from God, but all<br />
are encouraged to seek God in<br />
their own way.<br />
Together they seem neutral, but<br />
are not. Jesus is one of many<br />
good teachers, but not God. Hinduism<br />
adds Jesus in as one of<br />
thousands of deities. They all<br />
deny Jesus’ death and resurrection<br />
as the way of salvation.<br />
Either, they deny His humanity or<br />
they deny His deity, or both. Salvation<br />
is obtained through works<br />
as opposed to grace. Although<br />
sincere, they are lost.<br />
Where Your Family Will Cross<br />
these Paths<br />
This swirling, churning water<br />
has flooded North America in<br />
the health, fitness, wellness,<br />
chiropractic, and medical communities.<br />
Holistic and alternative<br />
health practices have spilled<br />
into schools, churches, and<br />
psychology as well. It is everywhere.<br />
Massage therapists align<br />
chakras or manipulating invisible<br />
meridians to promote healing<br />
and restore balance in the body.<br />
Mind-body classes at the local<br />
fitness center and community<br />
programs use guided imagery<br />
as behavior modification. Aromatherapy<br />
and essential oils are<br />
used for healing to restore harmony<br />
and balance for one’s wellbeing.<br />
Just look through the free<br />
magazines at the local health<br />
food store.<br />
It comes even closer to home.<br />
Your children’s schools may use<br />
holistic techniques for behavior<br />
modification or in the curriculum.<br />
Maybe you have encountered<br />
it in smaller degrees through<br />
church groups like “helpful”<br />
practices to aid your prayer life<br />
with palms up to give something<br />
over to God, palms down to let<br />
go of something holding believers<br />
back in their faith. How about<br />
using guided imagery in prayer to<br />
breathe in the Holy Spirit allowing<br />
this “light” to travel through<br />
your body, and then back out<br />
until you are mentally sitting<br />
on a mountaintop with the light<br />
source in front of you? Some<br />
churches offer seemingly “safe”<br />
yoga classes. The undercurrents<br />
appear calm and beneficial<br />
on the surface, but threaten the<br />
spiritual life of our families.<br />
Have you brought some of it<br />
home by accident? You may not<br />
realize it until now. “Having spent<br />
22 years in yoga from the ages of<br />
7 to 29, as a student and Hatha<br />
yoga instructor,” says Laurette<br />
Willis, founder of PraiseMoves,<br />
“I know it is more than ‘just exercise.’<br />
The subtleties of yoga<br />
were enough to draw my mother<br />
and me away from Christ and<br />
into metaphysics and the New<br />
Age.” (www.praisemoves.com)<br />
“Do not conform to the pattern<br />
of this world, but be transformed<br />
by the renewing of your mind.<br />
Then you will be able to test and<br />
approve what God’s will is—his<br />
good, pleasing and perfect will.”<br />
(Romans 12:2 NIV) It happens<br />
easily, but it is important to clean<br />
these teachings out of our lives.<br />
Common Core Issues<br />
The common issues among<br />
theses faiths are:<br />
1. One must work to get to God.<br />
We are saved by grace. Ephesians<br />
2:7-9<br />
2. All religions are expressions of<br />
one’s search for God and truth.<br />
Jesus is the only way. John 14:6<br />
3. Jesus is a good teacher or, in<br />
some cases, a god, but not fully<br />
God and fully man; His true deity<br />
is denied. Jesus is fully God and<br />
fully man. John 10:29-30, 1 John<br />
5:20, Hebrews 2:17<br />
4. Denial of His virgin birth. Jesus<br />
was born to the virgin Mary. Luke<br />
1:26, 2:52, Matthew 1:18-25<br />
5. His blood atonement for sin<br />
and resurrection from the dead<br />
is denied. The blood of Jesus is<br />
sufficient payment for our sins.
Change language