Marcia Montenegro |
On this program, Marcia explained that New Thought and New Age are two distinct and separate belief systems, but that there is a lot of overlap between New Thought and New Age beliefs. New Thought beliefs, in particular, have become very deeply ingrained in the church, through false teachings about so-called "hidden spiritual laws." If you have ever watched a Word of Faith preacher, what you have observed is a "Christianized" version of New Thought teaching, and the idea that your words create your reality. This is not biblical teaching. God is sovereign over ALL of his creation, and does all that He desires for his own glory and to conform us to the image of Christ (Romans 8:28-29). Our wishes and desires are always secondary to His. God is not a genie in a bottle for us to conjure up, nor is He "go juice" for us to tap into so that our lives work out the way we desire for them to. Although our flesh often rebels at this idea that we don't have active, ongoing control and power over our own lives, we only need to reflect back on our Christian walks and remember times in which we felt so strongly that circumstances ought to work out in a certain way, and yet they didn't...but what God brought instead was infinitely better. In my own Christian walk, I have experienced the most profound closeness and humility in seasons of enormous difficulty. Many times I have thanked God that, in his sovereignty, He put his hand upon my life and brought me not what I thought would be best in that particular situation, but what was ultimately better for my spiritual growth.
Additional Resources
A New Mask For An Ancient Secret
The Seven Wonders That Will Change Your Life Not So Wonderful
An Examination of the Word of Faith Movement