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The Origins of Evil: Understanding Human Malevolence

One of the most difficult questions we face concerns the origin of evil: why do people hurt one another? Whether through betrayal, abuse, cruelty, or even indifference, human history is filled with examples of one human being causing pain to another. From a Christian perspective, the answer is simple yet sobering: evil is real, and it is always at work.

The Source of Damage: The Influence of Evil

The Bible reminds us that the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour ( 1 Peter 5:8 ). This means that harm comes not only from human weakness or misunderstanding, but also from spiritual forces that thrive on division, hatred, and destruction.

On the other hand, modern psychology teaches us that behind many people who inflict harm lies a history of deep, unresolved pain. Often, these individuals carry old emotional wounds—traumas, abandonment, humiliation, or emotional deprivation—which, when left unhealed, transform into anger, resentment, or a distorted need for control. 

Their harmful behavior is nothing more than the muffled cry of a wound that never healed, creating a vicious cycle where the pain they once suffered is perpetuated in others. These are potential candidates for harming others.

Evil pushes people toward abuse, pride, selfishness, envy, anger, and revenge. These forces don’t appear in the abstract; they manifest themselves in real decisions people make every day. One group may harm another out of prejudice or fear. An individual may hurt someone out of jealousy, bitterness, or a desire to control. Behind it all, Satan whispers lies: “You deserve more. They don’t matter. Hurt them before they hurt you.”

Domestic violence shows how evil can take over humans.
Harming others demonstrates how evil manipulates people.

The Origin of the Rift: A Fallen Nature

To understand why harm comes so naturally to us, we must go back to the beginning. Humanity was created in the perfect image of God, designed for harmony with Him, with others, and with creation. But through Adam and Eve’s disobedience, sin entered the world. This wasn’t just a bad choice; it was a catastrophic fracture in human nature itself.

This “Fall” introduced a spiritual parasite into every person’s heart: a sinful nature. The Apostle Paul describes it vividly: “ For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my sinful nature . I desire to do what is good, but I am unable to carry it out. For the good I want to do, I do not do, but the evil I do not want to do, I practice ” ( Romans 7:18-19 ).

This is the crux of our problem. We are not neutral beings who occasionally make mistakes. We are flawed beings, born with an innate tendency to rebel against God’s design. This internal brokenness manifests itself externally as the harm we do to others:

  • Pride and Selfishness:  We put our own desires, status, and comfort above the well-being of others.

  • Unhealed Wounds:  Hurt people hurt others. Those who carry pain, rejection, or trauma often unconsciously inflict that pain on others.

  • Envy and Greed:  We see what others have and covet it, which leads to resentment, theft, and slander.

  • Deception:  We believe the lies of the evil one, and then we lie to ourselves and others to get our way, causing relational havoc.

Evil is always watching, twisting these innate weaknesses into traps. It magnifies our insecurities into hatred. It fuels our righteous anger into uncontrollable rage. It convinces us that our sinful desires are justified and that the consequences are unreal.

Sin can make people go to extremes to get what they want.

The Illusion of the “Straight Path” on Our Own

Many believe that morality and willpower are enough to stay on the right path. “I’m a good person,” we say. But the biblical view is much more realistic. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us: “ The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? ”

Trying to navigate life with a broken moral compass is a surefire way to fail. We may avoid the major pitfalls for a while, but we’ll consistently stumble into ditches of pride, judgment, malice, and apathy. We can’t fix our own hearts any more than a car can fix its own engine while it’s running.

pride and arrogance can be harmful
Arrogance and pride are not good traits in people.

The Only Answer: A New Heart and a Guiding Light

This is where the glorious hope of the Gospel shines most brightly. God didn’t leave us in our broken and damaged state. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, as the solution.

Jesus came not only to forgive our sins, but to fundamentally change our nature. He offers a “new heart” and a “new spirit” (Ezekiel 36:26). When we invite Jesus into our hearts, we recognize that we cannot walk righteously on our own and that we need His righteousness to replace our sinfulness.

This is not a mere spiritual transaction; it is the beginning of a transformative relationship. Jesus doesn’t just point the way; He is the way ( John 14:6 ). And He walks with us. Through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, we are granted:

  • A New Power:  The strength to resist temptation we never had on our own.

  • A New Compass:  The Spirit convicts us of sin and guides us to truth, helping us discern the traps of the evil one.

  • A New Heart:  Replaces hearts of stone, prone to harm, with hearts of flesh, capable of love, compassion, and forgiveness.

Having Jesus in our hearts isn’t a guarantee of a perfect, sinless life. We will still stumble. But it means we are no longer slaves to the sinful nature that compels us to harm others. We have access to a divine power to choose love over hate, forgiveness over resentment, and humility over pride.

Bullying is evidence that we are born sinners.

The harm we do to one another is a symptom of a deep spiritual sickness: a sickness of separation from God. Evil exploits this separation. But through Christ, that separation is healed. By inviting Him in, we begin the journey of transformation from the inside out, turning from being agents of harm into instruments of His peace, grace, and love in a broken world. The right path is not about perfect navigation; it is about walking hand in hand with the Only One who knows the way.

The Deception of Evil: When Darkness Dresses itself in Beauty

Evil rarely presents itself as repulsive or overtly destructive. On the contrary, it often disguises itself as what the world considers desirable: wealth, pleasure, power, beauty. It is cunning, seductive, and knows how to lure the human heart with empty promises that appear shiny on the outside but are rotten within.

2 Corinthians 11:14 warns us:

“And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.”

This verse reveals a profound truth: evil doesn’t always look like evil. It can look like success, freedom, even blessing. But behind those luxuries—beautiful women, great profits, and momentary pleasures—lies a spiritual trap designed to draw us away from God.

worshipping money
Focusing your life primarily on money leads to evil.

Luxury and Wealth: The Idol of Success

The desire to have more—more money, more possessions, more recognition—can become an obsession. Evil uses luxury as bait, making us believe that happiness lies in material things. But as Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 :

“You cannot serve both God and money.”

When money becomes our god, the soul becomes impoverished. Evil pushes us to sacrifice principles, relationships, and inner peace for gains that never fill the spiritual void. It’s better to focus on having a quality of life than having our pockets full and unable to sleep peacefully.

Beauty and Desire: The Pleasure that Diverts

Physical attraction isn’t bad in itself, but evil distorts it. It presents beauty to us as an object, as a conquest, as a source of power. Beautiful women (or any ideal of desire) become symbols of temptation, used to divert the heart from true love and mutual respect. Proverbs 6:25 says:

“Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, nor let her captivate you with her eyes.”

Evil knows that disordered desire can destroy marriages, families, and personal integrity. What begins as attraction can end in emotional and spiritual slavery.

Centering your life on lust and beauty can be dangerous.

Big Profits: The Easy Way That Costs a Lot

Evil also disguises itself as opportunity. It promises quick success, unethical business dealings, shortcuts that seem clever but compromise the soul. When we pursue profit without considering God’s will, we expose ourselves to deception. Proverbs 10:2 reminds us:

“The treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death.”

Great profits obtained without righteousness are like sandcastles: they collapse with the first storm. Evil seduces us with the immediate, but robs us of the eternal. Many turn to sorcerers and practices far removed from God to obtain favors that later become bonds with a very high price.

The easy path to financial freedom can lead to a total loss.

Discerning the Disguise

To avoid falling into these traps, we need spiritual discernment. Only with Jesus in our hearts can we see beyond the disguise and recognize the truth. The Holy Spirit gives us eyes to see what the world doesn’t: that what appears to be success can be ruin , and what appears to be pleasure can be prison .

Evil is cunning, but not invincible. With Christ, we can walk in the light, resist seduction, and live with eternal purpose. Because when the heart is full of God, there is no room for imitations.

Here’s a heartfelt prayer you can use or adapt, asking Jesus to deliver us from every form of evil — seen and unseen, physical and spiritual.

Lord Jesus Christ,
Mighty Savior, Light of the world,
We come before You seeking Your protection and deliverance.
You are the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world —
take away the darkness that surrounds us,
break the chains that seek to bind us,
and scatter every work of evil that rises against Your children.

Deliver us, Lord, from evil in every form:
From the snares of temptation, from pride and deceit,
from hatred, lust, envy, and greed.
Deliver us from the spirit of fear, despair, and confusion.
Shield us from the evil that walks in shadows —
the lies of the enemy, the corruption of hearts,
the poison of words meant to destroy.

By Your holy cross, by Your precious blood,
we are made clean and free.
Let the light of Your resurrection burn away all darkness within us.
Send forth Your holy angels to guard and protect our homes,
our families, and our minds.
Let Your name — Jesus — be the banner over our lives,
a wall of fire no evil can pass through.

We declare:
You alone are Lord.
You alone are our refuge and fortress.
Evil has no power over those who belong to You.
In Your mercy, replace fear with faith,
hatred with love, and despair with hope.
Let Your Spirit reign in us —
so that our hearts, our thoughts, and our steps
remain anchored in Your truth and peace.

In Jesus’ mighty name we pray.
Amen.

Origins of Evil
Bible Study: The Origins of Evil 

Themes: Sin Nature, Spiritual Warfare, Inner Transformation, Discipleship
Key Verse: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? ‘I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind…'” – Jeremiah 17:9-10a (NIV)

Opening Discussion (Icebreaker)

  1. When you see acts of cruelty or injustice in the world, what is your first reaction? What feels like the most plausible explanation for why people do such things?

  2. The article states that evil often disguises itself as something desirable. Can you think of a modern example where something widely sought after (success, a lifestyle, an ideology) might be hiding a destructive core?

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]]> New Age Movement: A Road to Perdition https://healinjesus.com/new-age-movement-a-road-to-perdition/ https://healinjesus.com/new-age-movement-a-road-to-perdition/#comments Sun, 17 Aug 2025 05:16:35 +0000 https://healinjesus.com/?p=31882 The New Age Movement: Beliefs, Practices, and Pitfalls The New Age movement is a loosely defined spiritual and philosophical trend that emerged in the late 20th century, blending…

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The New Age Movement: Beliefs, Practices, and Pitfalls

The New Age movement is a loosely defined spiritual and philosophical trend that emerged in the late 20th century, blending elements from Eastern religions, Western esotericism, metaphysics, psychology, and holistic health. It’s not a religion in the traditional sense, but rather a constellation of beliefs and practices aimed at personal transformation, spiritual awakening, and “universal harmony” that steers the individual away from faith in Jesus and the bible, the only way to achieve salvation.

At its core, New Age thought emphasizes:

  • Spiritual self-discovery over organized religion

  • Holistic healing and energy work

  • Cosmic interconnectedness and consciousness expansion

  • Intuition and inner wisdom as guides to truth

  • Syncretism, or blending traditions from various cultures and eras

New age movement steers people away from Christian values.

Common New Age Practices

New Age spirituality is highly eclectic. Here are some of its most popular practices:

  • Meditation and mindfulness: Connecting with higher consciousness or inner peace

  • Crystal healing: Using crystals to balance energy and promote healing

  • Astrology: Interpreting cosmic influence on personality and destiny

  • Tarot and divination: Tools for insight and self-reflection

  • Reiki and energy healing: Channeling universal life force to heal

  • Law of Attraction: Belief that thoughts shape reality

  • Past life regression: Exploring previous incarnations for healing

  • Channeling and spirit guides: Communicating with non-physical entities

  • Yoga: A spiritual and physical practice for balance, healing, and awakening

  • Ayahuasca ceremonies: Plant medicine journeys for deep transformation

  • Starseed identity: Belief in cosmic origins and missions on Earth

That list clearly shows why New Age movements do not align with Jesus teachings, much less with the Bible. Here we explain what some of these are and why you should avoid them if you are searching for God’s love and plan to follow Jesus.

Starseeds
Starseeds is another concept that misleads new age believers.

Starseeds: Cosmic Souls on Earth

Starseeds are individuals who believe their souls originated from other planets, galaxies, or dimensions. According to this belief, Starseeds incarnate on Earth to:

  • Raise collective consciousness

  • Heal planetary energy

  • Guide humanity through spiritual evolution

Common traits attributed to Starseeds include feeling alienated, having vivid dreams of other worlds, and possessing heightened intuition or psychic abilities. Popular Starseed types include Pleiadian, Arcturian, Sirian, and Andromedan.

While the idea offers a sense of purpose and cosmic identity, skeptics argue it can foster escapism or spiritual elitism. Like many New Age concepts, it walks a fine line between empowerment and detachment from grounded reality.

Astrology: Seeking Guidance from the Heavens

Astrology claims that the positions of stars and planets influence human lives. While it can feel insightful or comforting to read horoscopes or explore birth charts, Christianity teaches that true guidance comes from God, not the cosmos.

Christian Concerns

  • Idolatry of creation: Romans 1:25 warns against worshiping created things rather than the Creator. Astrology often elevates celestial bodies to a role that belongs to God alone.

  • False prophecy: Isaiah 47:13–14 rebukes astrologers, calling their predictions powerless and misleading.

  • Spiritual distraction: Trusting in planetary alignments can lead believers away from prayer, Scripture, and reliance on the Holy Spirit.

While astrology may offer psychological insight, Christians are called to seek wisdom through prayer and Scripture, not the stars.

astrology
Astrology falls into the Divination, forbidden in the bible.

Ayahuasca: Plant Medicine and Peril

Ayahuasca, a psychoactive brew from the Amazon, is revered for its ability to induce visionary states and emotional healing. In New Age circles, it’s seen as a tool for:

  • Ego dissolution

  • Trauma release

  • Spiritual insight and cosmic connection

However, ayahuasca carries risks: psychological instability, physical side effects, unregulated ceremonies, and ethical concerns around cultural appropriation and drug tourism. Not to mention that the induced effects can open doors that later are very difficult to close. You are putting your physical and spiritual health at high risk when using this plant, stay away from it.

Ayahuasca, a famous new age movement practice.
A Chaman performs an Ayahuasca ceremony

Tarot: Divination or Deception?

Tarot cards are used to gain insight into personal questions or future events. Each card carries symbolic meaning, and readings often feel deeply personal. But from a biblical standpoint, divination is explicitly forbidden.

Christian Concerns

  • Forbidden practice: Deuteronomy 18:10–12 lists divination among practices detestable to God.

  • Spiritual vulnerability: Engaging with tarot can open doors to deceptive spirits or occult influences.

  • False sense of control: Tarot may offer comfort or clarity, but it can also foster dependence on human tools rather than divine guidance.

Even when used for “self-reflection,” tarot operates on spiritual principles that conflict with biblical truth. Christians are encouraged to seek discernment through the Holy Spirit, not symbolic cards.

Cards
Card reading is forbidden by the scriptures.

Yoga: The Mind-Body Gateway

‘yoke’ or ‘union’) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines that originated with its own philosophy in ancient India, aimed at controlling body and mind to attain various salvation goals, as practiced in the Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist traditions. Yoga, though ancient in origin, has become a cornerstone of New Age spirituality. It’s often adapted to emphasize:

  • Chakra balancing

  • Energy flow and emotional release

  • Spiritual awakening through movement and breath

Styles like Kundalini Yoga and Yin Yoga are especially popular, often paired with affirmations, sound healing, or guided visualizations. 

Origins vs. New Age Adaptation

  • Traditional Yoga: Rooted in ancient Indian philosophy, yoga was originally a spiritual discipline aimed at union with the divine, involving ethical principles, meditation, and physical postures (asanas).

  • New Age Yoga: In the New Age context, yoga is often reinterpreted as a tool for personal growth, energy alignment, and emotional healing. It’s frequently blended with other practices like chakra balancing, crystal healing, or affirmations.

Yoga's origins place it on a list of forbidden practices to Christians.

Reiki: Healing or Hidden Dangers?

Reiki is an energy healing technique that claims to channel universal life force to promote wellness. It’s often described as gentle and non-invasive, but its spiritual foundations raise serious concerns for Christians.

This Japanese healing technique founded by Mikao Usui in the early 20th century. Usui developed the practice after a spiritual experience on Mount Kurama, where he reportedly received the ability to channel universal life energy for healing.

Christian Concerns

  • Spiritual source: Reiki invokes a “universal energy” that is undefined and impersonal—unlike the personal, sovereign God of Scripture.

  • Unbiblical healing: While Jesus healed through divine power, Reiki relies on human mediation and spiritual forces not rooted in Christ.

  • Syncretism: Mixing Christian faith with Reiki practices can dilute the gospel and lead to spiritual confusion.

Though Reiki may feel peaceful, Christians are called to seek healing through prayer, community, and God’s grace—not through energy manipulation.

Reiki
Reiki is yet another practice with no Christian basis.

Crystal Healing: Energy or Idolatry?

Crystal healing is the belief that certain stones possess energetic properties that can heal, protect, or balance the body and spirit. Practitioners often place crystals on the body, meditate with them, or use them to “align chakras.” In New Age spirituality, crystals are seen as conduits of universal energy.

Christian Concerns

  • Idolatry and misplaced faith: Scripture warns against placing trust in objects rather than God. Isaiah 44:9–20 critiques the worship of created things, reminding believers that healing and power come from the Creator, not the creation.

  • Spiritual deception: Believing that crystals can influence spiritual or emotional states may open the door to occult thinking and distract from reliance on the Holy Spirit.

  • Syncretism: Integrating crystal healing with Christian faith can dilute biblical truth and lead to confusion about the source of healing.

While crystals are beautiful parts of God’s creation, attributing them with mystical powers risks turning them into idols. Healing, peace, and protection are gifts from God—not from stones.

Crystal healing
Crystal healing, another pagan practice.

Channeling: Voices Beyond or Spirits to Avoid?

Channeling is the practice of communicating with non-physical entities—such as spirit guides, ascended masters, or extraterrestrial beings—to receive wisdom or guidance. In New Age circles, channelers claim to access higher dimensions or consciousness through altered states.

Christian Concerns

  • Forbidden contact with spirits: Scripture is clear about avoiding communication with the dead or spiritual entities outside of God’s authority. Leviticus 19:31 and Deuteronomy 18:10–12 condemn mediums and spiritists as spiritually dangerous.

  • Demonic deception: 2 Corinthians 11:14 warns that “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” Channeling may invite deceptive spirits that appear benevolent but lead people away from truth.

  • Loss of discernment: Relying on channeled messages can erode trust in Scripture and the Holy Spirit, replacing divine revelation with counterfeit wisdom.

Channeling may feel enlightening or comforting, but it bypasses the biblical model of divine communication. Christians are called to seek God through prayer, Scripture, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit—not through spiritual entities whose origins are unknown and potentially harmful.

channeling
Channeling is another form of divination.

Podcaster Angela Scafidi published a video using an AI chatbot as the guest, and asked it “How would you sell New Age Religion“. The answer explains what this article just exposed. It would sell these beliefs wrapped in a lighter package, disguised as the true religion.

Why It Appeals

The New Age movement resonates with many people for several reasons:

  • Personal empowerment

  • Flexibility and freedom

  • Holistic wellness

  • Mystical wonder

  • Community and connection

Downsides and Criticisms

Despite its appeal, the New Age movement has its pitfalls:

IssueDescription
PseudoscienceMany practices lack empirical support
CommercializationSpirituality is often commodified
Cultural appropriationRituals and symbols are borrowed without context
EscapismOveremphasis on “positive vibes” can avoid real-world engagement
Mental health risksSome practices may destabilize vulnerable individuals
Echo chambersOnline communities can reinforce misinformation or conspiracy thinking

A Call to Discernment

New Age beliefs are a creation to keep people from connecting to the true God, the one that created Humanity and the universe. From a Christian worldview, practices like the ones we explored in this article may seem spiritually enriching on the surface, but they carry hidden dangers.

They often substitute God’s power with impersonal forces, blur the line between truth and deception, and risk opening doors to spiritual influences that are not from Him.

Believers are encouraged to heed 1 John 4:1: “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” True healing, wisdom, and peace come not from energy fields or mystical beings, but from a relationship with Jesus Christ.

References:

New Age Movement

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