Are you looking for God in all the wrong places?
John’s gospel account continues – “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, ‘I am going fishing.’ They said to him, ‘We are going with you also.’ They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Children, have you any food?’ They answered Him, ‘No.’ And He said to them, ‘Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.’ So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish. Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.’ Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken.” (John 20: 30- 21: 11)
John’s gospel account tells us that Peter told the other disciples that he was going fishing. They then agreed to go with him. However, they had no success in finding any fish – until Jesus came. Being fully man, and fully God, Jesus could easily instruct them where to cast their nets in order to find fish. He redirected their efforts, and their endeavor became successful. So often, we do not seek God’s word and His direction before we step out into our endeavors. So many messages in our world tell us to rely completely upon ourselves. Self-glorification and the bolstering of our self-will is a common theme.
New Age teachings are everywhere today. They seek to refocus us inwards, towards our ‘divine’ self. We are all created by God, but we are not born with God ‘in’ us. We are born with a nature that is fallen, and tainted toward rebellion and sin. So much in our world today seeks to make us feel ‘better’ about ourselves. We are all created in God’s image, but that image was marred by what Adam and Eve did in disobeying God. If you fall for the lie that you are divine, and that God lives in you; ultimately you will turn up empty.
The entire Bible is God’s redemption story. God is spirit, and a spirit cannot die, so Jesus had to come and take on flesh in order to die and pay the price for our eternal salvation. In order for God’s Spirit to indwell us, we must believe what He has done for us, and turn to Him in repentance, recognizing that we are sinners incapable of self-glorification, self-sanctification, or self-redemption.
The apostle Paul recognized the sinful nature that he had (after becoming a believer he still struggled with his fallen nature – like we all do). Paul wrote in Romans – “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” (Romans 7: 15-25)
If you have believed the New Age lies about your own inward divinity, or that the Universe is directing you, or that God is all and all is God…I would ask you to reconsider. Reconsider the truth that we all have a sinful nature, and that we are ultimately helpless to change this nature. Only God can transform us after He indwells us with His Spirit and brings us through a process of sanctification.
A great message of redemption and freedom follows Paul realization of his sinfulness – “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8: 1-4)
For more information about New Age belief please reference these sites:
https://carm.org/what-is-the-new-age
