Articles

When Angels Deny Biblical Teachings

Written by JA Show Staff | Aug 14, 2012 4:00:00 AM
By: Dr. John Ankerberg and Dr.John Weldon; ©2012
The godly angels never deny the teachings of Jesus Christ or the Bible. Yet the popular angels do this routinely. Some examples are: “God is the totality of your living experience.” “God is life. You and God share the same bed, the same car, the same glass of water. You and God are one.”

When Angels Deny Biblical Teachings

The godly angels never deny the teachings of Jesus Christ or the Bible. Yet the popular angels do this routinely. Some examples are: “God is the totality of your living experience.” [1] “God is life. You and God share the same bed, the same car, the same glass of water. You and God are one.” [2] The popular angels teach basic pagan, New Age beliefs, including Hinduism, occult practice, pantheism (all is God, God is all), universalism, and that Christ dwells within all people, irrespective of faith in Him. [3] These “angels” make simple errors of fact in both theological and non-theological areas. [4] Consider the following from Angel Wisdom: “The angels do not judge”; “our true selves are angelic”; “all religions... worship the same God”; “our souls remain in a pure state of innocence”; “consider the possibility that ultimately everything is true.” [5] Besides denying biblical teaching, the popular angels also distort the Bible. If these were godly angels, especially ones who took part in giving the law of God to Moses, they would not distort His Word. In The Angels Within Us, Scripture is universally misinterpreted to support the occult, which violates biblical prohibitions against the occult (Deut. 18:9-12). For example: 1) the angel’s interpretation of Matthew 5:14 is twisted to teach pantheism and that we are “the creative power of the universe”; 2) 2 Chronicles 20:17 is a “coded message” that “describes what happens when you take on the energy of [the] angel”; 3) Psalm 91:11 is reinterpreted to encourage spiritism; 4) John 15:1-11 is distorted to mean that we are to abide within the God-self within us, the occult “I AM Presence.” [6] These angels also direct their contacts to read these passages in the Bible. [7] Angel channeler and New Age leader John Randolph Price comments, “The angels are extremely practical in showing us our false beliefs,” [8] which happens to include traditional Christian interpretation of biblical passages. Concerning the greatest commandment given by Jesus to love God above all else (Matt. 22:37-38), we are told it really means: “Start with the first and greatest commandment, which is to love the Lord Self with every particle of feeling you have....” [9] Sadly, the Bible is being twisted by these so-called angels in order to deceive people into their own demonization. Consider how three popular passages are interpreted: If we are totally sincere and willing to surrender the lesser in exchange for the greater, the Holy Self will gently ease the old personality out and will replace that lower energy with Itself.... An entirely new wine skin must be made ready for the new inpouring. Paul said, “I die daily” (1 Cor. 15:31)—and this is what we must do to secure the final victory. Remember, “unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). And “whoever loses his life for [the sake of the Christ within] will find it” (Matt. 16:25). In this citation, “dying daily” to the flesh, spiritual regeneration, or being “born again,” and forsaking one’s own desires for those of Christ, are all reinterpreted to teach angel possession as “the final victory.” Ultimately, to “accept Christ” is to accept the “angel” inside and to allow it to possess you. [10] Of course, most people assume that since these beings are angels, it is natural for them to quote Scripture. Isn’t this what we expect of angels? As the author of the above citation wrote, “Could an angel possibly be associated with Satan?” [11] Of course not; who would ever expect such a thing? Here are several revelations from the angels and related biblical texts to look up to see other ways in which these beings could not possibly be the holy angels: • “You may think that there is only one truth; yet we, your angels, suggest that all of you have your own truth, your own interpretation of divine law. No one way is right or wrong.” [12] • “[It is wrong] to feel that only one way is the authentic path to God.” [13] • “Love... is ‘the capacity to allow all other living things to grow into their fullest expression of self.’” [14] • “In Truth I am the Spirit of God... for God is all, and all is God.” [15] Now consider the following meditation provided by the angels, which they wish people to assimilate. Ask yourself if this could possibly come from a godly angel: “All that God is, I AM.... I AM divine purity.... I AM perfect love,... I AM the peace that goes beyond understanding,... I AM omnipotent.... I AM perfect judgment.... I AM the only supply,... the I AM THAT I AM,... for I AM the joy of the world.” [16] This clearly denies the teachings of Jesus Christ, who taught that people were evil, not good, and certainly not divine: “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matt. 7:11). And, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander” (Matt. 15:19). People may also be surprised to know that scores of modern cults and false religions were instituted or nurtured by “angelic” contact. As we documented thoroughly in The Mask of Mormonism, few religions are as anti-Christian as the Mormon faith. Nevertheless, Mormon founder Joseph Smith was led to the alleged “gold plates,” from which the Book of Mormon was occultly translated, by the “angel Moroni.” [17] Since then, Mormon history has been replete with angelic guidance, direction, and revelation. In The Facts on the Jehovah’s Witnesses we documented how “angels” have played a large role in the Jehovah’s Witness religion, and even in their terribly biased translation of the Bible, The New World Translation. The noted seventeenth-century medium, Emanuel Swedenborg, also routinely contacted angels and eventually formed another pervasively anti-Christian sect, The Church of the New Jerusalem, sometimes termed the New Church or Swedenborgian faith. Swedenborg’s angels were with him continually, whispering, teaching, impressing thoughts and ideas into his mind. [18] Rudolph Steiner, the founder of Anthroposophy (a combination of theosophy and Gnostic Christianity), is another illustration of an extremely anti-Christian sect begun with the help of angels. Steiner, heavily influenced by Swedenborg, contacted the dead and other spirits, including angels, whom he described in detail in his writings and lectures. He taught that every person has a guardian angel throughout many incarnations on earth. [19] Jose Silva, the founder of the eight-million-member occult Silva Mind Control technique, teaches people to contact “inner advisors” for information and guidance. In part, SMC was started when, during astral projection, Silva contacted what could be termed an “angel” who helped him develop the principles that became Silva Mind Control. [20] Other examples could be given, including the Self-Realization Fellowship founded by Paramahansa Yogananda and the Unity School of Christianity founded by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore. [21] But obviously, the angels who helped begin or who influenced such anti-Christian religious systems could not have been the good angels, since their revelations are antibiblical. Yet these religions either claim to be Christian or to be harmonious with the Christian faith. As a result, they are confusing many people, Christians included.

NOTES

  1. ↑ Meredith L. Young-Sowers, Angelic Messenger Cards: A Divination System for Spiritual Discovery (Walpole, NH: Stillpoint, 1993), p. 58.
  2. ↑ Ibid., p. 118.
  3. ↑ Ibid., pp. 63,139.
  4. ↑ Terry Lynn Taylor, Answers From the Angels (Tiburon, CA: H. J. Kramer, 1993), p. 59; Terry Lynn Taylor and Mary Beth Crain, Angel Wisdom: 365 Meditations and Insights from the Heavens, (NY: HarperCollins, 1994), January 1; April 13.
  5. ↑ cf. 1 John 2:21; See Taylor and Crain, Angel Wisdom, January 1; April 13; January 1; April 12-13, 28; September 5.
  6. ↑ See John Randolph Price, The Angels Within Us: A Spiritual Guide to the Twenty-two Angels that Govern Our Lives (NY: Fawcett, 1993), pp. 60, 108, 114, 122-123.
  7. ↑ Ibid., pp. 60, 122.
  8. ↑ Ibid., 62.
  9. ↑ Ibid., p. 63
  10. ↑ Ibid., pp. 189-91, emphasis added.
  11. ↑ Ibid., p. 206.
  12. ↑ Young-Sowers, Angelic Messenger Cards, p. 113; cf. John 14:6; 1 John 2:21.
  13. ↑ Ibid., p. 135; cf. John 10:1-12; Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5-6.
  14. ↑ Ibid., p. 138; cf. 1 Corinthians 13:3-8.
  15. ↑ Price, The Angels Within U, p. 145; cf. Ezekiel 28:2-4.
  16. ↑ Price, The Angels Within Us, p. 276.
  17. ↑ See, “Brief Analysis of the Book of Mormon,” and “Origin of the Book of Mormon” at the beginning of the Book of Mormon.
  18. ↑ Samuel M. Warren, A Compendium of the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, (NY: Swedenborg Foundation, 1977), p. 749.
  19. ↑ Cf. Rudolf Steiner, “The Relationship Between the Living and the Dead,” Journal for Anthroposophy, Autumn 1978; Rudolf Steiner, From Jesus to Christ (London: Rudolf Steiner Press, 1973); Rudolf Steiner, Christianity and Occult Mysteries of Antiquity (Blauvelt, NY: Steinerbooks, 1977), pp. 163-64, 168-72; and Rudolf Steiner’s lectures on necromancy, e.g., Rudolf Steiner, “How We Can Help Our Dead,” The Christian Community Journal, vol. 7, 1953, p. 48; Rudolf Steiner, lecture, “The Dead Are With Us,” London, 1945; Steiner, “The Relationship Between the Living and the Dead.”
  20. ↑ Stated to John Weldon by Jose Silva after taping of The John Ankerberg Show debate in 1986.
  21. ↑ Angels II: Beyond the Light, NBC special, 30 October 1994, 7:00 p.m., host, Stefanie Powers.
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