What is spiritual development?

Answer

Both New Age teachings and biblical Christianity wholeheartedly affirm that there is more to a human being than just the material and the physical. Both would agree that a human being has a spirit and that there are other spirit beings that can interact with the world and with people. They also agree that human beings need to develop spiritually, or they will miss out on the most important aspects of life. However, the similarities between New Age thought and biblical Christianity end quickly when discussing how and in what direction one should develop spiritually.

The Bible teaches that God desires our spiritual development. Human beings are created in God’s image (Genesis 1:28-29). We were made to have fellowship with Him, but that fellowship was broken by sin. Sin, or rebellion against God’s law, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”, (1 John 3:4), is the obstacle to our spiritual development. Every human being’s spirit is separated from God, the Author of life, so human beings are described as spiritually dead in sin, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;”, (Ephesians 2:1). The only hope for dead spirits is that they be made alive in Christ and then start to grow and develop into the kind of spiritual people God intended for us to be—people that accurately reflect His image.

The goal of the Christian life is to become more and more like Christ, as the Holy Spirit works in our spirits, producing fruit (Galatians 5:22-24). As we yield to the Spirit, He will guide us, “Th

As I say, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16,25). “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:16,25). Spiritual growth occurs through reading God’s Word, prayer, fellowship with other believers, and active participation in a local church. Christians do not determine the direction or the methods of their growth; these have been chosen by God as revealed in His Word. Through the church, God equips His people “for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants… Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:12-15).

A Christian’s spiritual growth is grounded in the promises of God’s Word and the willing participation of the individual believer as they submit to Christ. The aim is to forsake sin and grow in Christlikeness: “He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:4-8).

New Age spiritual development begins with a fundamentally different premise. Instead of viewing humanity as created in the likeness of a personal God, New Age spirituality perceives human beings as distinct expressions of an impersonal spirit (energy, force, or chi) that animates the cosmos. According to New Age beliefs, spiritual growth involves connecting with this energy to attain greater satisfaction and balance in this life and potentially in the afterlife. One New Age website articulates the objective of New Age spiritual development as follows: “The world is a magnificent cornucopia, brimming with marvelous and delightful treasures. Here, we can discover precisely what we seek. If we desire sensory pleasure, numerous opportunities abound. Similarly, if we aim to learn and draw nearer to our higher self, that prospect also exists. In essence, the earthly phase of our existence presents a chance to learn, create, and encounter all facets of the self, moving closer to our desired state.” The path of New Age spiritual development is determined by the individual. By aligning oneself with the spiritual essence, one can transform into anyone or anything desired.

New Age philosophy asserts that spirit guides and angels can assist in one’s spiritual journey by offering guidance and fortitude on the path to self-realization. Objects like crystals may aid in focusing psychic/spiritual energies. Arranging items in one’s living space (as in feng shui) can also enhance energy flow. Psychic abilities such as ESP can be cultivated.

While biblical spiritual development aims to emulate Christ, New Age spiritual development allows each person to define their own objectives, enabling them to take charge of their destiny. This distinction lies between the Holy Spirit’s sanctification and an individual’s self-discovery. It marks the contrast between

Submitting to God and seeking to become one’s own god are fundamentally different. It is the distinction between hearing God say, “Commit your way to the LORD” (Proverbs 37:5) and listening to Satan’s deceitful words, “You will be like God” «for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. », (Genesis 3:5).