Eastern and New Age Concepts

in the Bible

(click here to jump directly to the first update 03/05/06)

1)  "God inside you" or the Krishna "the body is the temple of God" or "Spirit inside you"  Matthew 10:18-20:  "18  And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.  19  But when they deliver you up, take no thought (do not worry about) how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.  20  For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you."

  -Body as the temple of God:  1 Corinthians 3:16-17 reflects Krishna and other Eastern philosophies that the body is the temple of God- His spirit dwells inside us.  We are holy because of this.  This is why we should take care of our bodies.  Destroy the temple and God will destroy you (or destroy the body temple) and you are really just destroying yourself.  "16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  17  If any man defile (destroys) the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."

Cross-reference Habakkuk 2:18-20 and 1 Corinthians 6:15-20

Habakkuk 2:18-20  "18  What profiteth the graven (carved) image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb (mute) idols?  19  Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb (silent) stone, Arise, it shall teach!  Behold it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.  20  But the Lord is in his holy temple (God is a living and breathing God): let all the earth keep silence before him."

1 Corinthians 6:15-20  "15  Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ?  shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot?  God forbid.  16  What?  know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body?  for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.  17  But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.  18  Flee fornication.  Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.  19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  20  For ye are bought with a price:  therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit which are God's."

Can be interpreted to validate Eastern belief that "we are God and realize this when we become enlightened" or can be interpreted to mean God resides in us (as in "the breath of life") our body is a temple for the breath of life.  Further, God purchased us through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

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2) "Manifesting desires into reality"  Intent and desires spoken manifest into our realities.  Mark 11:22-24  "22  And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.  23  For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.  24  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."

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3)  "Karma":  Habakkuk 2:12-17  "12  Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood (bloodshed), and stablisheth a city by iniquity!  13  Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity (in vain)?  14  For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.  15  Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!  16  Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the Lord's right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory.  17  For the violence of (done to) Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil (plunder) of beasts , which made them afraid, because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein."  (Seems to say that bad things are in store for those who build on bloodshed, and those who corrupt others for their own selfish pleasures...violence will fall upon them that cause bloodshed, and vomiting for drunkards, etc.  Much like the Golden Rule "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"

"Karma"  Obadiah v15 (there's only one chapter in this book of the Bible in the Old Testament): "For the day of the Lord is upon all the heathen (nations): as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head."

"Karma"  Colossians 3:12-25 (Karma - especially v.25)...Golden Rule modified- The one universal rule: what you do comes back to you, so do good things. (What you sow, so shall you reap).  "12  Put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;  13  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.  14  And above all these things put on charity (aka "love"), which is the bond of perfectness.  15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.  16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  17  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.  18  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.  19  Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.  20  Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.  21  Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.  22  Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:  23  And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;  24  Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.  25  But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons."

"Karma"  Proverbs 21:v13  "Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard."

"Karma"  James 2: 8-13  "8  If ye fulfill the royal law according to scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:  9  But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced (convicted) of the law as transgressors.  10  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.  11  For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill.  Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.  12  So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.  13  For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment."

"Karma"  Revelation 2:23-24  "23  And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.  24  But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden."

UPDATED 03/05/06: "Karma"  Leviticus 24:17-22  "17 And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death.  18 And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast.  19 And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbor; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;  20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.  21 And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.  22 Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God."

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4)  Abandon passion and desire (Buddhist?): Colossians 3:v5, 8, and 11  "5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection (passion), evil concupiscence (desire), and covetousness, which is idolatry."  "8  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth."  "11  Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all and in all."

Abandon desire = abandon your lusts.  Desire/lust causes fighting, wars, killing.  To obtain we must ask God and ask with the right heart.  Humble yourselves.  Speak evil of no one.  Don't judge others.  James 4:1-12  "1  From whence come wars and fightings among you?  come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?  2  Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire (covet) to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, becuase ye ask not.  3  Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.  4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?  whosever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.  5  Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?  6  But he giveth more grace.  Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.  7  Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.  Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  9  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness (gloom).  10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.  11  Speak not evil one of another, brethren.  He that speaketh evil of his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.  12  There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?"

 

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