2 Timothy 2:23-24 says,

“²³ Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. ²⁴ And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil,”

We must not get into arguments when preaching the gospel. The purpose of this lesson is simply to understand the basics of these three belief systems so that we are not shocked or shaken if ever we encounter anyone with any of these sets of beliefs.

The New Age Movement

These are Westernized forms of Eastern religions that involve a combination of occultic practices, self-help, holistic medicines and astrology. Activities include tarot cards, metaphysical healing, reading of palms and connecting to the spirit world. They believe in taking control of your own life and that increased personal awareness and development of one’s own divinity is the springboard to global transformation. These beliefs are flexible and they in fact reject rigid morals and organized religion and prefer to choose their own spiritual truth. Some examples of New Age Religions are Hare Krishna, Scientology, Theosophy, Rosicrucians, Inner Peace Movement, Spiritualism and Children of God.

Reincarnation

This is also known as rebirth or transmigration. It is the concept that the human spirit or soul begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death.

Relativism

A relativist holds that nobody is right or wrong about what is moral (good or bad), therefore, everyone ought to tolerate the behaviour of others regardless of the gravity of evil they have committed.

Bible Passages That Counter These Beliefs

BELIEF	BIBLE PASSAGES THAT COUNTER IT
The New Age Movement	Deuteronomy 6:13-15 13 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. 14 Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; 15 (For the Lord thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth. Matthew 4:9-10 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Reincarnation	Hebrews 9:27 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Relativism	Deuteronomy 30:15-19 15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; 16 In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. 17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; 18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. 19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

People will believe anything so far it’s not God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So whenever anyone presents their contrary beliefs to you, simply bring them back to your gospel message. There is power in the gospel, not in discussing beliefs and arguing about which religion is the best. Remember that when someone brings up an objection, it is just Satan trying to prevent you from proclaiming the Gospel of Salvation. Always stir them back to the Gospel.