New age groups and teachers have convinced thousands of people that the ultimate goal in life is to attain “Christ consciousness.” They say that Jesus Christ, whether he was a real person or a symbol, came to Earth and realized he was God – someone all-powerful, capable of expressing superpowers, and doing anything he put his mind to achieve.
And, they say, our goal is to achieve the same – to realize that we, too, are God. To realize that we are all powerful Gods and are here to create everything good we desire for our lives.
Oh, it sounds good, but nothing could be further from the truth.
Have these “new agers” actually read the Bible? No, but they have sound bytes. You know, quotes and stories taken out of context that get repeated over and over. Some of those stories aren’t actually even in the Bible.
The new age Jesus is not the same Jesus in the Bible. The new age Jesus has been created to be a symbol of self-serving, individualistic ideology. The new age Jesus says, “you are God and therefore have a duty to create your materialistic dreams! Achieve Christ consciousness and you’ll get everything you want in this world! Money, fame, power, a house, a car, anything!”
The new age Jesus is a symbol of how man can overcome his own humanity and rise above being a vulnerable human and get everything he wants, including immortality, health, wealth, and physical resources. Whatever you need, bro, just start meditating and develop a Christ consciousness and you’ll be covered.
New age Jesus isn’t the Biblical Jesus
The new age story of Jesus isn’t in the Bible. Jesus Christ didn’t come to Earth and realize he was God. He came to Earth and humbled himself completely and embraced being a lowly human being. He didn’t try to “be like God,” and he never told anyone else to “be like God.” He did and taught exactly the opposite.
“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!”
Philippians 2:5-8
Jesus knew he was God, but didn’t use that knowledge to his advantage to gain anything.
Jesus didn’t try to get ahead materially in the world.
Jesus didn’t even avoid his own death, attempting to achieve immortality – he already knew he was immortal. He allowed himself to die as a human being.
Now, what is Christ consciousness, really?