A New Age?

WED., JAN. 13, 1988, 6:28 AM
FARM, STUDY

Is this truly a new age of spiritual interest and discernment? Am I involved in any… or all of the happenings that could be called spiritual? It is important that you know, because you would be considered part of the phenomenon, on the basis of these Teachings and your use of them. Hear, o son.

The answer is, as you expected, Yes and No. Yes… this is a new age, with more spiritual activity. This is an age of publicity and communication, so spiritual experiences can be known by many and compared. I am involved in some of these. Our relationship is now into its ninth year, and clearly you were not involved with Me in the age of your youth or of your young adulthood as you are now. It is truth, then, that I am working more overtly now than in some other ages.

I am not involved in all of these movements, and many of them acknowledge Me little or not at all. I approve of the emphasis on spirit, but I do not approve of all of the variations and of all of the results of this emphasis.

In an equally true sense I can say No… this is not a new age, for in every age there are spiritual movements and also resistance, opposition, and lethargy in relation to them. Spiritual movements seem to conflict, as do secular social movements and political ones. The competition and rivalry encourages those not involved to deny the value of these warring groups, and their influence does not increase. So I have seen variations of this in every age, including diminished concern for movements with which I have been directly involved.

But I am not surprised by this, for it is the working of the earth scene as I designed it. The story of Cain and Abel is not a story of My early failure as a Creator. In fact, if you read the story carefully I provoked the murder by accepting and praising one earthly gift and rejecting and bad-mouthing the other. I encouraged competition over what should be offered to Me, and conflict arose. And as cultures and religions developed the rivalries intensified, then abated, and then arose again. I see this as more appropriate to the development of spirit than having the earth as some peaceful, tranquil scene.

As I have told you I want you to be minimally informed about the elements of this “new age,” but you are to give most attention to these Teachings and the part you have in this age. Do not go beyond your natural interests. Do feel the responsibility to keep these offerings of Mine in some usable order. In each and every age I come to people in a variety of ways, in order that the message of My love and concern for the earth and its peoples might be reintroduced and considered anew.

The Scripture reading in this past Sunday’s worship service applies to this theme, if you recall. The Jews who had accepted Me as the Messiah believed and insisted that the spiritual power of their new age would come only with the keeping of all of the Jewish laws. But Paul saw that I, the Holy Spirit, came and dwelt in some who were not circumsized, and so the movement identifying with the Christ spirit moved away from “the rules,” but soon set up new ones, designed to encourage spiritual power.

Before electronic failure you saw, last night, a film discussing the power of Islam. It said, in effect, that this is a new age for an old fashioned faith. It was a power once and then it diminished. Now it is rising again, with many who proclaim it zealously… and as competition for other religions and for social and political systems. It shall have power, even as I do not approve of all that is done in the name of Allah.