I'm going to depart from my discussion of Romans today (though as I'm typing this, I realize that a few of the verses referenced in this post are indeed from Romans), because I had a special request to blog about the ideas behind the movie "The Secret," which is all about creating your own circumstances, making good things happen by thinking good thoughts, and taking control over your life to make things happen for you. To some extent there's truth to the thought that having a positive attitude attracts positivity in others, and when you're pleasant, people are more likely to be pleasant back. The question is, is that all there is to it? Is it just some natural force, as they seem to claim? - some sort of Law of Attraction? Or is there some sort of power at work? And if so, where does it come from, and should we even be seeking it out? Let's look at the options, either:
1. This is merely naturally attractive positivity, and it only looks supernatural because we don't understand how it works, or
2. There is a supernatural power at work and it's God's power, or
3. There is a supernatural power at work and it's not God's power.
(You can use this kind of thinking with other spiritual, supernatural, inexplicable phenomena as well. I believe it's part of what 1 John 4:1 refers to as "testing the spirits.")
Well, all you need to do is go to their website, and see words like 'magic', 'power' and 'energy' to see that there is something deeper here than a natural law of give and take, cause and effect. There is indeed a spiritual, supernatural power at work here, and it doesn't take long to see whether it's from God or not. Time to get into some Scripture!
Revelation 2:24-25 tells us that it's a good thing not to learn "Satan's so-called deep secrets." Why do I think this verse applies? 2 Thessalonians 2:7-10 gives a good indication: "For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work.... The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing...."
Is there real power behind this so-called Secret? I do not doubt it. But it is not a power I would ever wish to embrace, and it is not a secret I would choose to use.
One very simple way to see if this is from God is asking, "Who does it glorify?" The Bible says, in James 1:17, "Every good and perfect gift is from above..." The Secret says it is from within. Revelation 5:12 says, "....Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!" The Secret says that we are the ones worthy of those things. It is very clear that the Secret does not glorify God as the all-powerful, world-changing, worthy, life-changing God that He is, instead it substitutes us in His place, echoing the very first lie: "You will not die! You will be like God!"
Before I sum up, I think it might be useful to visualize just how extreme the contrast between the Bible and the Secret is. (Teachings from the Bible will be referenced, teachings from the Secret are taken from the official website.)
Secret - "Fall in love with money."
- "Do not speak or think of the lack of money for a single second."
- "Do whatever it takes for you to feel wealthy."
- "Love yourself and know that you are deserving and worthy of an abundance of money."
- "Always, always pay yourself first..."
- "Do whatever it takes to feel good... Be happy now!"
- "Love yourself! Wealth is a mindset... It's all about how you think."
Bible - "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. / People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud... / without self-control... / ...rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - / having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them." (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
- "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. / For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. / But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness." (1 Timothy 6:9-11)
Secret - "Know that you are perfect. Do not think any negative thoughts about you."
- "Know that you are worthy and deserving of anything and everything you could possibly want in your life."
- "Do not... criticize anybody, ever."
- "Make your happiness the number one thing in your life..."
- "Get your attention off those things in others that don't make you feel good."
- "Know that you are perfect right now."
Bible - "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
- "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:2)
- "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect..." (Philippians 3:12)
- "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? / Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24-25)
- "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him." (Luke 17:3)
Secret - "Do not speak of your illness, or disease with others."
- "Know you have the power within you to heal yourself."
- "Never criticize or blame yourself or anyone else for anything."
- "...put all your focus and attention on doing things that make you feel good."
- "Resist nothing, love everything!"
Bible - "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. / And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. / Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James 5:14-16)
- "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures..." (Titus 3:3)
- "....Hate what is evil; cling to what is good." (Romans 12:9)
- "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)
It is extremely clear that these two viewpoints are opposed to one another. The Secret may give you everything you ask for, but at what cost? As Matthew 16:26 says, "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" It's not worth the cost. As 2 Corinthians 4:2 says, "...we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God."
To sum up, is there power in the Secret? Yes. Is it God's power? No, in fact it's opposed to God's commands, His principles, and His heart. It teaches people to eliminate the need for God in their lives by calling on this 'power' to transform their own lives without His help. It teaches people to do things and believe things that lead to ruin, destruction and grief. And if, as I suspect, the ultimate source of this power is demonic, first of all the very idea that it is your power is a lie and a diversion, and second of all the power of demons can't stand before the power of God. He orders this world, and His plans are unshakable, no matter what the Secret would tell you. If you want true power, it has always rested with Him. He will not lie to us and say that we are the source, but as the most loving, just, and merciful person inside or outside of time, He can be trusted with that power. The Bible says that He supplies our needs, and I have seen it happen. I gladly say along with Psalm 84:10, "...I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked."
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