New Thought

​Recently I finished reading a book called Key To Yourselfby Venice Bloodworth.   It was recommended to me by a very nice man who felt I would find it to be inspiring.  What I found was that it was immensely dangerous.  The book could be summarized in a four word sentence near the beginning of the book, “Psychology is the answer.”  Published in 1952, the book is a primer for New Thought.  Dr. Bloodworth’s contention is that we are all part of God and “your future is entirely under your own control.”[1]  What we need is to harness positive thinking which will then reap positive outcome. The reason we suffer ill fortune is because of the negative energy and thoughts we generate in our minds.  “If the state of your health or finances is not all you desire, you must look within yourself for the cause.”[2] Later she writes, “Ignorance of the existence and power of the subconscious mind is the cause of all failures and near failures in the world.”[3]  

​Dr. Bloodworth cites the Bible when it reinforces her position and conveniently ignores or disregards any written Word which contradicts her theories.  In essence Jesus is a positive genie who teaches us to rub our own bellies to obtain all we can think.   She never mentions anything about His coming back to judge us or that God will hold people accountable for their sins for sin after all is just misguided thinking we can eliminate on our own.  
 
Meditation
Titus 3:5—He saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
 
So is psychology the answer?  Dr. Bloodworth states, “We grow old or sick or feeble for no other reason than that we believe in old age and sickness . . . there is no principle of decay or death.”[4]  One has to wonder what was said at her funeral just four years after her book was published and why her casket would reveal rot; wrought without thinking!  
​
New Thought Movement is cleverly packaged old heresy.  Positive thinking is great, as is indoor plumbing, but neither will save us from death.  We can say we are all part of a universal life force and that we are divine but to do so pit us against a jealous Creator who guards His uniqueness and who does not take it kindly when the created claims His authority, power and space.  Satan told Eve to eat the forbidden fruit for “your eyes will be opened and you will be like God” (Gen. 3:4).   Opened eyes saw nakedness, separation and pain and entered a prison no self-thinking key could unlock.  That is precisely why God sent Jesus.  If thinking was capable of saving us God would never have done the unthinkable! If regeneration was simply a matter of rearranging a mindset we would not need the Holy Spirit or God’s mercy. No, life is not fulfilled by self-fabricated psychology, and evil won’t go away because we think less of it.  ThinkGod and follow His saving Son—“so that having been justified by His grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life!” (Tit. 3:7)  Eternal joy comes from a heavenly Father who loves us more deeply than we can ever love ourselves.   
 
Inspiration
Truth never changes with the times, but heresy always does.—John MacArthur in The Truth War
 
©2011 Daniel York  ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box. Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)
 


[1]Venice Bloodworth in Key To Yourself, (DeVorss Publications 1952), p. 33.
[2]Ibid, p.12.
[3]Ibid, p.22.
[4]Ibid, pp. 82,83