This question was posed to this ministry:
What do you think of the statement, “All truth is God’s truth”? Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and God is Truth, thus all (absolute) truth belongs to God. However, I’m hearing it more often as a justification for things like yoga, the Enneagram, and other New Age practices. Closely linked, taking James 1:17 out of context and using “Every good and perfect gift is from above” to justify use of these things….How do you refute that?
The statement “all truth is God’s truth” is tossed around freely as though it automatically dismisses objections to certain beliefs or practices. This statement can be applied biblically but first requires careful examination and thought. My response to the question posed above explains a process that may be helpful when this phrase about God’s truth is given.
Four Points to Consider
First Point: Christians are told to test all things (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Serious objections should not be dismissed out of hand.
Second Point: The context of the teaching/s this statement is being applied to must be examined. The idea might appear true initially, but in context could mean something else. Familiar words might have different meanings (very common in the New Age with statements that sound compatible with Christianity but actually are not).
For example, some claim that Buddha and Jesus both taught compassion. But the word compassion in Buddhism has a meaning beyond how Christians and most non-Buddhists would interpret it, and the meaning depends on spiritual views incompatible with Christianity. Thus, all truth is God’s truth does not apply since compassion has a different context and implication in Buddhism.
Third Point: One must ask if is there is truth in this idea or teaching. It is not just whether there are bits of truth in it here and there. Rather, does the main thrust of the idea, philosophy, teaching, or practice rest on beliefs compatible with God’s revelation?
Fourth Point: James 1:17 defines the gift from God as good and perfect, and how is that measured? By the truth in God’s word, which supports the third point above. This last point would be true or false based on the information from the other points.
Application
Applying the second point above to Yoga and the Enneagram, the contexts of those practices are not based on facts or truth but on spiritual beliefs contrary to Christianity. Enneagram content and its marketing, in fact, are based on major falsehoods that ironically are a mockery of anything that is God’s truth.
.
Applying the third point, I do not see Yoga or Enneagram teachings as resting on truth, or composed of any belief that aligns with God or Christ. Both originated from secret teachings. Until the 20th century, Yoga was taught only to those who sought a guru, and the Enneagram was birthed and developed in occult and New Age esoteric beliefs. Neither the purpose of Yoga or of the Enneagram line up with God’s goal for Christians, which is to mature in Christ (2 Corinthians 13:9; Colossians 4:12) and become conformed to Christ’s image (Romans 8:29).
In fact, the goals of those two practices are at odds with Romans 8:29, being conformed to the image of Christ.
One should be careful with statements made by man, not God, such as All truth is God’s truth as they can be misused, leading to possible confusion and deception.
Teach me Your way, Yahweh,
and I will live by Your truth.
Give me an undivided mind to fear Your name. Psalm 86:11, HCSB
Instead, we have renounced shameful secret things, not walking in deceit or distorting God’s message, but commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in God’s sight by an open display of the truth. 2 Corinthians 4:2, HCSB