What does The Bible say about the Law of Attraction? It says both positive and negative things but ultimately it relates to the interpretation. In reality this law as taught today has its roots in Biblical teachings.
The law of attraction is a new age philosophy that has made quite a name in popular internet culture. Many credit its popularity boom to the book and subsequent movie,
The Secret, and the merits lent to it by highly revered opinion leaders such as Oprah Winfrey, Will Smith, and Jim Carrey, among others.
If you’ve ever indulged in the world of self-help or personal development, you may already be familiar with terms such as positive vibes, manifestation, creative visualisation, etc.
Even if you somehow still haven’t heard any of these words, you must have encountered at least one Instagram or Tik Tok influencer who practices this new age philosophy and is an avid proponent of “manifesting” the lifestyle you idolise.
So what exactly is this new movement? What are its origins? And perhaps the most crucial question is, can it be reconciled with your faith as a Christian?
After meticulous research, I have concluded that there is at least some correlation between the law of attraction principles and certain Bible verses.
To help answer your questions and alleviate some of your concerns, I’ve taken it upon myself to walk you through the history and meaning behind the law of attraction so that together we can figure out how this new age philosophy fits into your lifestyle as a devout Christian.
What is the Law of Attraction?
According to the law of attraction, every event, relationship, experience, or thing that has been a part of your life, is a part of your life or will be a part of your life is attracted to you because of the thoughts and attention put into it.
You can manifest your dream life by simply focusing your energy on something and believing it will come to you.
A common saying that finds its roots in the law of attraction is “like attracts like”, which means negative thoughts will bring you negative energy. The opposite, of course, is valid for positive thinking.
Followers of this philosophy posit that one can use the power of one’s mind to translate thoughts and actualise them— a concept known as manifesting.
Before we get to biblical evidence that corresponds with the law of attraction, let’s briefly go over the history of the new thought movement.
Later on, I will present some of the many biblical principles and teachings of Jesus Christ that I believe align with the New Thought Movement and the law of attraction and my understanding and personal interpretation of these verses.
Origins of the Law of Attraction
Understanding the roots of this movement can help devoted followers of the Christ Jesus understand whether this ideology can be incorporated as part of their faith and practice or if the movement stems from adversaries of the Holy Spirit.
The origins of this movement date back to the early 19th century.
It was built upon foundations laid by theories in The Quimby Manuscripts– a series of essays written by Phineas Quimby.
In the manuscripts, Quimby acknowledges and references the Bible, the teachings of Jesus Christ, and God.
He believed that physical health and healing could be achieved without medication, simply by redirecting one’s mind, similar to the modern concept of the placebo effect.
The Modern-day New Thought Movement and Emphasis on Positive Thinking
Jumping ahead to the 21st century, think back to the time the self-help and positive energy were taken by storm by a new book – The Secret by Rhonda Byrne.
The hype for this book came with both widespread applause and criticism around concepts such as the law of attraction, manifestation, positive or negative thoughts, universal energy force, visualisation, etc.
The Law of Attraction has radically morphed since the 1800s to become today’s phenomenon.
The movement today has more or less dropped its roots in the teachings of Christ, instead favouring a more “scientific” approach to appeal to a larger audience.
For brevity’s sake, this is all you need to know about the origins of the law of attraction to be able to form informed opinions and your thoughts on how to approach this new movement as a Christian.
Bible Verses that Align With The Law of Attraction
As you’ll learn soon, some verses are very direct ones that explicitly parallel the law of attraction concepts. In contrast, others are less obvious and require followers to form their interpretations from relevant scripture passages.
Following are some of the most common Bible verses that create overlap with what the Bible teaches and how the law of attraction works.
Genesis 1:25
“And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”
Only God Created the world, and only He is the Master Architect and Designer.
This biblical verse alludes to the concept of the law of attraction known as “everything is created twice” or “thoughts become things”.
Romans 12:2
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
This verse, along with many others in the Bible, teaches us to reform our thoughts to align with God’s Will and His Word.
Similarly, the law of attraction calls upon its practitioners to engage in cognitive reframing, i.e. thinking positively to attract positive things and letting go of thoughts that attract negative energy.
Proverbs 23:7
“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”
This is a Bible verse that resonates with many people.
It calls upon followers to protect their thoughts because it is their thoughts that shape who they are.
This is amongst the most commonly quoted verses from the Bible and is often co-opted by believers of the law of attraction.
At first glance, you may think the law of attraction can be reduced to simply positive thoughts and affirmations when there is much more to it in reality.
Luke 17:21
“The Kingdom of Heaven is within.”
The Bible tells us that everything we need is planted within us by our own God through this verse.
In the same vein, the law of attraction preaches that great things can be manifested when a person believes in their innate ability to achieve their dreams only at the behest of God.
Matthew 21:22
“And all things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.”
The primary components of the law of attraction are conceiving, believing and receiving.
Many bible verses also convey similar themes of asking for your heart’s desires, believing that your prayers will be heard, and ultimately achieving the desired outcome.
While there is no formal mention of praying to God in modern manifestation, the Higher Power that most seek is none other than God, whether most admit it or not.
This may not make much sense to many, but I’m sure this is merely common sense to you as a Christian.
Philippians 4:6-7
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
A concept of the law of attraction I find compelling is being thankful for things we have yet to receive but believe lie ahead of us.
Many believers of the law of attraction keep gratitude journals. Many Christians report this to profoundly affect their relationship with God and allow them to grow closer to God and express gratefulness toward Him more openly.
Mark 9.23
“If thou can believe, all things are possible, to him that believeth.”
This verse and many anecdotes from the Bible showcase how even though humans are not born with the power to perform miracles, simply believing that one is powerful enough with God’s Will can bring miraculous achievements to one’s life.
The mind over matter and body teaching of the law of attraction is a similar idea; anything is possible if you believe you have the support of a Higher Power.
Habakkuk 2:3
“Then Yahweh answered me, “Write the vision. Make it clear on tablets so that anyone can read it quickly. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end, it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it won’t be late.”
This is an excellent example of how the law of attraction can correspond to a biblical perspective.
Creative visualisation is a significant component of this new age thought, which entails writing down your visions for your future and what you want from life.
Interestingly, science also backs the practice of visualising actions before executing them, which leads to better performance.
Matthew 7:7-8
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
The essence of this verse, which may not stand out to you among other verses on this list, is that good things come to those who ask and believe – indiscriminately.
There is no right or wrong way of believing. God loves all His creation equally, and as long as you ask, your prayers will be heard, and you will receive whatever is best for you.
And as a Christian, you must never forget that invalidating someone’s experience with the law of attraction by deeming it ungodly only pushes them further away from God.
Mark 11:24
“Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”
See how I saved the best for the last?
You may already be thinking this, but does this verse not constitute the premise of the law of attraction down to a T?
An important thing to note is that whether through the biblical perspective or the law of attraction, it is improper to think of God as some genie that will grant any wish you set forth.
The verse simply preaches to followers of the Holy Spirit to hold an unwavering belief that whatever God deems good for us will find us.
Accordingly, John 5:14-15 reads, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us:
And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
Final Thoughts
This article sought to answer two main questions many Christians may have:
- Does using the Law of Attraction go against the Bible?
- Is It Okay To Practice The Law of Attraction As A Follower of Christ Jesus?
Some key takeaways I’d like you to leave here with are:
- The Law of Attraction isn’t entirely biblical and often pivots away from Bible doctrine.
- As Christians, it is not righteous for you to believe the universe has the power to bless you; that ability is unique to only God.
- Christianity cannot be embodied in vibrational frequencies and positive vibes, but nothing about the law of attraction is inherently against the Bible. Most concepts of the latter are grounded in a biblical worldview.
So I’d like to end with this: while the law of attraction isn’t exactly biblical, there is no harm in finding common ground between your faith and this new age movement, as long as you’re not transgressing.
