Do You Believe In Christian Magic?

June 11, 2025

“Many of them also which used curious arts (practiced magic and witchcraft) brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and the counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.” Acts 19:19 KJV, emphasis added.

 While Paul was in Ephesus, a city known for idolatry and occult practices, some of them repented of their sorcery when they heard the gospel. In Biblical parlance, they were bringing forth deeds worthy of their own repentance in destroying their occult books. These books, which they burned, were very expensive books or scrolls full of magical incantations, charms, and rituals. Some estimate that this book burning might account for 100 years’ worth of normal wages. This is a clear indication that their repentance from evil was genuine. They burned the books publicly as a testimony for all society to behold their turning to the one true God and turning away from idolatry and sorcery. Could there be a critical message here for half-hearted and lukewarm Christians today?

Witchcraft, sorcery, and divination were some of the names by which these secret arts were called. All of this sorcery, witchcraft, and magic was their way of gaining power, hidden knowledge, or protection apart from the one true God using supernatural means. It was not just sleight-of-hand trickery that we might think of, but rather contacting spirits and the dead instead of God.

In the Bible, sorcery and witchcraft (and other such practices) are condemned. These practices were associated with rebellion against the one true God, deception, and demonic influences. A sorcerer is a practitioner of magic arts, often with the intent to bring harm or manipulate others. Observing times is soothsaying and is also condemned in the Bible. Idolatry, necromancy, and divination were all seen as rebellion against God in the Old Testament.

In the New Testament, the Greek word pharmakeia is translated as “sorcery,” but it literally means the use of drugs, potions, or spells. In Galatians 5:20 and Revelation 9:21, 18:23, it involves occult practices, often including drugs, incantations, and spells to manipulate people spiritually or emotionally. How much of what goes on in the typical evangelical church worship service seems to include practices that manipulate Christians spiritually and emotionally? And all this is associated with moral corruption as a result of a lack of trust and confidence in God Almighty and His word.

Sorcery and witchcraft involved the following practices: calling on spirits or demons, attempting to predict the future, casting spells or curses, mixing potions or drugs for occult use, and using objects, symbols, or rituals to gain power or insight. Clearly, not all of this applies to today. But is it possible that some of it is still going on today? Could any of this apply to evangelical Christianity as we know it today?

What about magic? It overlaps with sorcery, witchcraft, and divination. The word magic doesn’t appear in the KJV. Magic is generally understood as the attempt to control or influence people, events, or spiritual forces through supernatural or occult means, which are considered to be outside the will and power of God. In the Bible, the word magic is usually described or implied rather than named directly. In Exodus 7-9 (2 Timothy 3:8), we read of the Pharaoh’s magicians, who used secret arts and occult powers to imitate Moses’ miracles. In Daniel 1-5, we read that the king summoned the magicians, astrologers, and sorcerers. And in Acts 8:9-11, we read about Simon, who used magic to astonish people. The Greek word can refer to sorcery, magic, or the use of spells and potions, and is where we derive the word “pharmacy.” Ancient magic often involved the use of drugs or herbal concoctions. In Galatians 5:20, the word witchcraft is the Greek word pharmakeia (sorcery or magic). The concept of magic refers to unauthorized spiritual power that is not derived from a Higher Power. Even if the word ‘magic’ is not used, it is seen in the use of the secret arts under a variety of names.

Do you believe in Christian magic?

This article will show how most Christian people believe in Christian magic, but they would never admit it. Yet, they do believe in magic charms, magic rituals, magic objects, magic symbols, magic words, magic prayers, magic bread and wine, and magic transfers of virtue. Although Christians don’t bow to idols made of wood and stone, they do idolize their religious heroes, leaders, and fables that absolve them from their responsibility to obey God and ‘magically declare them saved’ when they repeat the ‘magic words’.

“Are Christians likely to ‘burn’ these myths in favor of coming clean in repentance and following Christ? It’s highly doubtful, but they will work zealously to bring others out of one system of deception into another, which is far worse. Not that you’re better off under one lie than you may be under another, since they all lead to perdition, but the lie that is so well disguised as truth that it can convince you it’s absolutely of GOD can seal your doom forever. I’ve known Doctors of Theology who truly believe that if they can persuade someone to pray with them and repeat the magic words, that person instantly becomes a child of God on his way to the Kingdom. But if you ask them to show you where in the Bible these ‘magic’ words are, they are mum,” according to Mike DeSario.

The following is a list of areas where Christian ‘magic’ can be seen. Some are much more evident than the others, but the parallels are apparent.

• Transubstantiation. The Roman Catholic Church believes that during the Mass and the celebration of the Eucharist, the priest, using the prescribed words and rituals, changes the bread and wine into the literal body and blood of Jesus Christ. The occult word ‘incantation’ refers to spoken or chanted ritualistic words that are believed to have magical, supernatural power. Is this not precisely what the Catholic priest uses to change bread and wine into the real (but not real) body and blood of Jesus?

The phrase “hocus pocus” (coming from the Latin language) is sometimes associated with the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation. Obviously, it is hotly debated, but the connection with magic is readily apparent, as the priest uses a magical incantation to turn the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus, when in fact the bread and wine remain unchanged. However, the priest and the Roman Catholic Church claim that it has changed, even if it doesn’t appear to be any different.

Those Catholic church members taking communion are told that they are literally eating the body and drinking the blood of Jesus Christ, who was literally crucified again in the mass. The bread and wine do not actually and literally change into flesh and blood, but a Catholic is supposed to pretend/believe they do under the power of the priest of Rome. If this is not a type of magic, sorcery, or witchcraft, then what is it? Is it a miracle from God? But all of God’s miracles were real and were true in reality. Jesus did physically heal the sick and raise the dead. No one had to pretend, for it could not be denied.

Moreover, Catholics believe that they get the grace of God and are made holy by eating and drinking the literal body and blood of Jesus. Is sin and holiness a substance? Yes, in the magic of the rituals and words of the Catholic Mass, holiness is a substance that may be eaten. (See my article titled, What Defiles a Man?)

• Real presence in the Eucharist. Not all Christians believe in transubstantiation. Some hold to the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Because all children of God have the Holy Ghost indwelling them, I am left to wonder how this ‘real presence’ is any more efficacious or more real than being born again. At the very least, this is superstition. Many of these Christians also believe that they get grace by eating the Eucharist. That is not how the Bible describes the acquisition of grace. Maybe the ‘real presence’ is mystical, but again, how is that of any real benefit not available to every Christian anyway? Don’t we want Christians to understand that they become holy by obeying God in faith and love, not by eating a morsel of bread or performing some ritual?
• Power of relics. These are most often physical objects connected with the apostles, Jesus, or Mary. They may have used them or worn them. They might be body parts or bones. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that these objects are holy and that grace comes from God, not the relic. However, God may use relics as the means and occasion of grace for purposes such as healing, encouragement in faith, or devotion to God, as seen in the example of Paul’s handkerchief in Acts 19:11-12. The Eastern Orthodox Church has a similar view of relics. Protestants generally reject relics as objects of spiritual power or as sources of grace. Relics offer another glimpse into the world of magic, the occult, and superstition. Is it not apparent that this fetish leads to abuses of all kinds? How is this any different than the use of magic, witchcraft, and sorcery to manipulate and deceive?
• The veneration of saints and Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Roman Catholic Church venerates Mary, which is referred to as hyperdulia, a higher honor than that given to saints (dulia). The Roman Church says that they do not worship Mary, even though they pray to her, and state that Jesus never denies her anything. Many consider her role as crucial as the role of Jesus. Some even consider her co-redemptrix and mediatrix of grace. Neither means she is equal to Jesus, but they do place her in God’s plan of redemption in a very special role. Yet, they teach Catholics to pray to her to get Jesus to do what she asks of Him. Catholic leaders teach that Jesus can’t deny His mother, so it is best to pray to Mary. The Roman Catholic Church has added other false doctrines to create a near-divine quality in Mary. She is born immaculate, unlike the rest of us. She is ever a virgin and sinless. She is the Mother of God and the Queen of Heaven. And she was taken up to heaven, body and soul, at the end of her life. All this is as close to the line of worship and idolatry as it could be. Is this really Biblical? Not on your life. At best, it is superstition, and at worst, it is occult. The title Queen of Heaven is from pagan idolatry, which was occult and demonic from start to finish. It reeks of witchcraft and divination.

The Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox (Coptic, Armenian, and Ethiopian Orthodox), and some other groups, such as the Anglican/Episcopal High Church, also venerate Mary and are closely aligned with the Roman Catholic Church, although there are a few notable differences. Protestant churches (Baptist, Evangelical, Pentecostal, Reformed do not venerate her or pray to her.

Praying to the dead saints is also practiced among Christians. It is not worship but intercession, so they claim. However, nowhere in the Bible are we instructed to pray to the deceased saints in Christ. It is very close to, if not identical to, divination, which is condemned in the Bible. Divination refers to the practices of seeking supernatural knowledge or guidance through unauthorized or occult means outside of God. It may include attempts to uncover hidden information about the future or secrets about God and His will that lie beyond God’s revealed Word and authority. It may involve communicating with the dead, a practice known as necromancy. Is praying to the dead any different than talking to the dead? This could include fortune telling, interpreting omens or signs, using objects such as rods, dice, relics, animal organs, or stars, consulting with spirits or mediums, astrology and horoscopes, and using spells, charms, or magic rituals.

It is indeed very surprising how much superstition and magic are involved in the various forms of Christianity. We will now move into other, more subtle areas of superstition and magic in Christian theology. If a Christian can be made to believe these ideas are true, then they can be manipulated and made to think other ideas which are equally untrue, unreasonable, and unbiblical. In the process of being seduced, Christians will set aside common sense, reason, rational thinking, logic, and the plain meaning of the Word of God.

• The magic of imputation. I am talking about imputed righteousness and imputed obedience. Many Christians believe that God imputed to Jesus our sins, and He imputes to sinful Christians the obedience and perfection of Jesus. When Christians sin, God sees the obedience of Jesus and not our sin. Sin no longer damns the Christian as it does the non-Christian. Is that just? Does it make any sense at all? Does it not sound like magic?
• The magic of imputation. Jesus literally became all sin while hanging on the cross. Christians are told to believe that the Father condemned and rejected the innocent Jesus because He became sin. Does God condemn the innocent? Heavens no. Christians are also taught to believe that sinners are imputed to be innocent and not guilty. Is it not true that sinners can be declared pardoned but that they can never be declared not guilty when they are, in truth, guilty? They claim that justification is the verdict from God that we are innocent. That is not true. Are sinners innocent? Of course not. Does God lie?
• The magic of compatibilism. Most Christians are taught that all humanity is born with a sinful nature that is the source and cause of all their sins. Yet, at the same time, they are morally responsible for all their sins, even though they have no power to avoid sinning. If this is true, then humanity can’t be ethically culpable for sinning. How can so many Christians actually believe such nonsense? Are they under a spell?
• The magic of the election. A large number of Christians actually believe the Bible teaches that God alone is the sole cause of whatsoever comes to pass. Therefore, God chooses who will and who will not be saved. Salvation is unconditional. We have no involvement in it whatsoever. At the same time, Christians are told that God is good and He is holy, even when He decides to send the majority of people to hell to glorify His name. On what planet might that ever make any sense? Does this not make you think that these Christians are under a grand delusion that they could believe such a horrible God dishonoring doctrine? Are they under a spell?
• The magic of the decrees of God. God is the sole cause of whatsoever comes to pass because He has decreed it all. All good and all evil come from God. Yet, Christians are told that God is not the author of sin and evil when it is obvious that He is the author of all evil and all good. Is this not very much like transubstantiation? Even after the priest magically changes the elements into the literal body and blood of Jesus, the elements still appear to us as bread and wine, because they are still bread and wine. Believing a lie doesn’t make it accurate and doesn’t make it reality. Getting people to believe a lie is a secret art, and is it not likely that it might involve some form of magic?
• The magic of an effortless salvation. Christians are told that salvation is unconditional, but that is not true, nor does the Bible teach it. Some Christians believe that humanity plays no active role in their salvation. Other Christians believe that one must believe in Christ to be saved, and that this is the only condition for securing eternal life. This is the magic of an effortless salvation.
• The magic of a faith without faithfulness. Christians are told that saving faith can be a faith that is disobedient. Since when will a faithless faith save anyone? In the magic of Christianity, this is taught and believed even though it is contrary to reason, sound thinking, and the Word of God.
• The magic of sinning Christianity. Christians are told that sinning Christians will go to heaven despite their ongoing sinfulness. But all other unrepentant sinners go to hell. Christians have a magic cloak of righteousness covering them, and God doesn’t see their sins. Repentance from sin is optional according to many evangelical Christians. A thief who refuses to stop stealing is still a thief and has no place in the kingdom of Christ, according to 1 Corinthians 6, Ephesians 5, and Galatians 5.
• The magic of the Word of Faith movement and the Prosperity Gospel. Christians are taught to believe that their words create reality. Faith is a force, and believers can speak things into existence. Sickness and poverty are often attributed to sin or a lack of faith. It might not technically be occultic, but it can include teachings and practices that closely resemble occultic or metaphysical ideas. Scripture is used like a magical formula.
• The magic of Signs and Wonders in the charismatic and Pentecostal circles in the Christian church, for example, Bethel Church in Northern California. Christians are taught to believe that a sure sign God is moving is when He shows up in signs and wonders, such as laughter, falling, or being slain in the spirit, speaking in tongues, angelic visitations, gold dust, oil, glory clouds, and many other unusual manifestations. Some Christians actually believe that speaking in tongues is the only true sign of being baptized in the Holy Ghost. The issue is that experiences often take precedence over the truth of God’s word.
• The magic of prayers to the dead and for the dead. Having a mass or masses said can even lessen the time a person will spend in purgatory, according to some Christian leaders. Other Christians are told to pray to the dead for assistance, guidance, and protection.
• The magic of praying to Mary to intercede for us. The magic is associated with her numerous apparitions or appearances around the world. Millions of Catholics travel to various sites where Mary is said to have appeared, believing that they may be healed, have their prayers answered, or even see a vision of Mary in her glory. None of this is Biblical.

“In Mormonism, they teach that repentance is a ‘process of ceasing from sin and pursuing after holiness’. In their religion, you live by the law of chastity and the law of fidelity. But to professed Christians, this is an attempt to ‘make yourself worthy before God can save you and they mock it as a ‘cultish lie’. They insist that repentance isn’t a process, nor are any ‘works’ required to be saved. Receive and trust that Jesus did all the work required to secure your salvation now and forever. To a frustrated ‘Mormon’ weary of the rigid requirements of their religion, this sounds like a pretty good deal. The supposed convert from Mormonism to Christianity exchanges their ‘Magic underwear’ or sacred temple garments, which are worn to remind them of their covenant with God. Some believe they offer protection much like those who wear a cross or have a statue of a saint. They exchange their sacred temple garments for Jesus’ perfect white robe of righteousness (Magic Cloak). They don’t have to ‘repent’ anymore, ‘Receive’ and then ‘work to rest’, which means the work has been done, you now kick back and relax. The harsh ‘Moral codes’ of Mormonism you once tried to live by are no longer a matter of deep concern. Jesus understands your weakness and inability to obey; that’s why He obeyed for you and freely gave you His Righteousness to cover your sin. Trusting that it’s a done deal is the key to tapping into the exceeding great and precious promises He has in store for your life. You STOP worrying about DOING, and keep thinking it is all DONE! And when you mess up, He has you covered. So now, instead of ‘magic charms, special visitations and new revelations about the Kingdom of God, it’s ‘Magic Words’ and trusting that you’ve been “saved by grace, not of works, lest anyone should boast”, writes Mike DeSario. Is it possible that evangelical Christians are more superstitious than Mormons?

The Mormons teach obedience to God’s moral Laws and a life free from the ruinous nature of sin, but they have placed their faith in a false deity to secure their final salvation in heaven. Interesting that in some respects, there are more right than most evangelicals. But being half right is not good enough. Mormons are correct that obedience from the heart is the first act of faith toward God (Romans 6:16). Still, on the other hand, professing Christians, who zealously attempt to evangelize Mormons to receive Jesus, are completely in error about repentance and faith. They think that ‘repentance and faith proven by works and deeds’ is a ‘works-based’ religion and a ‘false gospel’. They run around telling Christians that trying to ‘cease from sin, or cleanse yourself of all filthiness and the overflow of wickedness’ (1 Peter 4:1, James 1:21-22) is impossible and unnecessary. 

It’s astounding how folks who once believed in a GOD who demanded that they live holy and morally upright lives, would so easily exchange it for the ‘Filthy Rages’ profession of mainstream evangelical Christianity. In their sinful Christianity, they become the chief of sinners, and the Romans’ 7 wretch, proudly flouting their continual sinful failures as the one true religion on earth. Instead of building their lives on the foundation of faithfulness and fidelity to Christ through a diligent search of the Scriptures, they join ranks with the deluded sheep chanting, ‘If I say I have no sin, the truth is not in me’. Most likely, they have never read the rest of 1 John, or they would know better than to use that phrase to justify their ongoing sinfulness.

Do evangelical Christians believe in magic?

 Most certainly, many of them do. It is not identical in all ways to occult magic, but it does have many similarities. It is seen in manipulating Christians to believe things that are contrary to reality, truth, and reason. They now believe in a God who doesn’t care how they live, just that they trust in the Magic transfer or Magic imputation of Jesus’ righteousness, which they receive by repeating the Magic words of confession and accepting Christ. They once believed in a God who demanded they abstain from the ruinous nature of sin, but now they’re free to sin without the threat of eternal damnation. They mistakenly think they have cut loose the bonds of legalism. They are told to stop worrying about messing up all the time. God loves you so much that He will never let you go to hell. They’ve come out of the frying pan into the fire. 

Could it be that both religions are magic-infused, but at odds with each other? In professed evangelical Christianity, it’s the Magic Words that impart the Magic imputation of Christ’s perfect obedience and righteousness to the sinner. The preachers then tell new Christians that God has already forgiven them of future sins as well, another magic trick. Imagine that you are in a courtroom today. Would any court, even the most liberal one, tell someone accused of a crime and found guilty that they are forgiven of that crime and all future crimes as well? Impossible and utterly ridiculous, but Christians believe in this magic imputation.

These evangelicals might scoff at the Catholics for their magic wafer, magic holy water, magic rosary beads, magic prayers for the dead, and so on, but fail to see the foolishness of trusting in mythical/magical imputation or transfers of virtue that declare them righteous, innocent, and not guilty when they are not. They remain wicked, unrighteous, and guilty. Catholics and Mormons have some very strange and unbiblical doctrines, but none are more sinful than the evangelical doctrine that tells followers of Christ that the wages of sin is not eternal death. What did the serpent tell Eve in the garden? You shall surely not die when you sin against God.

“It’s no wonder that most world religions see mainstream evangelical Christianity as a colossal lie, because for the most part, it is. It’s full of charlatans, posers, showmen, liars, and downright vile characters. And it seems that almost no one within its ranks will expose the farce for what it is, lest they be expelled and labeled a lunatic, heretic, or Pelagian. Is this not the saddest truth that there are millions of professing evangelical Christians among the least trustworthy people on earth, who speak out of both sides of their mouths and constantly argue in favor of wrongdoing? They have no clear distinctions between evil and good, right and wrong, and will rarely call a spade a spade. They take no responsibility for their actions and are not held accountable by their peers. Bottom line is that they turn the grace of God into a license for immorality and mock God’s moral laws as religious legalism. They have created a lawless generation of Church going reprobates who commit every vile act under the sun and get away with all manner of evil. And all the while, they drag the blessed name of Jesus Christ in the dirt of their lies and sin,” writes Mike DeSario.

It is past time to start thinking about what you are being told to believe. You will always find those who will tell you things that are soft and pleasing to hear. Run from them. No one born of God lives in unrepentant sin contrary to what most evangelicals have been told. The wages of sin are eternal death, and that includes sin in the life of a professing Christian. Have you ever come clean with God in complete repentance? Begin there.

Mike DeSario had this to say, “Do not listen to those false teachers who tell you that all you must do to become a follower of Jesus Christ is to trust Him to save you, “in” your sins, forget about being saved from sin. The gospel is Jesus Christ saving us from, not in, our sins. Everyone will reap what they sow, and that includes Christians. Believe also that God is watching and He will indeed render to each one according to their deeds/works: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek, for there is no partiality with God. Romans 2:7-11.”

               The ultimate magic trick is the false doctrine of eternal security, also known as the “once saved, always saved” concept. In this delusion, a person can accept and trust Christ to save them “in” their sins instead of from their sins. Repentance from sin is optional as it pertains to going to heaven. They actually believe that God takes unrepentant rebels (themselves) to heaven and magically changes them without their participation so that they will finally obey God like any good robot obeys its master. This thinking defies reason, common sense, logic, and the Word of God. The professing Christians who believe in this Magic are taught that they will be exempt from God’s judgment according to their sinful deeds. They believe the lies,

• That it’s impossible to forsake their sins and deny all ungodliness
• All they need to do is to ‘receive Jesus’ as they are unrepentant sinners, and He does the rest
• That it’s impossible for genuine Christians to ever live up to the requirements of the Moral law
• The Old Testament law, including the moral law of God, has been abrogated
• Therefore, God has a magic provision for them to go to heaven.

“The Mormons have the Biblical concept of cooperation (working together with God) in repentance down pat. However, they adda long list of man-made requirements to the idea of ‘godliness and self-control’. Although they stress obeying the Moral Laws of God and living a pure life, they also insist on Magic charms and extra-biblical sources that set aside the fundamental teachings of Jesus. Those concerned about the apparent hypocrisy in their ranks and the constant feeling of inadequacy living up to their codes are easily persuaded (dubbed) by the phony ‘repeat after me’ Gospel and the prospect of ‘doing nothing’ to be saved. Sadly, the ranks of the lawless are growing by leaps and bounds as a result of this, as more join up each day and zealously go about gathering in the tares for what they think is the rapture, but is, in reality, an awful Day of Judgment for them all” according to Mike.

The gospel of Jesus Christ doesn’t deny reality, but instead deals with it in a way that makes perfect sense to the rational mind. Criminal lawbreakers can be forgiven, pardoned, and cleansed if they will repent of their sins (stop breaking the law and start living right) and have faith in Jesus Christ and His life, teachings, crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension. No magic tricks, no denial of reality or the truth, no fake virtue, no lies, no superstition, no occult-like practices/beliefs, and no unbiblical theological falsehoods. God’s problem with humanity is not our nature but our sinful and selfish hearts. We love ourselves more than we love God and our neighbor. God doesn’t want to damn anyone to hell but there are a few nonnegotiable conditions that we must meet to receive God’s mercy: we must confess and forsake our sins. God demands that we love Him supremely and our neighbor as much as we love ourselves.

Yet most evangelical pastors will tell you that it is impossible to live without sinning and that God doesn’t really expect it from us. Seriously, how difficult is it not to murder others? How difficult is it to be faithful to your spouse? How hard is it to tell the truth? How hard is it not to steal from others? Are all these really impossible? Of the commandments of God, are any of them impossible for us to obey, or is it impossible to follow all of them all at once? These false teachers have created the ruinous idea that we are unable to obey God because God gave us a sinful nature at birth that even God can’t or won’t heal. Flee from these hirelings before it is too late. The truth is not magic, for it makes perfect sense. The truth, not magic, will set you free.