So I’m building a Biblically Coherent magic system for my current World. Witchcraft and Sorcery are obviously outlawed in The Bible and I would like this work to be as Biblically sound as possible. So I worked it this way. Magic essentially works three ways. You have God Given Magic, you have Magic given by The Evil One, and you have understanding/knowledge. As the Spirtual world and the material worlds rapidly hurtle towards each other the laws of each begin to intertwine.
In the same way that a more physically minded scientist understands the laws of the Material, some people who are more philosophically inclined understand the Spiritual.
A Pyromancer for example must understand both an Aspect of the physical properties of Fire as well as an Aspect of the Spiritual and philosophical properties of it allowing the “Fire Mage” to summon a specific type of flame for often a specific purpose that is in line with their understanding of Fire. This of course is not the Truth of what Fire is, just a basic understanding of often a single aspect of it.
Regular magic would rely on an understanding of 1 or more of the elements. Fire, water, earth, air and Aether. Whether someone credits God or themselves with this understanding is what ultimately determines it’s Holiness. (In the same way a very intelligent man could consider his intellect either his own working or a gift from God)
However.
True Magic has costs, reaching into the spiritual leaves marks and requires more than just Knowledge but also usually a sacrifice, a bridge, that you cannot as easily tear down. Strange premonitions, ghostly apparitions appear. Continuing unforseeable after effects. This is the residual connection to the Spiritual. When you reach into that realm you leave your mark, and that can be followed. It opens you up to messages, suggestions, and inclinations from the other side almost all of which are from The Evil One. This is why true Magic is considered Evil, not necessarily because of what it is, but that it leaves you so ignorantly open to whatever comes, and presumably you won’t know how to properly deal with that which you have brought up on yourself.
This is all in contrast to Power given Directly from God which could nearly encompass anything but is often manifested in unique gifts or abilities. Such as the power to speak Harm or Healing over someone. Or to wield an element or force as a formed weapon.
WORLD CONTEXT The “God’s” of ancient mythology are rising again. These Entities (Demons and Unclean Spirits) are resurfacing. The Creatures of Folklore. The monsters and Entities. Some are Demons, some are Nephilim left over from The Flood, others still are creatures left over from Primordial Creation.
It’s as if the Physical and Spiritual worlds have “drifted apart” over the ages. Slowly unwinding themselves into two very distinct realms. Making reaching into the Spiritual much more difficult and complicated, rewriting our very rules of existence, eliminating even the possibility of things that existed before. It appears as if our Worlds, once almost completely separated are now rapidly hurtling toward each other again. Towards a single point in
space and time across all of existence. So all the Old Testament/ Myth Age of Heroes stuff is coming back in force.
submitted by /u/Kainpound
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