What is Mysticism?
Mysticism is not easy to define, but what it means essentially is direct communication with God (or that presumed to be God, including evil spirits) and direct *special* revelations from God (or that presumed to be God, including evil spirits). It is purely subjective (as opposed by Bible Christianity, which is based upon the supernatural divine revelations given to prophets and apostles in the completed Bible, as well as the teaching and revelations of the Lord Jesus Christ).
According to Merriam-Webster mysticism is:
1: the experience of mystical union or direct communion with ultimate reality reported by mystics
2: the belief that direct knowledge of God, spiritual truth, or ultimate reality can be attained through subjective experience (such as intuition or insight)
3a: vague speculation : a belief without sound basis
b: a theory postulating the possibility of direct and intuitive acquisition of ineffable knowledge or power
What is Christian Mysticism?
Christian Mysticism has been practised by Orthodox and Catholic mystics and includes asceticism, contemplative prayer (including the rosary), dreams, visions, ecstasies, stigmata, etc. *Mystics of this class contend that, by self-effacement and devotion to God, individuals may attain to immediate, direct, and conscious realization of the person and presence of God and thus to all truth in Him.* http://www.withchrist.org/mysticism.htm. But today, there is a lot more that has been added to Christian Mysticism as we will note later,
The New Birth is not mystical but supernatural
There is a vast difference between the supernatural New Birth (which makes sinners into children of God by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit) and mysticism (which is also practiced by pagans) and claims to unite sinners with God without the New Birth. The supernatural power of the Gospel, working with the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, brings sinners to the Savior in order to become *new creatures in Christ*, and children of God, by grace through faith exclusively in Christ and His finished work of redemption.
This is what Jesus said about the New Birth (John 3:3-7):
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
This was based upon the promise of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit after the New Covenant went into effect (following the crucifixion of Christ), and is presented in Ezekiel 36:25-27, and shown to be a Christian truth is Hebrews 8:10.
Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them... For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
How Mysticism is undermining Bible Christianity today
1. Claiming a *deeper spirituality* than ordinary *second class* Christians
2. Transcending reason -- however not called irrational but *transrational*
3. Following Origen (the first mystic) in allegorizing and spiritualizing Scripture
4. Promoting *theosis* -- humans becoming *little gods*
5. Promoting heretical Gnosticism – esoteric knowledge for the *enlightened ones*
6. Promoting the use of the rosary and the prayer wheel (both found among pagans)
7. Promoting occultic use of the imagination
8. Promoting Pantheism – that the universe is also God
9. Promoting *breathing*, *soaking*, *journaling*, and *mystical contemplative prayer*
10. Elevating subjective experiences and impressions above the objective written Word of God.
Christians have been warned against Mysticism (Colossians 2)
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22 Which all are to perish with the using, after the commandments and doctrines of men?
23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
Mysticism is not easy to define, but what it means essentially is direct communication with God (or that presumed to be God, including evil spirits) and direct *special* revelations from God (or that presumed to be God, including evil spirits). It is purely subjective (as opposed by Bible Christianity, which is based upon the supernatural divine revelations given to prophets and apostles in the completed Bible, as well as the teaching and revelations of the Lord Jesus Christ).
According to Merriam-Webster mysticism is:
1: the experience of mystical union or direct communion with ultimate reality reported by mystics
2: the belief that direct knowledge of God, spiritual truth, or ultimate reality can be attained through subjective experience (such as intuition or insight)
3a: vague speculation : a belief without sound basis
b: a theory postulating the possibility of direct and intuitive acquisition of ineffable knowledge or power
What is Christian Mysticism?
Christian Mysticism has been practised by Orthodox and Catholic mystics and includes asceticism, contemplative prayer (including the rosary), dreams, visions, ecstasies, stigmata, etc. *Mystics of this class contend that, by self-effacement and devotion to God, individuals may attain to immediate, direct, and conscious realization of the person and presence of God and thus to all truth in Him.* http://www.withchrist.org/mysticism.htm. But today, there is a lot more that has been added to Christian Mysticism as we will note later,
The New Birth is not mystical but supernatural
There is a vast difference between the supernatural New Birth (which makes sinners into children of God by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit) and mysticism (which is also practiced by pagans) and claims to unite sinners with God without the New Birth. The supernatural power of the Gospel, working with the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, brings sinners to the Savior in order to become *new creatures in Christ*, and children of God, by grace through faith exclusively in Christ and His finished work of redemption.
This is what Jesus said about the New Birth (John 3:3-7):
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
This was based upon the promise of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit after the New Covenant went into effect (following the crucifixion of Christ), and is presented in Ezekiel 36:25-27, and shown to be a Christian truth is Hebrews 8:10.
Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them... For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
How Mysticism is undermining Bible Christianity today
1. Claiming a *deeper spirituality* than ordinary *second class* Christians
2. Transcending reason -- however not called irrational but *transrational*
3. Following Origen (the first mystic) in allegorizing and spiritualizing Scripture
4. Promoting *theosis* -- humans becoming *little gods*
5. Promoting heretical Gnosticism – esoteric knowledge for the *enlightened ones*
6. Promoting the use of the rosary and the prayer wheel (both found among pagans)
7. Promoting occultic use of the imagination
8. Promoting Pantheism – that the universe is also God
9. Promoting *breathing*, *soaking*, *journaling*, and *mystical contemplative prayer*
10. Elevating subjective experiences and impressions above the objective written Word of God.
Christians have been warned against Mysticism (Colossians 2)
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22 Which all are to perish with the using, after the commandments and doctrines of men?
23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
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