Because God is Spirit (John 4:24), and He dwells in the heavenly realm, there is an inescapable element of mystery in our relationship with Him. Paul addresses this throughout the New Testament, as he speaks to the Colossians about the mystery of Christ (Col.2:2), to the Ephesians about the mystery of God’s will (Eph.1:9), and to the Corinthians about uttering mysteries while praying by the Spirit of God (1Cor.14:2)
Ultimately, he concludes that at our best, we know “in part”, we prophesy “in part”, and we see as through a glass darkly (1Cor.13:9-12). This is why faith remains an essential facet of our relationship with a God that we can know personally (Heb.11:6), and why we need to become “as little children” in order to experience the Kingdom of heaven (Matt.18.3).
There are strains of Christianity that essentially live in denial of this mysterious aspect of our relationship with the Lord. Generally, they exalt the knowledge of scripture, and practical application of biblical principle as a substitute for genuine interaction with a living (i.e. supernatural) God. But Jesus Himself addressed this tactic when He said, “You study the scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life… yet you refuse to come to me (John 5:39-40).”
On the other end of the spectrum, are those who readily embrace the spiritual dynamic, yet drive it toward a strange form of mysticism, where magical words and incantations are deployed to unlock the power of God. Intricate schemes of symbolism and numerology are often applied to uncover clues to the presumably subliminal messages that the Lord is sending us, as though He speaks in code.
In this enchanted realm, the right words/actions have the power to unlock the treasure troves of heaven, while the wrong ones can unwittingly unleash a curse upon the land. Like a fantasy-based video game, only those who’ve attained a certain level can enter the designated rooms, and know to look under the vase for the key that opens the door to the staircase that gets one to the next level…
Novices can only standby, and watch these gifted ones (e.g. subscribe to their YouTube channel, or Podcast) negotiate the ethereal obstacle course, while trusting in their interpretation of what it all means. In such spheres, mere men can be knighted with swords, coronated with crowns, and even become objects of worship.
More than simply misleading the brethren, this aesthetic absolutely distorts the image of God. Instead of a benevolent Father, who knows how to speak to and guide each one of His children, it presents the image of a tricky Uncle who’s playing parlor games with his young nieces / nephews; and who values cleverness above sincerity. It also tends to make the enemy of our souls seem more powerful than he truly is.
Indeed, social media platforms are filled with Christian Mystics, offering spiritual interpretations of both natural (e.g. eclipses, blood moons, earthquakes…), and current (e.g. elections, stock market changes, military conflicts…) events. These are often accompanied by tales of third heaven experiences, angelic visitations and bold predictions about the future (which rarely prove to be accurate).
All of these things serve to take our eyes off the One who is the Author of life (Heb.12:2), and fill our ears with the voices of those who prophesy illusions (Isa.30:10). If we fail to discern this shift in focus, accessing God’s power (ostensibly to do the work of the Kingdom) can become the object of our pursuit, instead of the One who is the source of that power.
Within this paradigm, prayers can become centered on moving God’s hand instead of moving His heart, and His role can be reduced to that of an Amazon delivery man, whose job is to bring us the desires of our hearts.
Between these extremes are those who are willing to embrace the supernatural elements of a relationship with the Divine, while never straying far from the simplicity of following Christ. A people who trust in their Father’s ability to speak plainly to His children, and whose mission is to obediently serve His purposes. Like bond servants, they lay down their lives that they might partake of the life He died to give them, and a peace that surpasses reason is their reward.
With a large percentage of adults in America identifying themselves as “spiritual” it becomes imperative to discern (1Cor.2:13) what spirit (e.g. the spirit of the age, the human spirit, the Holy Spirit?) we are tapping into. Scripture tells us that what the flesh desires is contrary to the Spirit of God, and that what His Spirit desires is contrary to the flesh (Gal.5:17). Thus, endeavors which attempt to use spiritual authority as a means of carnal gain are fraught with peril.
The God who chose to come off the throne of heaven in order to reveal Himself to His creation, and who tore the veil that separated His presence from His people is not hiding Himself or the treasures of heaven from His children. He promises that if we seek Him, we will find Him, and that if we’ll knock, the door will be opened to us (Matt.7:7). He is neither camouflaging the path, nor is He speaking in riddles. But He does desire to be the end that we are seeking, and not the means by which we pursue some other end.
These things are not mystical, they are heavenly, and they are not magical, they are divine.
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Christian Mysticism
Posted in Commentaries, tagged Christian Mysticism, Christian Mystics, heavenly, magical, mysterious, mystery, mystical, mystics, numerology, riddles, spiritual, supernatural, symbolism on May 30, 2024| 3 Comments »
Because God is Spirit (John 4:24), and He dwells in the heavenly realm, there is an inescapable element of mystery in our relationship with Him. Paul addresses this throughout the New Testament, as he speaks to the Colossians about the mystery of Christ (Col.2:2), to the Ephesians about the mystery of God’s will (Eph.1:9), and to the Corinthians about uttering mysteries while praying by the Spirit of God (1Cor.14:2)
Ultimately, he concludes that at our best, we know “in part”, we prophesy “in part”, and we see as through a glass darkly (1Cor.13:9-12). This is why faith remains an essential facet of our relationship with a God that we can know personally (Heb.11:6), and why we need to become “as little children” in order to experience the Kingdom of heaven (Matt.18.3).
There are strains of Christianity that essentially live in denial of this mysterious aspect of our relationship with the Lord. Generally, they exalt the knowledge of scripture, and practical application of biblical principle as a substitute for genuine interaction with a living (i.e. supernatural) God. But Jesus Himself addressed this tactic when He said, “You study the scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life… yet you refuse to come to me (John 5:39-40).”
On the other end of the spectrum, are those who readily embrace the spiritual dynamic, yet drive it toward a strange form of mysticism, where magical words and incantations are deployed to unlock the power of God. Intricate schemes of symbolism and numerology are often applied to uncover clues to the presumably subliminal messages that the Lord is sending us, as though He speaks in code.
In this enchanted realm, the right words/actions have the power to unlock the treasure troves of heaven, while the wrong ones can unwittingly unleash a curse upon the land. Like a fantasy-based video game, only those who’ve attained a certain level can enter the designated rooms, and know to look under the vase for the key that opens the door to the staircase that gets one to the next level…
Novices can only standby, and watch these gifted ones (e.g. subscribe to their YouTube channel, or Podcast) negotiate the ethereal obstacle course, while trusting in their interpretation of what it all means. In such spheres, mere men can be knighted with swords, coronated with crowns, and even become objects of worship.
More than simply misleading the brethren, this aesthetic absolutely distorts the image of God. Instead of a benevolent Father, who knows how to speak to and guide each one of His children, it presents the image of a tricky Uncle who’s playing parlor games with his young nieces / nephews; and who values cleverness above sincerity. It also tends to make the enemy of our souls seem more powerful than he truly is.
Indeed, social media platforms are filled with Christian Mystics, offering spiritual interpretations of both natural (e.g. eclipses, blood moons, earthquakes…), and current (e.g. elections, stock market changes, military conflicts…) events. These are often accompanied by tales of third heaven experiences, angelic visitations and bold predictions about the future (which rarely prove to be accurate).
All of these things serve to take our eyes off the One who is the Author of life (Heb.12:2), and fill our ears with the voices of those who prophesy illusions (Isa.30:10). If we fail to discern this shift in focus, accessing God’s power (ostensibly to do the work of the Kingdom) can become the object of our pursuit, instead of the One who is the source of that power.
Within this paradigm, prayers can become centered on moving God’s hand instead of moving His heart, and His role can be reduced to that of an Amazon delivery man, whose job is to bring us the desires of our hearts.
Between these extremes are those who are willing to embrace the supernatural elements of a relationship with the Divine, while never straying far from the simplicity of following Christ. A people who trust in their Father’s ability to speak plainly to His children, and whose mission is to obediently serve His purposes. Like bond servants, they lay down their lives that they might partake of the life He died to give them, and a peace that surpasses reason is their reward.
With a large percentage of adults in America identifying themselves as “spiritual” it becomes imperative to discern (1Cor.2:13) what spirit (e.g. the spirit of the age, the human spirit, the Holy Spirit?) we are tapping into. Scripture tells us that what the flesh desires is contrary to the Spirit of God, and that what His Spirit desires is contrary to the flesh (Gal.5:17). Thus, endeavors which attempt to use spiritual authority as a means of carnal gain are fraught with peril.
The God who chose to come off the throne of heaven in order to reveal Himself to His creation, and who tore the veil that separated His presence from His people is not hiding Himself or the treasures of heaven from His children. He promises that if we seek Him, we will find Him, and that if we’ll knock, the door will be opened to us (Matt.7:7). He is neither camouflaging the path, nor is He speaking in riddles. But He does desire to be the end that we are seeking, and not the means by which we pursue some other end.
These things are not mystical, they are heavenly, and they are not magical, they are divine.
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