What is it, that is so compelling to people looking for God, that they are drawn to the new age mysticism cloaked in Christian terminology?
I can surmise by my own experience. I came back to the Lord about 5 years ago and found that the churches have changed drastically. I remember as a young girl, clutching my bible in Sunday school and then listening to the congregation leaf through the pages of their bibles searching for the scripture the pastor was preaching about. But hey…we don’t need to bring our bibles anymore. Everything we need to know is printed right on the bulletin. How does one know that the truth is being taught when bibles are no longer required at services? What a dangerous situation this presents to the congregation.
Does anyone remember the days when followers of Christ lived lives of holy surrender to his will, and let the filling of the Holy Spirit guide, comfort, strengthen, and convict them? It is no wonder that there are people starving and thirsting for God because he is no longer found in many churches.
So what is being presented today? What is the New Age gospel? What is the new mysticism that is being promoted in many churches today? Those who who no longer attend church are finding their search for God in the bookstores. Unfortunately, the New Age section and the Religion section are now being blended together.
I went to the Blue Letter Bible and searched for the word “mystery” in the KJV version and came up with 22 verses in the New Testament.
Many of these verses have Paul explaining the mystery being revealed of the Gentiles being included in the Kingdom of God, and there is the mystery of the changing of our bodies from mortal to immortal at the rapture, and then the mysteries of the end-times in Revelation.
I would like to start by focusing first on:
Ephesians 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
What is the mystery of his will? Verses 8-10 is a wonderful passage that is telling us that we need His wisdom and understanding to know His will. How is it given? The believer is given the gift of the Holy Spirit. The gifts we receive are spiritual wisdom and discernment. To those who do not walk in the Holy Spirit these are hard concepts to grasp.Wisdom to know what God’s will is for you and His will for the universe is given those who are in Christ.
How about:
Colossians 1:26-27 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: to whom God would make known what is glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Verse 27 is relating again to the Gentiles, but take a close look at this “But now is made manifest to his saints”. What does this mean? It means that there is “NO BIG SECRET” to be revealed only to a few or the elite. The problem of Gnosticism is again being addressed here. There is no secret knowledge because God is making himself known to those who are in Him. There is no secret way to discover God’s will, there are no secrets that can be obtained outside of his Word. The truth of God’s word is available for all to discover if they are truly seeking Him. The mystery is an open secret, but the truths remain impossible mysteries for those who are unbelievers.
This is why many are seeking alternate methods to find God. They cannot relate to the truth of the Bible, so one then has to find spirituality by other means. There are other methods easily available to those who seeking an easier way to God other than repentance and total committment to turning away from sin. People like their sin. They like thought processes that downplay its eternal significance. Using mysticism itself as a method to locate God is dangerous. The are two spirit worlds. If you are looking outside of the Bible and its precious word to find God…you will instead find the counterfeit. The counterfeit spirit downplays sin and minimizes it. Doesn’t this sound like the seeker friendly churches we are seeing today?
Let’s go on to:
Ephesians 3: 3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery
Ephesians 3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ
Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see that what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Here Paul tells how the church is made one in Christ and explains that this was not previously revealed. God gave this revelation to Paul. This mystery was hidden in the past, and now is revealed by Paul to all. This message was also prophesied in the Old Testament even though the prophets did not understand the mystery was to include Jew and Gentiles alike. The church is a glorious example of faith in Jesus Christ as we await His second coming. As time goes on, the church will become more hated and ridiculed for not conforming to the world and its universal religious system being implemented today. This system is found in the form of seeking the “secret knowledge”. How this appeals to our pride, that we have found some secret knowledge available only to a few. The truth is that the knowledge of God is actually open and available to all believers.
Oh how Satan lies…the lies never change. You can be as God. You can find God within. You are God.
Why do people search for truth within themselves? There is nothing good in us and our hearts are corrupt.
Romans 7:18 For i know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth not good thing:
How is it that those involved in the contemplative prayer movement can condone the thought of “going within” to find Jesus? If we go “within”, we will find instead that our fleshy desires produce nothing good.
Let me ask you..are you so steeped in the Word of God that you would recognize a counterfeit gospel? If someone said to you…come join our group we have found a new way to Jesus, would you be wary of this approach? What about methods of worship or prayer..if someone said to you..pray the word Jesus over and over again till your mind becomes a blank… would you do it?
Many of these methods offer a mystical way to Jesus…One has to remember that there will be false prophets and false spirits posing as Jesus.
I Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
We can know without controversy, there is no doubt, we all can know and understand, that godliness comes from Jesus Christ who came to us in the flesh, whose power came from the Holy Spirit is now at the right hand of God. Only through Jesus can we find godliness. We have no righteousness of our own.
So is this a mystery to you? We will never know all the mysteries of God or the universe while we are here on this earth, but we can know what God has revealed to us in His Word, and through the leadings of the Holy Spirit. We all have a purpose here on this earth. God will reveal to you the mystery of His will to you. It takes prayer, reading His Word daily, and a giving up of what it is that WE want to do. By taking up the cross daily and relenting our will to His, the mystery of God, is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.
Pray daily for discernment, wisdom and that the Lord will keep you alert to the sheep in wolves clothing and hidden in His deep truths of the faith.
DiscernIt 
18 comments
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January 20, 2008 at 10:31 am
Bonnie
Thanks for this post. I have been wanting to write one on this very topic – the distinction between the mysteries of God and mysticism. It has especially been on my mind this past week.
God has revealed as much of Himself as we need to know at this time within His Word, living and written. Today, what we have left is the Holy Spirit, who was sent after Christ ascended, to convict the world of sin and to comfort us, and the written Word. It is the Holy Spirit who brings about regeneration (new spiritual life) and then sanctification (the process of maturing in the faith). The work of the Holy Spirit will never contradict the written Word. This is a bit of a mystery how this happens, but God does these things with our willingness and cooperation.
Mysticism, on the other hand, is seeking God through our flesh and our senses, or by abandoning our rational mind. It is directed by man himself, rather than by God. It places man in the driver’s seat. This is a dangerous place to be. Walking outside of the parameters of scripture and seeking experiences will lead to a destination outside of God’s will.
As I have matured in my own walk, I can testify over and over again that the only real changes that have occurred in my life took place as I surrendered to the Holy Spirit’s conviction of sin, confessed and sought forgiveness, and repented. Conviction almost always came when the Holy Spirit used passages of scripture I had previously read and remembered to prick my conscience. I could never find spiritual rest until I surrendered in the area the Holy Spirit was working on in my life.
Practices of mysticism only lead to a sense of false humility (pride, really) and a powerless spirituality. I can also personally testify to this, as I was involved in it for a time a few years ago as I attended seminary. I thank God for revealing the futility of following this path to me. Following the mystical way leads away from relying on God’s Word for revelation into relying on our own experiences. It then becomes a walk by sight, rather than a walk by faith. A person begins to depend on their experiences rather than God.
I praise God today that He is the solid rock on which to build our faith. His Word is powerful and effective. There is no substitute.
January 21, 2008 at 8:55 am
Aubri Dennison
I don’t know what “mysticism” you object to, but when I read the biblical examples you cite it only reinforces the correctness of the communication with God that is the mysticism to which I relate.
For me it is abandonment of my will in order to properly receive, recognize and appreciate the gifts of the Holy Spirit that are God’s design for me and for others through me. Unless I put all my attention on God’s presence instead of my self, I tend not to discern those gifts or use them fully for His glory.
It isn’t that I’m looking for a mystery unavailable to anyone but myself – the self-regard you apply to what I call mysticism is the exact opposite of the self-abandonment it really is. This voluntary release from worldly concerns is appealed to often in the Bible.
I don’t feel my connecting with God’s Holy Spirit is dangerous or unbiblical – I’m only reacting to His connecting with me; it’s called prayer. It sounds to me like you assume that God is incapable of protecting one who seeks His will from receiving evil spirits instead. How can you have so little faith in God’s desire to love and protect someone who seeks Him in honesty no matter what the method? There are places in the world where it is a death sentence to be seen with a Bible or discuss it out loud.
In the noisy rush of today’s world it isn’t surprising that quiet contemplation seems right for so many. I think we ought to be glad that so many care enough about their spirituality to explore it, even if they begin on a path that differs from the one that works for you. Many may never find their way. But in time, unless antagonized against doing so, most spiritual seekers can go back to the Bible and see it with new perception, possibly even understand it for the first time. This is how it was for me.
Your concerns are well-founded and well-taken, but before there were scriptures there was mysticism – without it there would be no Bible.
January 21, 2008 at 10:35 am
Kim
I believe that people have connected with spirits by eastern meditation, believing that it is the Holy Spirit. There is nothing wrong with meditation that involves thinking and dwelling on scripture, but when one empties the mind instead there can be trouble.
If a true god-fearing Christian contacts a demon i believe that person cannot be possessed by it, but can be oppressed.
The scriptures i quoted are wonderful mysteries of the bible. Gnostic mysticism on the other hand is occult and the bible forbids it in Deut 18:9-13.
January 21, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Christian » Comment on Mysticism in the Bible? by Bonnie
[…] doug wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptToday, what we have left is the Holy Spirit, who was sent after Christ ascended, to convict the world of sin and to comfort us, and the written Word. It is the Holy Spirit who brings about regeneration (new spiritual life) and then … […]
April 24, 2011 at 9:11 am
Melissa
I was on the hunt this morning for answers to the very post you have written. I can see mysticism all throughout christianity. He does have to call you out to see this, and its a struggle once you realize what is going on.
I am curious as to one of your statements though. Christ is in us, we ARE the virgins/woman who birth the son by travailing. Its not a worldwide catastrophe its one on one with salvation.
Why did Jesus say “you won’t worship on any mount, only in Spirit and Truth”, and he also rebuked someone for calling him good, for there is none good but God.
I don’t believe we truly understand in our fleshly carnality all that he did, and what has gone on. I do know that the law is now written on the heart by the spirit. Its prophecy that is fulfilled, for he knew we would never obey unless he made a way.
April 24, 2011 at 1:34 pm
Kim
Yes, the Holy Spirit is in us, when we truly believe in Him, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and is God. We have to born again as in John 3.
I am not familiar with the statement, “we ARE the virgins/woman who birth the son by travailing” and don’t quite qunderstand what you mean.
Here is my understanding of the woman in Rev 12:2
a. Being with child: Later in the chapter, it is clear that this child born of Israel is Jesus (She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron, Revelation 12:5).
b. She cried out in labor and in pain to give birth: The pain described refers to the travail of Israel at the time of Jesus’ birth (under Roman occupation and oppression).
(Commentary by David Guzik)
How WE be the woman if she is Israel?
What version says, “you won’t worship on any mount”?
The verse from the book of John (NKJV) is this.
Jhn 4:23 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
Jhn 4:24 “God [is] Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Where does Jesus rebuke someone for calling Him good? What scripture reference are you using?
Jesus is depicted as the passover lamb, “a lamb without without blemish or defect” I Peter 1:19. Jesus never sinned He was/is the perfect Lamb.
I think it is true that we cannot understand everything, but what is written is enough. That is why we need to study the scriptures from front to back because of what 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says:
2Ti 3:16 All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
May 4, 2011 at 12:49 pm
D
Hi there… Really liked your article… I agree that this is something that is rapidly gaining ground within all kinds of Christian circles, and the frustrating part is that so many Christians don’t understand why anyone would warn about it, I suppose because they don’t really understand what “mysticism” really is all about at it’s core…
Like Aubri said, “Isn’t it just about ‘letting go’ and detaching from the concerns of this life?” (I’m summarizing…)
Well, no actually, it isn’t! It’s often portrayed that way on the surface, and like so many other practices that are ultimately occultic in origin, they are presented in ways that are seemingly harmless (or even quite helpful) at the beginning, and then gradually the person is slowly drawn into the true purpose of the practice…
Like you said Kim, meditating on the Word of God, or praying in the manner where we are engaging our mind with the personal and conscious mind of God, well that is totally great! But all forms of mystical “prayer”, (yoga, “contemplative prayer”, chanting mantras or repeating words over and over again), are the very opposite of true, Christ-centered prayer.
Yes, God can protect us from the demonic realm, but at the same time, that doesn’t at all mean that we should then turn around and engage in practices which are in fact specifically designed to put people into contact with the demonic realm! We don’t say “Hey, God can protect me” and then go flirting with the devil, just like we don’t pray to Yahweh and then turn around and pray to a Buddha statue or something…
I think the biggest reason as to why this is such a dangerous trap for many Christians, is that for the most part they really don’t appreciate the realities of the occult in the first place, and so they don’t even get what it means to “open up oneself” using various meditative techniques…
April 30, 2012 at 5:33 pm
Kayumba
Are there insights from Apostle Paul’s usage of mystical phrases?
Apostle Paul, having experienced the joy of Salvation made possible in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross and made available to mankind freely ( unconditionally), He is overwhelmed by this unmerited favour from God that counts himself dead in Christ and risen with him and hence the confession in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”. The ‘in Christ motif ‘ here and else where testifies to the facts of the incarnation when Jesus took upon himself the condemned humanity that needed redeeming and having been crucified, we see a corporate humanity in one person dying and rising to the newness of life.
No wonder then Paul says in 2 Cor. 5:14 -15 “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again”. For Paul, a Christian no longer lives for him/her self. He/she lives in the ‘no longer and not yet’. We can see that the basis for Paul’s realisation of his new status in Christ is the love God which brought down Christ and spared him not but made “ made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” 2Cor.5:21.
That is why Paul is not afraid to say in Ephesians 2:6 “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus”. We who have believed in the atonement of the cross we are declared righteous and without faults and these blessings continue to be ours as long as we believe irrespective of our failures and shortcoming. Each sin we may commit does not turn off salvation in our lives except when we stop believing (total trust manifested in total surrender).
Both Paul and Jesus do not teach salvation by works but by faith which works. One does nothing while going to his/her saviour – Jesus. One goes with an empty hand and is given a paradise – eternal life in Jesus. One starts working after meeting Jesus Christ. This may be compared to what Richard of saint Victor refers to in the fourth degree of love as ‘the soul goes forth on God’s behalf’. To fully understand the meaning of the the birth, the life, the death and the resurrection of Jesus is to know what Paul has referred to as a ‘mystery’ in Colossians 1:26-27 “Even the mystery which has been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: to whom God would make known what is glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”.
Therefore since we know that Christ in the believer is the mystery, it is no longer a secrete to be revealed only to a few or the elite . The implication of this is, there is no secret knowledge because God is making himself known to those who are in Him. And this why I began by saying that unless every Christian is a mystic there is no mystic at all. Christ in me or in you is the mystery and it remains so as long as I possess a fallen nature and yet Christ works in me his will.
Conclusion
Desmond Ford has said “the basic drive of our lives is for acceptance .Relationships are the real essence of our lives. Most of all, we want to be accepted by God”. People attempt many things to find God, to please God, to sustain a relationship between the visible and the invisible God. But soon they realise that a Christian is not only in Christ but he/she is still in the flesh. So, struggle with the flesh will characterise the Christian’s journey. One need not do the extra ordinary; it is sufficient to hold on to one’s relationship with God. Whatever spiritual growth (faith commitment to God) one may attain in no way contributes an iota to his/her salvation. It Glorifies God but adds nothing to his status in Christ. Always we are 100% dependent on the merits of Christ for our salvation. No one is good as we read from Mark 10:18 “And Jesus said unto him, Why call me good? none is good, except one, that is, God”.
Christian mysticism that seeks for deeper relationship with God and has Christ and his finished work on behalf of mankind as its foundation is a noble quest. It is unstoppable for it is rooted in the love of God that went out and still goes out to search ad to find man. It is not about contemplative prayer movement that seek for supernatural experiences. It rather contemplates on the Cross of our saviour, His unconditional love, His massage of peace, His kingdom in the present and future and his return.
November 11, 2012 at 4:35 pm
Philip Poole
Wow, great post Kayumba. I’ve been real trepiditious about exploring Christian Mysticism, due to the very things Kim is referring to. I’ve found to many great Christian names out of history to worry any more. As with all scriptural studies, it requires discernment to avoid the pit falls. I greatly desire to grow closer to God, and this is one way I’m achieving that.
August 15, 2013 at 12:36 pm
The Spiritual Pilgrim
Boy you sure do have it all figured out and the devil ain’t ever gonna deceive you. Do you also believe that homosexuals should be stoned to death and women forbiden to speak in church? The earth is probably only 5000 years old and dinosaurs lived along sides humans too.
August 15, 2013 at 5:58 pm
Kim
Hello Spiritual Pilgrim.
Sure don’t. Have it all figured out anyway. And I have been deceived before. Now I trust in God’s Word for truth. Absolute truth. In fact I hunger and thirst for it. I was brought up in the church but fell away for 20 years. I was not born again till 2002.
The Bible teaches that homosexuality is a sin….they should not be stoned but will suffer by not entering the Kingdom of God.
This is a good article…in fact this site is oft used by many…the answers are basic and based on scripture.
http://www.gotquestions.org/homosexuality-Bible.html
You must be referring to the passage in 1 Corinthians 14:34 where it says, “Let your women keep silence in the churches: but they are commanded to be under obedience as also sayith the law.” Remember that this written to the Corinthian church that had been misusing the gifts and were out of control. Especially in the area of tongues. Start at the beginning of the chapter to get a feel for the troubles in this church….yes the church has problems…in other places though it says that women can pray and prophesy in the church so the verses must be taken in context.
The next site is one that known for its great bible explanations re the earth. By Ken Haim…
http://www.icr.org/evidence/
I pray that you will return to the Lord…you will not find any answers elsewhere my friend.
kim
August 16, 2013 at 2:26 am
The Spiritual Pilgrim
Hi Kim,
Thank you to your thoughtful reply to my sarcastic and pessimistic comment. In all seriousness what is your definition of “returning to The Lord”? You speak I terms of already judging me as if I am “away from The Lord”. You have no idea how close I am to God and Jesus himself said “Judge not and you will not be judged.” So I’m curious, where do you get authority to judge my relationship with Jesus?
August 16, 2013 at 2:36 am
The Spiritual Pilgrim
And to get a better view of your stand point… Off of your reply I’m assuming you do believe in the active spiritual gifts of prophecy and speaking in tongues?
August 16, 2013 at 3:01 am
The Spiritual Pilgrim
Oh and I never gave my opinion on whether I condone or condemn homosexual behavior. Once again you judged me of a weak preface. Kim if you would like to dialogue please email me at: thespiritualpilgrim@live.com
August 16, 2013 at 7:25 am
Kim
Hello again SP…Well your icon leads directly to your website..so I quickly read through some of your posts. It is true that I should have responded directly to your comment without thinking of the background you provided with the link. But I got the impression you said you were leaving Christianity which is leaving Jesus Christ.
Matthew 7 teaches that we are not to be hypocrites when we make judgments. That we are to make sure that we are not guilty of the same sin or a greater sin. We make determinations and judgments all the time. I pray that I would not say anything to you that I would be guilty of myself.
I cannot be sure where your heart is truly in relationship to the Lord. Although what you write is revealing….On the other hand the Bible gives much direction if we are on the right path….Staying in Matthew 7 which you quoted from tells us we are to enter through the straight gate and stay on the narrow path. Just saying, “Lord ,Lord” is not proof either because Jesus said to the many who say this… “I never knew you.”
But verse 24 says it is those who hears the words of Jesus and “doeth them” is wise and buildeth on a rock.
We are to have no other Gods before us…this would be Gods from other religions like Buddha. Acts 4:12 says, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
We cannot make up our own Jesus. But Jesus said we would do this That we would follow another Jesus, a false one. 2 Corinthians 11:4
I believe we get a spiritual gift as a believer to help/edify and build the church. I believe that the gift of tongues has passed. Church history indicates it was not spoken of after the Bible was written. Although I have heard of rare instances in the mission field where the Gospel was given in another language…
I do not believe any new prophecy is available.
I gave my opinion on homosexuality based on the Bible because you asked me what I believed. “Do you also believe”
August 16, 2013 at 7:43 am
David
Hi Kim,
I am happy to read your comments. Keep and God sustain your faith in Christ.
August 16, 2013 at 1:13 pm
The Spiritual Pilgrim
I find it strange that you could read through Pauls letters and then not believe in an active gift of prophecy and toungues. We could back and fourth all day on spiritual gifts but that argument has been done enough.. 🙂 I just find it sad though that there are people like you who militantly speak against other charasmatic circles of Christianity calling each other demonized. Seeing all the division in the body and how everyone thinks that “their version” of God and “their interpretation” of scripture is the only right way is the main reason I have left the church. I think it’s childish, self righteous, religious and rather pathetic. I believe you are sowing division and not love, and have limited God to a few words when He is so much more than words. You are satisfied with studying the treasure map but never exploring the land. But that’s just my opinion. And buddhism does not teach that Buddha was a god. if you feel like doing some open minded thinking id suggest reading Living Buddha, Living Christ. I’ll leave ya alone now.
August 16, 2013 at 4:18 pm
Kim
Actually, many young people have personally contacted me because they have become oppressed, depressed and experience mental problems when getting involved with false ministries, usually hyper-charismatic, like Bethel.
Well…think i will pass on the suggested reading material…
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me.” John 14:6
bye…