Grace -n- Truth

MYSTICISM:   Many people are uncomfortable associating mysticism with Christianity. Nevertheless, it is at the core of New Testament sanctification. How does one "walk in the Spirit," or "remain in Christ," or "walk in the light," or "drink from the water of life?"  Easier said than done, huh! The New Testament does not tell us how to obey these instructions, it simply instructs us to follow them! Paul refers to this as "the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations; but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Col 1:26-27) 

Dan Wallace, professor of Greek at Dallas Theological Seminary (please keep in mind that we do not advocate for seminaries) sums it up as follows: 

One of the remarkable currents of NT theology is the studied reserve on the method of sanctification. That is, the biblical authors speak positively about the ministry of the Spirit but typically refrain from telling how that ministry is to be implemented into the believer’s life. Most likely, their theology is rooted in Jer 31:31, 34 (NRSV): "I will make a new covenant…No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord.” This new covenant mentality of what might be labeled a “soft mysticism” is prevalent in the NT. (Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics, 639)

Once I understood that mysticism enables me to experience my faith, I began making important progress in my spiritual life. That is, Christianity is not about attaining a certain level of head-knowledge. It's about the heart. It is common to find educated people with lots of information about God, and yet they struggle miserably in their faith ~ an highly educated brain, but a heart as dumb as a rock. (I know, because this happened to me.) Jesus once said, "I praise Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou didst hide these things from the wise and intelligent and didst reveal them to babes. Yes, Father, for thus it was well-pleasing in Thy sight" (Mt 11:25-26). In another place He warned the disciples "unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the Kingdom of God" (Mat 18:3). Bible schools and seminaries tend to ignore passages like these.

If you're having trouble entering the Kingdom of God, your concept of faith might be the reason. You do not need much head-knowledge to be a Christian, but you do need an educated heart. Better said, you cannot learn to "walk by faith" from a book; you learn that kind of faith by listening to God directly ~ just like the people in the Bible did. Do you want to know more? There are some wonderful mentors for cultivating childlike faith in the following attachments. Brother Lawrence and Frank Laubach are two such men. In the following attachments, they describe what this experience is like.

Brother Lawrence: This attachment contains the Conversations and Letters of Brother Lawrence. These writings could change your life. In one of his letters, Brother Lawrence writes, "There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God. Those only can comprehend it who practice and experience it."  At the end of the book is an important admonition: "Believe me, count as lost each day you have not used in loving God." We hope you decide to take this exhortation as seriously as we do (or more so!).

Frank Laubach:  Letters of a Christian Mystic. If you're serious about loving God, you will be encouraged by these letters. Here is a short statement regarding Laubach's take on mysticism: "I have written in this letter what my tongue said as I let it speak, not because I wish to recommend any of the above as prophetic, but simply because I think it may prove helpful to those who have been dissatisfied with their own contact with God and who may find this a helpful practice in making contacts with God. Day after day I find this very helpful in little intimate personal ways, which would have no value for others. I am well aware of the probability of criticism because it is "mysticism"--as though any man could be a believer in Jesus without believing in "mysticism" !--Or because many people think that the days of direct contact with God, or at least words from God, stopped with the closing of the New Testament. But then what a stupid world this would be if one never did anything different for fear of criticism!" (July 2, 1930)

My Testimony:  I am including a short version of my testimony, because it clearly points to the mystical nature of New Testament faith. Jesus calls it being "born from above," and this is exactly what it feels like. Everyone's story is different, but the new birth is available for all. This experience, more than any other single event, opened my eyes to the wonderful world of faith.