Christian mysticism..

Akita Suggagaki said:

You have me confused with another poster. I have not had traumatic illness.

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Yes, I'm sorry, I do have you confused with notworthconsideration!

notworthconsideration said:

Based on that, I must be a heretic. I think it’s utterly amazing that I try to teach people to interact with God and I’m shot down by people who demand it can’t be done… by virtue of denominational doctrine or just a mean spirit.

I present scripture on this-
is it read? NOT LIKELY!
Are clarification questions asked? NO!
Does anyone have even a fleeting thought about talking to me to find out why I say these things? OBVIOUSLY NOT!

Everyone is so stinkin’ proud of their arsenal of doctrines that they’ll never see God… and in the process, kill off those who tried to merely point them in a direction where God is waiting.

If I took to heart the things people have said to me on here, I’d probably be suicidal, because churches hate me too… just because I talk to God.

…but, according to you and others, the God I know doesn’t exist….. what a waste of time! Well, whoever it was, he changed my life and I have nothing else to hope in now, so if it’s not God, I wonder why He wasn’t the one who showed up when I asked Him to during my 3 day cardiac event last year?

Forget it! You guys win, go back to the heaping pile of teachers and their doctrines… I can’t do this anymore, you people would rather harm someone than help…

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I am sorry about the health situation you had and maybe is on-going. God does come to some in these situations and strengthens and ecourages with the Word. Could He not now be leading you to a deeper understanding of Him and His desire that you branch out and love deeply your fellow brothers in the faith. Isn't that what we are called to? Yes, as I John says, 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. (As well as all the many other teachings on love.
As I said teaching and rebuking is love, it is an extreme love in fact, because one knows such rebuking is not always well received...and all of us like being well received and to live in peace and unity. I believe you still need more unity with fellow believers and more engaging with God through His Word. To do so requires a good lot of humility. God spared you from your traumatic illness and He continues to discipline you, to cleanse you of any dross...as He does for all of us.
We are all hear sharing and rebuking...that is our purpose .As the Proverbs say,
As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
Please stand under it and do not succumb to anger. You are reading bad intentions into well-meaning warnings and rejection. Sorry, but we are just not in agreement.

throughfiierytrial said:

Yes, I'm sorry, I do have you confused with notworthconsideration!

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Easy to do. I have done it also.

notworthconsideration said:

I guess if God’s “church” rejects me and I’m not allowed to be by myself… what’s the point in my going on?

Christians, like you, harshly judge everyone who doesn’t believe exactly as you do. Maybe you’re God’s way of telling me to go to hell. At least I know I’m not wanted here either.

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There is only one way to God and that is through Jesus. If I understand you correctly, that is not your understanding. If I'm wrong, correct me. Christians do not have a personal belief system based on their own opinions and feelings. The authority is God's word. There may be some minor differences of interpretation, but the very word "Christian" places Jesus Christ at the centre of faith. Jesus said that no one comes to the Father but through Him. Don't be surprised if a Christian Forum believes and promotes this view and argues against anything to the contrary.

Aussie Pete said:

Jesus said that no one comes to the Father but through Him.

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That's right and I think many "Christians" don't give enough thought and reflection to what that means. It involves a great deal more than professing a belief. It involves a life transformation in the Holy Spirit, which brings us back to Christian Mysticism. Some make correcting others their primary ministry and expression of "love". But we very much more need to get the plank out of our own eyes. That is a never ending process. "Through" Jesus means a living relationship with a person whom we invite to live within us. That is not just a one time for always sort of thing. We must "pick up our crosses and "follow him daily". That decision, that commitment, that surrender in humility and love and the inner transformations it all beings is mystical.

Prayer is a mystical activity.
So then even feeding the hungry, clothing the naked visiting the sick, etc become mystical acts for such a person.

There is probably some relationship between what is considered mystical and what is considered mystery. I don’t see the word “mysticism” in a KJV word search but I do find the word “mystery” with 22 results. Perhaps if what is considered a mystical understanding being applied to what is Biblical mystery, then maybe that might be a sound understanding.

Re “mystery” interestingly all of the scriptures are New Testament:

Lukaris said:

There is probably some relationship between what is considered mystical and what is considered mystery. I don’t see the word “mysticism” in a KJV word search but I do find the word “mystery” with 22 results. Perhaps if what is considered a mystical understanding being applied to what is Biblical mystery, then maybe that might be a sound understanding.

Re “mystery” interestingly all of the scriptures are New Testament:

BibleGateway - Keyword Search: mystery

www.biblegateway.com

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I fear you are venturing out too much by saying that perhaps because the Bible uses the word mystery that this then could correlate with mysticism being Biblical. Oh no it does not. One who practices mysticism has lost connection with the head as Apostle Paul writes about those gone astray. They are missing the big picture. We are saved by faith and converted or regenerated by the Holy Spirit and it is He, the Holy Spirit, who instructs us through the WORD in the way that we should live, what is given us to know about God and His love and relationship to us.Our earthly source is the Word, our heavenly leader and instructor is God.

throughfiierytrial said:

I fear you are venturing out too much by saying that perhaps because the Bible uses the word mystery that this then could correlate with mysticism being Biblical. Oh no it does not. One who practices mysticism has lost connection with the head as Apostle Paul writes about those gone astray. They are missing the big picture. We are saved by faith and converted or regenerated by the Holy Spirit and it is He, the Holy Spirit, who instructs us through the WORD in the way that we should live, what is given us to know about God and His love and relationship to us.Our earthly source is the Word, our heavenly leader and instructor is God.

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I don’t know, I was trying to suggest a path along the lines of what Paul says about proving all things & holding fast to what is good ( 1 Thessalonians 5:21).

I could see a passage like 1 Timothy 3:16 in which the “mystery of godliness” should probably be understood spiritually first but united in faith to our intellects as having some mystical quality. If we know that this passage is all about Jesus Christ then, I would think, we are ok.

I think the danger is subjective misinterpretation of scripture but that is an intellectual and spiritual problem. We can reach wrong conclusions in many ways. For ex. some people will call themselves “Christians” and say Jesus Christ is not God but that He was created.

Tellyontellyon said:

Just asking... When people here say the 'Word'... Are they taking about the words in the Book... or are they talking about the Living Christ?

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I don't know about others, but I capitalize it in deference to the Bible as opposed to just words of any kind of book. It is true though,Christ is the living Word of God.