Christian mystic

[Blain DeCastro]

So this is something I recently learned about because I was called a Christian mystic I didn't know what it meant at the time but here is the definition of it

ChatGPT said:​

A Christian mystic is someone who seeks a deep, direct, and experiential relationship with God—often beyond the intellect or ritual—desiring union with Him in heart, spirit, and being. Their faith journey is marked by intimacy, contemplation, revelation, and spiritual encounter.

This does sound like me but is it actually biblical? are there examples of a Christian mystic in scripture? I tried deiscussing this topic on another forum but I did not receive good responses they just instantly said it was of the occult

 

[Niblo]

So this is something I recently learned about because I was called a Christian mystic I didn't know what it meant at the time but here is the definition of it

ChatGPT said:​

A Christian mystic is someone who seeks a deep, direct, and experiential relationship with God—often beyond the intellect or ritual—desiring union with Him in heart, spirit, and being. Their faith journey is marked by intimacy, contemplation, revelation, and spiritual encounter.

This does sound like me but is it actually biblical? are there examples of a Christian mystic in scripture? I tried deiscussing this topic on another forum but I did not receive good responses they just instantly said it was of the occult

‘Anybody who receives my commandments and keeps them will be one who loves me; and anybody who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I shall love him and show myself to him. Judas – this was not Judas Iscariot – said to him, ‘Lord, what is all this about? Do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?’ Jesus replied: ‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our home with him.’ (John 14:21-23).

‘I pray not only for these, but for those also who through their words will believe in me. May they all be one. Father, may they be one in us, as you are in me and I am in you, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me. I have given them the glory you gave to me, that they may be one as we are one. With me in them and you in me, may they be so completely one that the world will realise that it was you who sent me and that I have loved them as much as you loved me.’ (John 17:20-23).

‘Must I go on boasting, though there is nothing to be gained by it? But I will move on to the visions and revelations I have had from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who, fourteen years ago, was caught up whether still in the body or out of the body, I do not know; God knows-right into the third heaven. I do know, however, that this same person-whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know; God knows-was caught up into paradise and heard things which must not and cannot be put into human language.’ (2 Cor 12: 1-4).

Plenty of justification here for a 'faith journey marked by intimacy, contemplation, revelation, and spiritual encounter.'

The Creator is pure spirit, devoid of parts. This means that He cannot be divided; that wherever He happens to be He is there in His entirety; in a room; in a place of worship, and so on.

He is with you, now, in your room; and for Him, there is no other but you (and it is the same for everyone, of course).

This is why it is possible for Him to have a personal relationship with each and every one of us.

All you have to do is remember Him; call Him to mind. Talk to Him; aloud, or silently!

Welcome to our Forum. May you have fruitful time.

Blessings.

 

[for_his_glory]

This is what I found on Christian mysticism.

Christian mysticism is often thought of as the practice of experiential knowledge of God as in so called hidden meanings of scripture as in Gnosticism which is wrong as the Bible does not have hidden meanings.

Christianity focuses on knowing God through the scriptures and communion with the Holy Spirit through prayer. Mysticism tends to be an individual, subjective practice whereas Biblical Christianity is both an individual relationship with God and one that is necessarily out in community as there is no such thing as solo Christian.

Mystical union with God is different from the type of intimacy with God to which Christians are called. Mysticism tends to seek out the experience and is sometimes seen as secretive or elitist. Christians are aware of and engaged in Spiritual realities, Ephesians 1:3; 6:10-19, and Biblical Christianity involves spiritual experience, but intimacy with God is intended for all Christians and is not veiled by any sort of mysterious practice.

gotquestions.org - What is Christian mysticism

 

[Hidden In Him]

So this is something I recently learned about because I was called a Christian mystic I didn't know what it meant at the time but here is the definition of it

ChatGPT said:​

A Christian mystic is someone who seeks a deep, direct, and experiential relationship with God—often beyond the intellect or ritual—desiring union with Him in heart, spirit, and being. Their faith journey is marked by intimacy, contemplation, revelation, and spiritual encounter.

This does sound like me but is it actually biblical? are there examples of a Christian mystic in scripture? I tried deiscussing this topic on another forum but I did not receive good responses they just instantly said it was of the occult

I'm reminded of John the Baptist, who lived more of a mystic's lifestyle. Luke 1:80 says, "And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel." This means he stayed out there, he wasn't just out there when he started his ministry. He lived alone with God in the desert, and in order to do so ate the only things that were out there to survive on. And he had to have walked very close to God for the Lord to profess concerning him that a greater prophet has never existed. And depending on how you to take Jesus' reference to him being the return of Elijah (he also lived in Elijah's cave), you could say he was in a sense the second coming of a very powerful prophet of God who once though he was entirely alone in truly serving the Lord and wanted to die because of the loneliness.

That's pretty mystic.

Now there are things that can be unique about "mystics" that would be non-Christian and I would not recommend, but the Christian version? I see no problem with it. It has a certain amount of basis in some very great men of God.

 

[hawkman]

are there examples of a Christian mystic in scripture?

I thought this was a pretty good write up .

What defines Christian mysticism?

 

[Blain DeCastro]

Thank you everyone for your replies it was all very helpful I suppose in a way I am a mystic because he has indeed shown himself to me many times and I am unable to go to church or even leave the facility I live in so often times I am in solitude with God focusing on his presence and his voice always seeking to have a more intimate relationship with him.

There does seem to be a biblical basis for it and also a non biblical basis as well

 

[Blain DeCastro]

I'm reminded of John the Baptist, who lived more of a mystic's lifestyle. Luke 1:80 says, "And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel." This means he stayed out there, he wasn't just out there when he started his ministry. He lived alone with God in the desert, and in order to do so ate the only things that were out there to survive on. And he had to have walked very close to God for the Lord to profess concerning him that a greater prophet has never existed. And depending on how you to take Jesus' reference to him being the return of Elijah (he also lived in Elijah's cave), you could say he was in a sense the second coming of a very powerful prophet of God who once though he was entirely alone in truly serving the Lord and wanted to die because of the loneliness.

That's pretty mystic.

Now there are things that can be unique about "mystics" that would be non-Christian and I would not recommend, but the Christian version? I see no problem with it. It has a certain amount of basis in some very great men of God.

I also thought of John the baptist when looking up the definition of a Christian mystic, it is interesting how deeply personal God was to him

 

[Bruce.Leiter]

‘Anybody who receives my commandments and keeps them will be one who loves me; and anybody who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I shall love him and show myself to him. Judas – this was not Judas Iscariot – said to him, ‘Lord, what is all this about? Do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?’ Jesus replied: ‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our home with him.’ (John 14:21-23).

‘I pray not only for these, but for those also who through their words will believe in me. May they all be one. Father, may they be one in us, as you are in me and I am in you, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me. I have given them the glory you gave to me, that they may be one as we are one. With me in them and you in me, may they be so completely one that the world will realise that it was you who sent me and that I have loved them as much as you loved me.’ (John 17:20-23).

‘Must I go on boasting, though there is nothing to be gained by it? But I will move on to the visions and revelations I have had from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who, fourteen years ago, was caught up whether still in the body or out of the body, I do not know; God knows-right into the third heaven. I do know, however, that this same person-whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know; God knows-was caught up into paradise and heard things which must not and cannot be put into human language.’ (2 Cor 12: 1-4).

Plenty of justification here for a 'faith journey marked by intimacy, contemplation, revelation, and spiritual encounter.'

The Creator is pure spirit, devoid of parts. This means that He cannot be divided; that wherever He happens to be He is there in His entirety; in a room; in a place of worship, and so on.

He is with you, now, in your room; and for Him, there is no other but you (and it is the same for everyone, of course).

This is why it is possible for Him to have a personal relationship with each and every one of us.

All you have to do is remember Him; call Him to mind. Talk to Him; aloud, or silently!

Welcome to our Forum. May you have fruitful time.

Blessings.

The only part I would question, Blain DeCastro, in the qualities of such mysticism is "revelation." Is such revelation in addition to the Bible or what? The Catholic popes have claimed revelation in their pronouncements that have added a tradition to Scripture that is considered authoritative about Mary and purgatory.

Are you claiming such a revelation that adds to the Bible? If so, I question it as being from God.

 

[Blain DeCastro]

The only part I would question, Blain DeCastro, in the qualities of such mysticism is "revelation." Is such revelation in addition to the Bible or what? The Catholic popes have claimed revelation in their pronouncements that have added a tradition to Scripture that is considered authoritative about Mary and purgatory.

Are you claiming such a revelation that adds to the Bible? If so, I question it as being from God.

Any revelation from God would not go against scripture and so no no such revelation

 

[hawkman]

Moderator note : Stay on the topic of the mystic please. No Catholic doctrine or dogma, posts deleted.