Spirituality, not Mysticism

By Ronald W. Leigh, Ph.D.

December 17, 2015
Copyright © 2015 Ronald W. Leigh
Bible quotations are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.

A.  Introduction

What does it mean to be spiritual?  How can you tell if someone else is spiritual?  How can you tell if you are spiritual?

Defining spirituality is not easy.  And our culture does not help us, for the word "spiritual" is applied to a wide variety of things including:

• the so-called holy men of India
• the American Indian's respect for ancestors
• asceticism, life in a monastery
• a drug induced trance
• a pilgrimage to Jerusalem or Mecca
• a mystical encounter, vision, or dream
• crawling along the Via Dolorosa or the Stations of the Cross
• raising one's hands during worship
• speaking in ecstatic tongues
• transcendental meditation using a mantra

Many things could be added to the above list.  After all, if we can't measure it or describe it in simple terms, we might just call it spiritual!

Most Christian believers would easily recognize many of the things which our culture calls spiritual and quickly counter, "That's not what I call spiritual."  However, one area where many believers stumble is the area of mysticism.  There are some who, perhaps without consciously realizing it, either equate spirituality with mysticism, or accept mysticism as a major component in their understanding of spirituality.  It is the purpose of this paper to clear up this misunderstanding and examine the real nature of spirituality according to the Bible.

B.  Mysticism

The word "mysticism" is also very obscure, having received many definitions by different groups at various times throughout history.  To make our discussion more concrete, here are two similar working definitions of mysticism:

(1)  Mysticism is subjective awareness of ultimate spiritual reality through direct encounter rather than through the senses or reasoning.

(2)  Mysticism is the notion that an individual, through meditation or ecstasy or trance, can directly attain an awareness of God or the Infinite which is transcendent and non-rational (beyond ordinary words and understanding), or can even be united with the mind of God.

Notice that both of these definitions refer to an awareness that is attained directly.  This is an important point of difference between real Christian spirituality (as described in the Bible) and mysticism.  The following diagram illustrates the difference.

The heavy black line in the above diagram represents the barrier which man cannot cross using his limited senses.  This barrier does two things.  First, the barrier makes mystical awareness of God impossible.  The red arrow merely represents the mystic's goal or claim, and is in reality merely a hoax.  Second, the barrier makes special revelation necessary if man is ever to have a true knowledge of God.  Paul explains:

… as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" – but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.  (1 Corinthians 2:9-10, see also John 1:18;  Ephesians 3:2-6:  Daniel 2:27-28ff)

God has revealed only a portion of ultimate reality, represented by the dashed area above.  This is in keeping with Moses' distinction between secret things and revealed things.

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29)

Also note that this revelation comes in words.  Awareness of God comes through words which can be read, understood, and followed.  It does not come through a mystical encounter.

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.  (1 Corinthians 2:12-13)

If mysticism could directly attain awareness of God, as mentioned in the two earlier definitions and shown in the above diagram, then it seems that special revelation would not be necessary.  But God did give us special revelation through the prophets, through Jesus, and through the apostles.  And much of what was revealed has been recorded in enduring, written form in the Bible.

Those who set aside the Bible and attempt direct mystical awareness of God need to be warned.  How do they know they are really making a connection to God rather than Satan?  Remember that Satan is the father of lies and a murderer (John 8:44), and he masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).  So when one attempts direct awareness and avoids the Bible, he opens himself up to being duped by Satan.

Nor should anyone copy any of the many mystical techniques, such as sensory deprivation, hallucinogenic drugs, bhakti yoga, meditation on the number 14, assuming the lotus position, or walking a prayer labyrinth, to mention only a few.

Mysticism appears in many different forms.  One current example is found at eckankar.org, an organization that has been advertised on, believe-it-or-not, the Science Channel.

C.  Bogus "spiritual" practices

If spirituality is not mysticism, what is it?

Don't be fooled into thinking that certain practices make a person spiritual.  Here is a list of questionable practices.  They are not necessarily evil in themselves, but they are questionable because they are neither required to make one spiritual, nor do they guarantee spirituality.

Being spiritual does NOT require:

• Ceremony or ritual (The point is not that all ceremonies are wrong, but that what is spiritual is in the person's mind and heart, not in the ceremony)
• Pilgrimages
• Mantras
• Self-deprivation, flogging
• Special garments (over- or under-)
  • the kippah (prayer cap, skull cap) of Orthodox Jews
  • the zucchetto (skullcap) worn by Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Eastern Orthodox clergy
  • the Mormon temple garments (underwear)
• Special jewelry (such as a "Jesus first" lapel pin, a cross, or a crucifix)
• Relics (such as a supposed splinter of Jesus' cross)
• Owning or carrying a fetish
• Reading or following your horoscope
• Wearing an amulet blessed by a church official
• Mystical practices
  • contemplative prayer / centering prayer
    • carm.org/centering-prayer
    • spiritual-research-network.com/contemplativespirituality
  • joining the Theosophical Society (located in Adyar, a region in the city of Chennai, India)  Website: ts-adyar.org
  • walking a prayer labyrinth (e.g.: Trinity Episcopal Church, downtown Fort Wayne, IN).
    • spiritual-research-network.com/contemplativespirituality
    • sundayschoollessons.com/ftlab
    • ehow.com/how_4449615_use-prayer-labyrinth
• Tricks
  • mispronouncing "Gawd"
  • pausing before saying the name of Jesus
  • placing Bible on top of other books
  • self-effacing, sharing shortcomings too much (false humility)
  • self-promoting, sharing shortcomings too little (hypocracy)

The various false forms of spirituality listed above are typically void of God's verbal revelation, such as information about sin, repentance, and true faith.  They are also void of any assurance of salvation.

D.  Simple spirituality

What, in simple terms, is spirituality?  The prerequisite, of course, is salvation.  We hear (or read) what God has said, repent, have faith in Christ, and are regenerated by the Holy Spirit.

Then, after we are saved, spirituality is very simple in concept.  We (being spirits) interact with God (who is also spirit).  We read what God has said and respond to his commands.  This interaction is both spiritual and personal.  In its simplest form, spirituality is simply obeying God.

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (Galatians 5:16)

We do not need any other ceremonies, mystical practices, or tricks to be spiritual.

E.  Knowing God

Sometimes the phrases "knowledge of God" and "knowing God personally" are used to describe something that is supposedly quite different from mere knowledge about God – not only far different, but supposedly far better.  These two, knowing about God and knowing God, are thought of as entirely separated from each other as shown below.  This is the mistake of mysticism.

But knowing God personally should not be separated from knowing about God.  Indeed, we must know about God, and then respond to what we know.  In other words, knowing God includes knowing about God and is built upon knowing about God.

As we read the Bible, we learn about God's character, about his actions, about his desires and plans, about what he loves and hates.  Furthermore, what we learn about God is very personal to us, for what he plans, and what he desires, and what he expects has to do with us.  So when we respond to what God says, we are responding personally to him.

Thus, two elements must always be linked together in our thinking.  The first is knowledge about God, and the second is personal response to that knowledge.  The first is a prerequisite for the second; the second is expected to follow from the first.  When we respond positively to what we know about God, we truly are growing in our personal knowledge of God.

… asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God …  (Colossians 1:9-10)

We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. (1 John 5:20)

… teach me your ways so I may know you … (Exodus 33:13)

A problem arises, however, since many people think that knowledge of God comes from an innate, direct experience with God that bypasses knowledge about God.  Such direct "contact" apart from biblical revelation about God is the essence of mysticism, as described earlier.  This mystical "contact" sounds very spiritual, but it is heretical.  When we have genuine, personal contact with God because we read what the Bible says and respond to it, we are having a spiritual experience, but not a mystical experience.  It is a spiritual experience because we are spirits (or, we each have a spirit) and we are interacting with God who also is spirit.

We should not seek mystical experiences.  We should not seek God beyond the Bible.  Rather, we should seek to know God personally by responding to the personal things he has told us to do.  Such knowledge of God (the legitimate kind) will always stem from knowledge about God as contained in the Bible.

We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  (1 John 2:3-4, see also 1 John 4:6-8)

Any so-called contact with God that is not based on what the Bible says is in reality no contact at all, at least no contact with God!  The person who seeks God without the aid of the Bible should be warned that he is opening himself to the trickery and deception of the devil.  Remember Eve.  She sought knowledge of divine things (good and evil, Genesis 3:4-6), and when she set aside the command of God she unknowingly had only Satan to deal with.  Even if we think we see an angel of light, beware, "for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14).

F.  Spiritual worship

A parallel idea exists in connection with worship.  There is nothing mystical about true worship.  Worship is spiritual, but not mystical.

God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)

In its simplest form, worship means telling or showing God how important we think he is.  And there is nothing mystical about that!  Worship is similar to knowing God personally in the sense that both are dependent on knowledge about God.  A person must know something about God's worth, greatness, and goodness before he can worship God.  He gains this knowledge about God through biblical instruction.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.  (Romans 12:1-2)

Of course, there are many types of genuine worship.  When a person claps his hands above his head as he sings, is that really worship?  If that is his way of consciously expressing God's worth, then it is real worship.  If an act of kindness is done as a conscious expression of God's worth, it is genuine worship.  If I restrain myself from copying a neighbor's quiz answer, and if this is consciously done as an expression of God's worth to me, it is worship.  If I work hard at my sport and that hard work is consciously an expression of God's worth to me, that is worship.  If I sing a song that praises the character of God and if I mean what I sing, that is worship.  If I say silently to God, "You are my guide, I need you," that is worship.  If I teach a Sunday school class because of God's worth to me, that is worship.

Worship takes many forms.  When some other Christian worships, his communication is primarily from him to God, not to us.  He and God will be able to tell whether or not his worship is in spirit and truth, but we will not.  Certainly we will not be justified in condemning his worship just because his form of expression is foreign to us.  Jesus warned against such foolishness when he said, "Do not judge according to appearance" (John 7:24).

G.  Conclusion

Don't be mystical.  Be spiritual.  Be yourself while you read God's Word and obey him.

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. (Romans 12:11)