This topic goes back to an article I wrote about why we sing what we sing in church. In that article, I mentioned one hymn that wrongly points us to our subjective experiences as a way to “know” God.
I come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses; and the voice I hear falling on my ear the Son of God discloses. And He walks with me and He talks with me, and He tells me I am his own. And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known.
Since Colossians 3:16 tells us that hymns have a teaching and correcting function, I asked, “How does that hymn teach and correct us?” That favorite hymn of many teaches us to seek God where He does not promise to come to us. That is called “mysticism,” which is the idea that you can directly know God through your subjective experiences. Mysticism is gauging your Christian faith by your emotions.
Read Matthew 12:38-40
- How did Jesus respond to those who wanted signs from God (whatever form they may take, whether internal or external) to know His will in their life?
- Discuss: What was the sign that Jesus said He would give?
The “sign of Jonah” was a foreshadowing of what would take place with Jesus. As Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days, so would Jesus be in the tomb of death. As Jonah was spit out by the fish, so also would Jesus be “spit” out of the tomb in His resurrection. That was the sign that Jesus promised to give, and by implication, that people should seek–His death and resurrection. The question is how?
God can come to us in many ways. But does He promise to do so? Does He promise to come to us in our emotions, feelings, or “in the garden”? From the book of Hebrews, we see the Scriptures telling us where we should seek God “in these last days.”
Hebrews 1:1-2: “In many portions and many ways, God spoke to His people of old by the prophets. But now, in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son.”
- What does “in many portions and many ways” tell us how God came to “His people of old”?
- What does, “But now, in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son,” tells us about how God comes to us now?
- Discuss: If God comes to us through Jesus, how then does Jesus come to us (or better said, how does Jesus promise to come to us)?
The Mystical Jesus in You
Much of modern, North-American Christian culture devalues Jesus coming to us in any particular way to save us. For them, the Gospel is not so much “the power of God for salvation” (Romans 1:16) but information that a person decides, or chooses, to believe. This is often called “deciding for Jesus” and is practiced in many churches in what is called the “sinners’ prayer.”
The Jesus for you becomes non-existent. The preached Word is merely information. The water and Word of baptism and the Lord’s Supper become “ordinances” that a Christian does to obey God. And absolution is considered heretical, since “only God can forgive sins.”
So, what becomes most important for a Christian with such a worldview is the Jesus in you. And, yes it is true: Jesus does live in every Christian. Bible passages for this abound.
- Romans 8:10: But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.
- 2 Corinthians 13:5: Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you?
- Ephesians 3:16-17: I pray that … God may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, that Christ may live in your hearts through faith.
- Colossians 1:27: God wanted to make the glorious riches of this mystery known among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you.
Where they go astray is that they then understand Jesus living within you as something to be sensed emotionally. The Jesus in you is sensed through your emotional experiences.
- If Jesus promised to come to us through someone’s emotional experiences, how then should he view worship and what he experiences during worship
- If Jesus promised to come to us in Word and Sacrament (by the way, He did!), how then should someone view worship and what he experiences during worship?
How Jesus for You and Jesus in You come together
Working through the Word and Sacrament (baptism, the preached Word, the Lord’s Supper, absolution), the Holy Spirit brings, keeps, and strengthens you in the one, true faith. This is Jesus for you.
The Holy Spirit working through those “means of grace” brings you from death to life, and Christ then dwells in our hearts. This is called the “mystical union,” and is a result of saving faith. In other words, your union with Jesus (Jesus “living in your heart”) is a result, not the cause, of your salvation.
Thus, those who are justified by grace (Jesus for you) through faith are also in union with Christ (Jesus in you), which then results in your sanctification (Jesus through you). Your works are sanctified because any taint of sin that may be in them is washed clean and forgiven by Christ. It is as impossible for a Christian to be justified and not, at the same time, be in union with Christ and also be sanctified.
How God uses the Church to foil “mystically” interpreting Scripture
1 Timothy 3:15: The Church of the living God is the pillar and foundation of the truth.
2 Peter 1:20: You should know this: no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.
- What is God’s way to keep someone’s understanding of Scripture from falling prey to mysticism: “I feel that this passage means …”?
Conclusion
Sadly, many churches in America–not only fail to warn us about the dangers of mysticism, of having your feelings direct your faith–but even promote it. By what they may teach or how they may deliberately choose to shape their worship services, they are training you to find God in your emotions.
Emotions are a magnificent gift of the created world. God made them for us. They are part of being human, and the Christian rejoices, which involves emotion, in the salvation that Jesus gives us. But there’s a huge difference between believing that feelings are a gift from God and believing that feelings are how God comes to you. Feelings can be good, but feelings are not the Gospel.
What role do feelings play in the Christian life? We exult in them as part of how God made us, fallen though we are. As creatures with emotions, we live in and through such emotions, serving others, loving our neighbor, expressing emotions to others in ways that serve them for their eternal good.
Nonetheless, we must not allow our emotions to supplant God’s “means of grace.” Jesus promises to serve and save through those means: baptism, the preached Word, absolution, the Lord’s Supper. Faith believes and lives out what Jesus says–even if your emotions tell you otherwise.
“We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). “Sight” refers to our senses, which includes our emotions, overriding what God tells us. Letting emotions guide your faith, especially when your emotions contradict what God has revealed to us in His Word, is walking by “sight.” “Faith is being sure of what we hope for, the proof of what is not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).
