John Piper has issued a warning to Christians against pursuing mysticism or believing that they can connect with God in a supernatural realm to gain hidden knowledge.
In a recent episode of the “Ask Pastor John" podcast, the founder of Desiring God responded to a letter from a listener who inquired about his views on mysticism.
“I don’t know if this question has come up before, but what are your thoughts on Christian mysticism and Christian mystics and their interaction with God?” the listener wrote. “Did they experience something in their walk with God that we have generally lost today? Is mysticism something that we should pursue to have a closer walk with God?”
Piper defined mysticism as a “kind of ecstatic or out-of-body connection with supernatural powers in the hopes of gaining some hidden knowledge or experience of ultimate reality that would give power to successful life change,” and warned against such practices.
“No, we shouldn’t pursue it. Don’t seek transformation or power through ecstatic or out-of-body connections with supernatural powers. Don’t go that route,” he said.
He referenced 2 Corinthians 12, where Paul of Tarsus wrote about a man who “was caught up to paradise” and said he would “boast about a man like that,” but added that Paul himself would not “boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.”
Piper explained that Paul “thought it was foolish to boast about mystical experiences as though it were the true sign of an apostle or the key to godliness or Christlikeness.”
“The real power of the Christian life — the peculiarly Christ-given power, Christian power, the real power of an apostle — lies not in mystical experiences, but in trusting Christ to show his power in and through our weaknesses,” Piper continued.
He emphasized that while “we should not reject extraordinary experiences if they come,” Christians should not actively “go after them.”
“We should not seek them as an ordinary way of experiencing the power of Christ,” he concluded. “Rather, we should seek to know Christ so deeply that He Himself becomes the satisfaction of our souls, and the gladness of our hearts, and the contentment of our minds as we walk the Christlike path of sacrificial love.”
Christian mysticism remains a controversial issue in many churches, with some denominations supporting it while others express concern.
“God is certainly beyond our full comprehension, and there is much that is mysterious about Him. But He has revealed Himself to us. Rather than seek out mystical experiences, we should involve ourselves in the things God has revealed to us,” the apologetics website Got Questions noted.
“There is mystery, yet the way in which we are called to live is not at all mysterious. Study the Word, seek to honor God, and allow His Holy Spirit to work within you.”
