For the one who makes the claim of being Christian, to identify, then, as 'Gnostic' or 'Mystic', this one has missed the mark and graduated into an occult spirit.
To be a 'Christian' is a matter of identity. This is where we identify with Jesus Christ - His life, death, and resurrection. This is not a mystical event. It is a an actual creative work of God. The true Christian has died (willingly) to the Old Man and has been 'born again' into a New Man by the finished work of Christ Jesus and through the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. This is God's gift to us - His provision for our salvation. It is a happening as actual as Creation itself... for what is material is that which is passing. Only what is born of Spirit is eternal. Because we lack understanding (in darkness), then, some will call this 'mystical'. God is not mystical. God is real. If we lack understanding it is because we are in darkness, and we are not God. ONLY GOD, BY HIS HOLY SPIRIT, GIVES UNDERSTANDING.
Mysticism and Gnosicism leave the practitioner in darkness - not 'special knowledge' and 'enlightenment'. When I was involved in the occult - with Jesus Christ as my chosen diety, by the way - there was NO END to the pursuit of understanding! In a practice, where intellect is highly venerated, it was an ever increasing crevasse of darkness... a rabbit trail leading to nowhere, except straight into Hell.
AND, Hell is an actual place - in no way comparable to the torments we experience in this earthly existence, as some are fond of saying and believing. This ideology comes from those who love a lie, and hate the truth. Hell is much worse than what we experience on this earth, and it is eternal. Hell is not something we go through here, while on our way to Heaven. Those with hell (evil) in their heart do not make it to Heaven. Apart from merciful God's saving grace in Christ Jesus, literal Hell is the eternal and real destination. God is not willing that any should perish. Hell was created for Lucifer and his demons. It is the followers of Lucifer who put their selves in Hell. And, Lucifer appears as an 'Angel of Light' to deceive many on the mystical (mythical) path of 'enLIGHTenment'...
Another consideration, I never achieved anything in meditation by the emptying of my mind, except emptiness. I never had a revelation, or an achievement. Nothing. Yet, when I read the Bible, or listen to a song, or a testimony, I find myself meditating on what I have read or heard. This is true regarding ANYTHING we put into ourselves! Watching Harry Potter, and letting your children watch, too? Occult (demonology) becomes the meditation... you WILL become that thing you put into yourself. Your children will become that thing you allow them to put in. Star Wars, Star Trek, horror movies, fantasy, romance and sensuality, music choices, comedy choices, the News, yoga, reiki, astrology and horoscopes, etc... We become what we 'eat'! And, your children are listening and watching, too!
Are you a follower of Jesus Christ? Do you feed on Him? He is the Bread of Life! What are you feeding your children? This is what you - and they - will become... except for the intervening grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. Our only Hope.
(Romans 6:6-11) [6] ...knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; [7] for he who has died is freed from sin. [8] Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, [9] knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. [10] For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. [11] Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
(Galatians 2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
(2 Corinthians 5:17) Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
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