If we assume, for the sake of argument, that Jesus Christ is exactly who He claimed to be—the divine Son of God who has authority over all spiritual realities—then taking His teachings literally becomes essential. From this perspective, the words and actions of Jesus as recorded in the New Testament are not just moral or spiritual guidelines but authoritative truths with eternal implications. This would include His teachings on sin, salvation, the reality of spiritual warfare, the existence of the devil and demons, and the necessity of faith in Him.

Given this framework, the question of the origins of Christian mysticism—whether inspired by Christ or influenced by other spiritual sources—takes on a different dimension. Here’s a closer look at how this analysis might unfold:

1. JESUS’S TEACHINGS ON THE SPIRITUAL REALM

• Jesus made several statements about the reality of the spiritual realm, including the existence of the devil and demonic forces. For example: He directly confronted and cast out demons during His ministry (e.g., Mark 1:34, Luke 8:26-39).
He described the devil as a “murderer from the beginning” and “the father of lies” (John 8:44).
He warned His followers about the need for vigilance against spiritual deception (e.g., Matthew 24:24, where He speaks about false prophets).

• If these statements are taken literally, then the spiritual reality Jesus describes includes not just God and divine beings like angels but also adversarial forces that seek to deceive and lead people away from the truth He came to proclaim.

2. CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM AND ITS FOCUS

• Mysticism’s Potential Alignment with Christ: Christian mysticism, in its original sense, seeks a deeper, more personal communion with God through Christ. Mystics like St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Ávila, and Thomas à Kempis emphasized humility, prayer, and a direct, intimate relationship with God through Jesus. These mystics often spoke of encountering Christ in profound ways and emphasized aligning their experiences with the teachings of Scripture and the traditions of the Church. If Jesus is indeed divine, then this type of mysticism could be seen as a genuine pursuit of a deeper relationship with God, grounded in the belief that Jesus is the way to the Father (John 14:6).
In this view, Christian mysticism might serve as a way to explore the depths of spiritual truth while remaining faithful to the teachings of Jesus and the framework of the Bible.

• Mysticism’s Divergence from Christ’s Teachings: However, some forms of mysticism—especially those that align more with universalist or New Age ideas—may drift away from the core teachings of Jesus. For instance, if mysticism emphasizes self-enlightenment or a merging of all spiritual paths without the distinct role of Jesus as the Savior, it may contradict the exclusive claims Jesus made about Himself. If Jesus’s teachings are taken as literally true, then any spiritual practice or teaching that denies or diminishes His role as the Son of God could be seen as problematic. From a traditional Christian perspective, such practices might be understood as potentially opening the door to spiritual deception.

3. THE ROLE OF SPIRITUAL DECEPTION

• In the New Testament, Jesus and the apostles often warn about the danger of spiritual deception. For example: Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 11:14 that “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light,” implying that not all spiritual experiences or insights that seem positive or enlightening are necessarily from God.
1 John 4:1 advises believers to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God,” emphasizing discernment between true and false spiritual influences.

• If we accept that Jesus is who He claims to be and that there is a real spiritual adversary, then it becomes crucial to distinguish between divine guidance and potential deception. From this perspective, it would be consistent to see teachings or practices that divert from the core gospel message as potentially influenced by the adversary rather than by Christ.

4. EVALUATING THE ORIGINS OF MYSTICAL INSIGHTS

• If the literal interpretation of Jesus’s teachings is true, and if we accept that spiritual beings like the devil exist, then evaluating mystical experiences involves looking at their fruits and alignment with the teachings of Christ. Jesus taught that we would recognize true and false prophets “by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15-20).Mystical practices that lead to a greater love for God, a stronger adherence to the teachings of Jesus, humility, and service to others might be seen as aligned with Christ.
On the other hand, mystical practices that lead to spiritual pride, denial of Jesus’s uniqueness, or an emphasis on personal enlightenment over obedience to God could be viewed with suspicion from a Christian perspective.

5. IMPLICATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM’S SOURCE

• From a traditional Christian standpoint, if Jesus is who He claims to be, then He would not contradict His own teachings by inspiring a movement that leads people away from the core message of the gospel. Thus, if a form of mysticism seems to encourage ideas or practices that deny the necessity of faith in Jesus or downplay the reality of sin and redemption, it might be more consistent with a source that opposes His teachings rather than one that aligns with them.

• Therefore, the discernment between divine inspiration and deception becomes crucial. A believer might consider whether a given mystical practice or teaching leads them closer to the heart of the gospel message (faith in Christ, repentance, and following His commandments) or away from it.

SUMMARY

In this argument, taking Jesus literally implies that His teachings about Himself, the devil, and the spiritual realm should be taken at face value. In that case, mystical interpretations that diverge from the literal teachings could be viewed with skepticism. While some forms of Christian mysticism might align closely with the pursuit of a deeper relationship with God through Christ, others that reinterpret Jesus’s role or blend His message with other spiritual ideas could be seen as potentially influenced by forces opposed to the gospel.

This perspective would call for careful discernment, seeking to ensure that any spiritual insight or practice remains faithful to the core truths Jesus taught about God, Himself, and the nature of salvation.