Mystic versus Gnostic

A Gnostic Christian approaches Scripture as myths, interprets Scripture allegorically, has mystic secrets reserved for the initiated, aims for salvation through mystical insight (gnosis), is open to new revelations from God, and follow Jesus as the Messiah, God, and Savior.

A Christian Mystic may or may not approach Scripture as myths and interprets Scripture allegorically. They usually do not have mystic secrets reserved for the initiated. The Christian Mystic does not aim for salvation through mystical insight, but seeks salvation through faith. The Christian Mystic also is not open to new revelations from God. But they do follow Jesus the Messiah, God, and Savior.

Mystics tend to follow church Creeds and obey the Church hierarchy. Although there are, of course, exceptions. The problem is the deeper you go into mysticism the closer you get to Gnosticism. And the closer you get to Gnosticism the further you get from the institutional Church.

Spiritually speaking, mystics and gnostics are brothers and sisters. It is an only outward conformity to established norms that they differ considerably. Mystics are occasionally ostracized as heretics, but Gnostics are always. This is because narcissism undermines the institutional church, and it’s authority and control.

I tend to be on the mystic side of the line. Doctrine is not that important to me, it is the experience of God that is central. The Gnostics were the first mystics. The Gnostics fled to the wilderness of the Alexandria desert, where they became known as the Desert Fathers and Mothers. They again appeared as the great mystics in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church.