Col 2:18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, (ESV)
There seems to be a close connection here between asceticism and mysticism. Both appeal to the "sensuous mind." When I hear sensuous I think sensual and sexual, but that's not the idea here. The word is most often translated "flesh" or "fleshly." It refers to who a person is apart from Christ. Both asceticism and mysticism appeal to the "flesh."
Asceticism appeals to the flesh in that the individual is doing something, in this case denying oneself comfort in some way, in order to gain or earn God's favor. This sounds plausible. Sin has consequences. God's wants us to obey him. Blessing seems to follow obedience throughout the scriptures. Surely denying myself certain comforts and pleasures in life will draw me closer to God. But that is bad theology.
In Jesus the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily. As believers we have been filled in him. (Col 2:9-10 ESV) We can't add anything to that. Our part is faith and thanksgiving (See Col 2:5-7). Denying ourselves certain comforts can add nothing to what we already possess in Christ. Certainly fasting for a time may remove some distractions on our part, and there may be value in that as an occasional practice, but it does nothing in terms of making God like us more or acquiring his favor.
Mysticism also is attractive to the flesh and has an appearance of wisdom. Didn't Abraham, Moses, Elijah and others in the Old Testament have encounters with angels? Don't we live in a world that contains both angels and demons? Didn't Ezekiel fall on his face when an angel confronted him? Shouldn't we honor those creatures who have access to God? Wouldn't having an experience with an angel strengthen our faith by making us more aware of spiritual things?
Mysticism is attractive, but just as asceticism can add nothing to what we already have in Christ, so mysticism fails as well. God's grace, his favor (that's what the word grace means) is a free gift. We access it by faith, not by ascetic practices and mystical experiences. We respond to it not by trying to deserve, earn or attain God's favor, but by giving thanks that in Christ we already have God's favor.
Father, it is so easy to slip into the mentality of the flesh that exalts what I do rather that what Christ has done. Thank you so much for your love and acceptance. May I live by faith and thanksgiving rather than by human effort and experience.
By His grace,
Rick Weinert
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