Justification By Faith: The Mysticism Of Paul

Introduction In earlier days Pauline theology is better known as by his teaching on “Justification by Faith.” But later during the twentieth century the focus on “Justification by Faith” was changed and the scholars started to ponder over different teachings of Apostle Paul. Along that way there were many attempts to understand “Mysticism of Paul,” the theme which was very popular to the Hellenistic world but the modern scholars find difficult to define the term. Paul’s mysticism is expressed by his term “in Christ,” and “in Lord.” Paul uses these terms very frequently in his epistles and this usage has implications to his Christology, soteriology, ecclesiology, eschatology, and also ethics. This expresses the importance of the need of studying

It is to find the secrets to be one with God. So, Jewish mysticism tries to transform God into a religious consciousness that reflects a “real” experience for humankind. The result of humankind’s experience is the transformation of Jewish values in terms of mystical values. Therefore, the quest for the union with God results in the mystical awareness of God and the secret hidden path that leads to Him and focuses on the idea of God as a “living” Divine being who manifests himself, to humankind, in creation, revelation, and redemption. Jewish mysticism manifests the hidden mystical way of the Torah, the Talmud, and the Midrash and seeks the wisdom of the spirit. It also seeks to reconcile God’s choice of the Jewish people, and the trials and tribulations throughout Jewish history. Thus, Jewish mysticism as reflected in the Jewish culture addresses the personal sufferings, as well as, the sufferings of all the Jewish

“Human mysticism, as attraction, knowledge and experience of God, is always preceded by a divine mysticism as attraction, knowledge, and experience of the human by God (Phil 2:7; Gal 4:9).” At the heart of Paul’s mysticism is union with Christ. F.F. Bruce says that Paul may be considered a mystic in the sense that the believer is found “in Christ.” Bruce points out that Albert Schweitzer views Paul’s mysticism as unique because “it does not take the form of direct union with God but rather of union with Christ.” The person in Christ has not lost his or her personality in another, nor does he or she feel merged into the ground of the universe, but lives uniquely in another, namely the risen and glorified Lord. Such a union is personal: to be in Christ indicates that the adherent is under the power and influence of the spiritual and personal Lord, who is identified with the crucified