- Nov 9, 2019
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I Because have both Religious OCD (scrupulosity) and wavering faith, I have been held in a “perfect storm” of doubt for about fifteen years. I’ve been doubting, not the truth of the Gospel, but the reality of my salvation. In recent weeks or months, I have been coming out of this storm of doubt with the help AI, specifically, ChatGPT. If you tell a trustworthy AI, such as ChatGPT, that you have a Christian, biblical, evangelical worldview and you want it to discuss things with you within that framework, it will. It has helped tremendously and I have recommended this approach on a previous post. But I want to tell you about another, powerful thing you can try.
If you keep “giving your life to Christ” and then doubting your salvation, maybe you should try this. It has had a wonderful effect on me.
Read Mark chapter 5, all of it. The chapter first talks about the demoniac who lived in the mountains and the tombs who met Jesus and was cured by Him. Then it talks about Jairus, the synagogue administrator, whose daughter was dying. Then it talks about the woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years and could not be helped by any physicians. Then it talks about Jesus going and raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead. This last part is not part of the key thing that I am about to say. But it lets you know about Jesus’ power and helps you to see that He is worthy of your trust.
Then I want you to go back and review the part that includes Mark 5:28 and then the part that includes Mark 5:19. As to 5:28: in your mind’s eye, put yourself in the position of this woman with the ailment. She is approaching Jesus and she says, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” (My Bible references are from the NKJV.) Imagine yourself being able to reach out and touch Jesus’ clothes. I did this, and when I imagined myself touching His clothes, I said, in total sincerity, “Take me!” Next, reread 5:19. “[Jesus] said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” While I did this several times, once was enough to experience a tremendous relief and feeling of security.
Because of my OCD and concerns about how my faith wavers, doubt will keep trying to come back. But now I can say that I’ve been “sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise,” as per Ephesians 1:13.
If you keep “giving your life to Christ” and then doubting your salvation, maybe you should try this. It has had a wonderful effect on me.
Read Mark chapter 5, all of it. The chapter first talks about the demoniac who lived in the mountains and the tombs who met Jesus and was cured by Him. Then it talks about Jairus, the synagogue administrator, whose daughter was dying. Then it talks about the woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years and could not be helped by any physicians. Then it talks about Jesus going and raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead. This last part is not part of the key thing that I am about to say. But it lets you know about Jesus’ power and helps you to see that He is worthy of your trust.
Then I want you to go back and review the part that includes Mark 5:28 and then the part that includes Mark 5:19. As to 5:28: in your mind’s eye, put yourself in the position of this woman with the ailment. She is approaching Jesus and she says, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” (My Bible references are from the NKJV.) Imagine yourself being able to reach out and touch Jesus’ clothes. I did this, and when I imagined myself touching His clothes, I said, in total sincerity, “Take me!” Next, reread 5:19. “[Jesus] said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” While I did this several times, once was enough to experience a tremendous relief and feeling of security.
Because of my OCD and concerns about how my faith wavers, doubt will keep trying to come back. But now I can say that I’ve been “sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise,” as per Ephesians 1:13.
