"I've found that my main motivation for doing anything that I do (praying, going to church, staying clear of temptation) is fueled by my fear of eternal damnation... What if I am Christian mainly because I'm scared to go to hell?
Two things. First examine yourself in accordance with all the scriptures that pertain to the topic of salvation as an ongoing practice.
2Co 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?
And examine everyone else according to the fullness of what the word of God says on the same topic.
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2Co 13:6 But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test.
No, don't examine yourself or others according to your belief groups standards or those in your local church, as everyone always passes the standards their own group establishes.
2Co 10:12 For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.
Did Paul really intend for us to be habitually judging both ourselves AND OTHERS, as to whether or not they were really true Christians? He did.
2Co 11:13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.
Second, understand that one of the characteristics of the religious lost is an unshakeable, unquestionable belief that their views are the correct ones. It's a universal characteristic of those who believe lies are truth and truth to be lies. Here's a summary of my findings from scripture.
Part One: How to Believe Lies “as” Truth (One Page) Excerpt from my book, Galaxy Lord Discovery:
“I said, "If you think about it, that’s pretty much that’s the normal way things progress when two people from different belief groups share their beliefs. What do we share?
1.) We share the proof we have that verifies our views are the correct ones. What else do we share?
2.) We share all the evidence we have that shows the other person’s views are off.
3.) How do we interpret everything? Well, in the light of what we know is truth, of course. What is truth? Our beliefs. All correct interpretations of all “valid” data must support, or at least not negate, our infallible beliefs.
4.) What do we keep jumping back to when our beliefs are questioned? Everything I just listed.
No matter what our belief group, or beliefs, we all share the data we know “verifies our beliefs” and proves all “opposing beliefs” false.
And the interpretations, of the data we have selected, are always in line with what each person knows is truth, and of course, no matter what our beliefs, no matter who we are, our core beliefs “are” “truth”.
Ergo … All correct interpretations of valid data must align with our beliefs. But there is more.
5. Anything that doesn’t seem to fit with our views, we reinterpret, ignore, discredit, invalidate …
6. Then we usually have a few outside reasons for why we are in the belief groups we are in. Things like, we got a burning in the bosom, we speak in tongues, signs, wonders, we prayed to God for the truth on an issue and got “feelings” or some other characteristics of our belief group that prove “ours” is the correct one. This also includes things like: our group is the oldest, largest, fastest growing, wealthiest, … our group has the most experts with doctorates …”
I call #1-6 above “Methodology One”: The Methodology of Belief Groups)
Any unquestionably true beliefs indicate the use of Methodology One above. The non-religious lost: Rom. 1:18-32. The religious but non-Christian: Rom. 10:1-3, Those that believe themselves to be Christians but aren’t: Mat. 7. Look at their responses to those who don’t agree with their beliefs in Mat. 7:6 Why? Look at what they have gathered using the Methodology above. And no one using it can get to truth, EVER. God didn’t design it for that.
2Th 2:10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.”
If you use the exact same Methodology you get the exact same result: An unquestionable assurance that your beliefs are Fact. If you want truth, you have to do the opposite of that Methodology: The next one.
Part 2: How to Get to Truth “Methodology Two” (Two Pages)
2Pe 3:16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
“That which we love least is always forced to conform to that which we love most. You can love your belief or truth. Pick one.”
If your belief are “unquestionable truths”. We both know what you love and which methodology you will use. It’s on the previous sheet. But if your Methodology can’t get you “to” the truth does it matter how vehemently you hold to your beliefs.
Rules for Getting to Truth
1.) We must avoid “Methodology One” (Previous page): That Methodology only hardens, those that use it, into believing whatever lies they “want to believe” “as” truth. That Methodology is “Proving your beliefs true and holding fast to them.” On this sheet you have the “opposite” Methodology, i.e. what is required if we want to alter all our beliefs to fit truth.
2.) We must remain open minded to altering
any or all of our beliefs in the light of the fullness of the truth, when everything that “Might” pertain to the topic at hand, is rightly divided. Unquestionable/Infallible beliefs you will never even consider altering in a million years, prove a love of beliefs, not truth, and thus we have closed our eyes and ears lest we see and hear. If that is the case, we love our beliefs, not truth. (See 2Th. 2:10-15. Everyone gets what they want.)
3.) We, personally, must get absolutely everything anyone thinks might pertain to the topic at hand. Then we must gather all the data that “might pertain” that no group gathered. No belief group gathers what they can’t use to prove their beliefs true or opposing beliefs false. (Do this first and put all passages in bible order. Why? Everyone wants to interpret their “selected” data in the light of their beliefs and in the light of the rest of their “selected” passages.)
4.) Pick a meaning that fully aligns with the historical, legal, architectural, agricultural … context. (Example: In a discussion on “cutting away”, pertaining to grape vines, first understand the first century practices for maintaining vineyards.)
5.) Hold to a meaning for all words, root words, figures of speech parables … consistent throughout the Old and New Testament. We have a Greek Old and New Testament and a Hebrew Old Testament. Pick a meaning that fully fits everywhere the same word, root word, figure of speech is used. (Example: If phobos means fear, terror, shaking in your boots we are all going to die terror in 553 places where the word/root word is used, do not pick the meaning of respect or honor in the 2 places where you do not like the teaching.)
6.) Hold to a meaning consistent with the “entire discussion” surrounding the verse or passage being considered, holding to the flow of thought, flow of arguments, meaning of points made … (Find the beginning and the end of the discussion each passage in question is a part of. Your interpretation must make perfect sense in the light of that entire context.)
7.) Hold only to meanings consistent with conscience. (Example: If your interpretation would be a sin if a man did likewise, and your interpretation results in believing God does it, your interpretation is wrong. i.e. there are no illustrations in the bible where God says He commits adultery. If your “meaning” for the word would make God a violator of His own will or worse, committing adultery, you picked the wrong meaning.)
8.) Pick an interpretation for all the data that makes God, God’s people and God’s word 100% consistent in “all” they say and do and “all” they don’t say and don’t do. “
Any inconsistencies are proof of false beliefs/definitions.” (Example: God says He reproves all He loves, and that if there is no reproof you are not His. Ergo, if you believe someone is sinning and God does not reprove them for it either God does not love them or your belief that it is a sin is wrong.)
9.) Pick an interpretation that fully fits with all logic, reason, and rational thinking. (i.e., If the writer spent a whole chapter saying there are no gifts greater than any other, choosing an interpretation for a verse right after that discussion that means “earnestly desire the greater gifts”, contradicts. Look for the “other” possible meaning.)
10.) Interpret the Clearest, Easiest Understood, Most Straightforward … Passages First, Interpreting the Complex, Convoluted, Difficult Passages in their Light. (Difficult passages are easy to distort to fit beliefs.)
11.) Pick a meaning for the parts that fully fits with the whole of the data that might pertain without adding meaning that isn’t there, subtracting meaning that is, or distorting anything to force it to comply with your beliefs. If everything that pertains (#3 above) does not fully fit with everything else (#4) you have the wrong meaning. Hold to a consistency of meaning when we put all of the parts, rightly divided, together. (If 5% of your interpretations don’t fit the other 95% you are either distorting the 5% to hold to your beliefs, or forcing the 95% to fit your views even though they clearly contradict the meaning in the 5%. If you are not open to altering your beliefs to fit truth, you will continue to alter truth to fit your beliefs.)
12.) Keep on continuously proving all things over and over again as a habit and way of life and never stop and hold fast to what is good/true. This process never ends for truth lovers. Why? Just one verse, or one slight change in interpretation can force a complete reevaluation … and a change of beliefs … if you love truth… If not …
Use these pages as a check list to find out which side of the following verses you fall on for each bible topic. Are your eyes and ears closed to considering a different belief might be the truth? Or are all beliefs open to changing in the light of the fullness of the truth rightly divided? Do you use
2Th 2:10-12 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason, God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
Everyone gets what they want… from God. You can love your beliefs or truth. Pick one. The “Methodology” you use, and hold fast to, proves, beyond any doubt, what you love.
