Thursday, 10/3/19 – Discipleship – Assurance

Another OCD…

One behaviour associated with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is the urge to continually check oneself. Did I really lock the door? … close the window? … turn off the tap? Sufferers are ‘compelled’ to return again and again to the door… the window… the faucet… to check, double-check and triple-check their actions.

This need for constant reassurance can be exhausting for the person with OCD, but even more troublesome is the believer who struggles with another sort of OCD — lets call it Obsessive Christian Doubting – one who seeks constant reassurance that he or she is indeed loved and saved by Christ.

What every believer young or old must firmly establish in their heart and thinking is that though their emotions will vary from day-to-day, one’s salvation is based on something far more stable and enduring: the eternal Word of God!

In Hebrews we read, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” (Heb. 6:19) – and as any seaman will tell you, though a ship bob’s up and down sometimes even violently, an anchor does not move!

David rejoiced, “Your Word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.” (Ps. 119:89).

Isaiah conveyed God’s Promise, “So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isa. 55:11).

Paul reminded young Timothy, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” (2 Tim. 3:16).

Peter affirmed, “Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Pet. 1:20-21)

• It is by the Word of God that we know our lost state: Rom. 3:23, Isa. 59:2…
• And the consequence of it: Rom. 6:23, Rev. 21:8…
• And it is by the Word of God that we know of Christ our Saviour: John 1:1-18, 1 John 1:1-10…
• His Love and Gift: John 3:16, 1 John 4:10…
• And how we are to receive Him: John 3:17-18, Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, 16:31, Rom. 10:9…

When I made a public profession of faith in Christ some fifty years ago a counselor told me this simple triplet: “God said it, I believe it, that settles it!”

Christ is our sacrifice once for all. We need not continually check and recheck if He still loves us… if we are still in the family of God. Like a baby learning to walk, when we fall we do not need to be born all over again! We need only admit we have fallen, get up, and press on.

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32).

Press on…

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