1st Corinthians 10: Destroyed for Pornography???

1^st Corinthians 10 has caused problems for many doubting believers.  I was asked my opinion concerning this chapter several times since April, and pornography often lies behind their fear of this passage.  I will simply address what the passage says and does not say. 

 ¹Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

 ²And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

 ³And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

 ⁴And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

 ⁵But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

 ⁶Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

 ⁷Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

 ⁸Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

 ⁹Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

 ¹⁰Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

 ¹¹Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Believers show their insecurity by reading their various sins back into the above verses, as they fear God will destroy them for it.  They also fear that maybe the above is teaching that salvation could be lost. 

We need to remember that Paul did not write chapter divisions.  Paul ended chapter 9 about the possibility of being a “castaway” or “disqualified.”  Paul begins chapter 10 by talking about the history of Israel, and those baptized unto Moses.  It is interesting that chapter 9 ends with the possibility of being “disqualified” because he immediately talks about Moses.  If you recall, Moses was disqualified from entering the Promised Land because of unbelief.  However, we also read about Moses as a hero of faith in Hebrews 11:23-28.  We read about him in the mount of transfiguration too.  Disqualified does not mean loss of salvation, as so many try reading that into the word. 

Lordship Salvation that I was a part of before taught that the 23,000 that Paul said, “fell in one day” were not saved, but I have serious issues with that, as I will soon explain.  I know of one author who teaches salvation can be lost called this the “fatal (spiritual) fall,” but the context was physical death and not spiritual.  What people fail to realize is that these 23,000 Israelites were also recorded in the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11:29:

By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

None of those recorded in Hebrews 11 were considered lost/unsaved. Paul was not using unsaved people as an example of what God may do to saved people in 1^st Corinthians 10, so the Israelites were saved.  The 23,000 just like Moses were disqualified from entering into the Promised Land.  If the 23,000 were lost for unbelief then so was Moses, as they were all denied entrance into the Promise Land, but we know better.  Hebrews 11 ends with:

 ³⁹And these ALL, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

 ⁴⁰God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

It is a bit strange for the author of Hebrews to record “these all” that obtained a “good report through faith” as being the same people now suffering for all eternity for unbelief, or who were never saved to begin with.  Do you really think the author of Hebrews would record people who supposedly lost their salvation as heroes of the faith for a wonderful example and admonishment?  Just thinking about Judas as somehow being recorded as a hero of the faith, as that should show you how ridiculous such an argument would be.

The Egyptian army that drowned that day might have had the nerve to try crossing the parted sea, but they clearly did not have the faith God looked for, but the Israelite’s did and were recorded as so.  You must keep in mind here that there was a good reason these people were quoted in Hebrews 11.  Remember, God did not use the unsaved Egyptians who drowned as an example to the Corinthians, but the Israelites that clearly had faith.   

Here are a few more reasons why the 23,000 Paul mentioned were saved like Moses?  These Israelites were considered God’s people when in bondage to Egypt.  Also, they were baptized unto Moses who was their head, as we are baptized in Christ who is our spiritual head.  Their faith to cross the Red Sea as recorded in Hebrews 11 is another reason.  The fact that they put the blood over the doorposts by killing a lamb proved their faith.  One might say that they had “unbelief,” but so did Moses, and Moses was disqualified.  The reason for me pointing their faith out is that some self-righteous people of today want to believe that believers could never habitually sin, but we have such people recorded. Religion today tries claiming that a true believer cannot die in unrepentant sin, but we have an example here of just that.

I simply want to point out that I do not believe the Corinthian’s were being warned that God was on the verge of killing them.  He was merely sharing Israel’s history that was an “example” and for “admonishment.” 

Those that believe you can lose your salvation will claim, “they fell” in the wilderness, and falling to them is equivalent to losing salvation even though nothing there states that.  If that were the case then Moses lost his salvation because he too fell (perished) in the wilderness, as he never was permitted entrance.  Religion loves reading words back into a passage that simply is not there, and they are wicked! 

Let us remember Romans 11:29 that tells us that God’s gifts and callings to Israel are without repentance (Irrevocable). 

The problem I see with believers and 1^st Corinthians 10 is how they will make the sins of Israel/Corinth practically any sin they are doing today.  When they hear Paul talk about idolatry is for them to fail to associate it with Corinthians and the meats offered to idols, but rather they view it as their having anything before God.  Religion will tell people that if they spend too much time with their new car is idolatry.   Religion will tell them that idolatry here can be anything they put more time into than church or devotions, but that is not what 1^st Corinthians 10 was about.  Such religion is operated by good for nothing manipulators of guilt and fear.  Believer, do not view idolatry here as your job, your car, hobby, girlfriend/boyfriend, and so on.  Religion loves to terrorize such people into thinking this is the meaning here, as though God just might kill you for giving something else more time than Him.  The passage identifies the idolatry, and never spoke of it as applying to anything that religion shoots for. 

Some believers panic because they see that 23,000 died, and some of them died for sexual immorality, so they apply this to their pornography or sensual thoughts.  They fail to see that Paul was not dealing with sexual thoughts or looking lustfully upon the opposite sex.  Sexual fantasies can lead to open sexual sins, but sexual fantasies are not sins against the body.  3,000 died in Exodus 32 for the idolatry and “rising up to play.”  Many will tell you that this was referring to a drunken orgy, and not they had perverted thoughts.  I am sure they had sexual thoughts, but the emphasis was upon the fornication committed.  I have had people that came to me worried that their struggle with porn is incurring the wrath of God, and that God might give them a disease or strike them dead for it.  Stop reading extra words back into 1^st Corinthians 10, and stop listening to fleshly oriented religion. 

The Corinthian’s in 1^st Corinthians 6 were having sex with prostitutes, as you will not find Paul threatening people for sensual thoughts there.  The Corinthians had this view that everything was permissible, and they reasoned that if their body desired food then it was only natural to eat.  They took that reasoning too far, because to them, if their body desired sex was to satisfy that craving as well, as they felt it was natural. 

I like to bring up a couple points here on the side.  When you read the book of Corinthians then do you see a group of believers acting as if they believed salvation could be lost?  Do you see the Corinthians acting as though they made Jesus, "Lord of every area of their life to be saved"?  No, the Corinthian’s were behaving much like the Israelite’s that gave into sexual immorality and idolatry.  My point to you is to quit viewing your porn or sexual desires as being the same thing!  I am against pornography, but I would never compare that to the sexual sins of Corinth or the Israelites.

I have received a number of emails from believers struggling with pornography, as I will spend the rest of the time focusing on this problem.  These believers worry because they are convinced that the sexual immorality in 1^st Corinthians 10 is one and the same as pornography or sensual thoughts. 

How many verses can you quote that condemns sexual thoughts off the top of your head?  How many verses can you quote that claim God will judge or kill you if you have sensual thoughts?  Often people cannot even think of a verse period, but will quote verses that they will say implies such things.  I am certainly not downplaying such thoughts, but I honestly believe Christians are making a much bigger issue out of it than actual stated, and it shows when they read 1^st Corinthians 10, as they fear like Adam and Eve in the garden. 

Here is something you need to consider, as I have yet to find the opposite to be true.  A believer who fears God’s wrath the most over pornography and sexual fantasies tend to entertain such sensual thoughts the most.  All of their energy to stop such a sinful thought life is actually behind their struggle (see my blog on Identity Crisis).  The harder they attempt to resist such feelings is to feel them even more.  The harder they try to stop thinking impure thoughts are to have such thoughts rule the mind.  They never learn this lesson, as they keep making new vows to God on how they will never do this sin again.  Believer, how long have you been struggling with pornography?  Have your attempts to stop them worked yet?  I doubt it has worked at all, but you keep doing the very religious techniques that keep you in bondage. 

Do you think that Paul was oblivious to the lust that is in your heart?  The fact is that Paul recognized “lust” that is within humans in 1^st Corinthians 7:9:

But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn (in lust).

He was telling the person that could not control his/her sexual lusts to get married.  Better to marry than burn in lust, so Paul did not condemn a person for having lust, but rather if they could not "contain" it to get married.  Believers who view porn are burning in their lust, but that is not the same as fornicating.  It is my opinion that the above verse implies clearly that Paul recognizes that some believers have overactive sex glands, and are in need of a spouse quick.  He never said, “Stop lusting after the opposite sex” but offered a solution to the problem.  If you have a strong sexual lust problem then you need an outlet (spouse).  You will find “Stop thinking sexual thoughts” will only increase such sexual thoughts.  The “I got to stop” mentality only motivates the flesh to keep going.

People like to quote Jesus where He said that if you lust after a woman in your heart is to be guilty of adultery.  Jesus was preaching a higher law and not behavioral modification.  What Jesus was preaching about is still committed in many churches today by pastors.  They might scream and shout against fornication, but they are busy entertaining such thoughts in their hearts.  The Pharisees were hypocrites, and so are many preaching in pulpits today.  If you know of a pastor that is always preaching against sexual sin is typically a sign he is preaching against something he personally struggles with himself.  Remember, pastors often preach what is most on their hearts.  The sermons they preach often serve to fire themselves up against sin(s). 

When Jesus said that if one lusted after a woman was to be guilty of that sin used to cause me to just go ahead and commit whatever sin I was entertaining in my heart.  I figured that if I were already guilty then I might as well do it and get it over with than stressing over the thought(s) for hours.  I used to reason years ago that I would simply commit the sin (externally) then I would just go and confess my sins with bitter repentance afterward.  I figured that if I just followed through then I could get on with my spiritual walk, because I grew tired of committing the sin in my heart. 

Years ago, when I was a Wesleyan believing salvation could be lost was to find a loophole in scripture to be able to sin and get away with it.  One thing I found to be common practice with those who believe salvation could be lost is the 1^st John 1:9 soap bar.  You commit that sin you so desire, but then you immediately confess it with bitter tears of how you will never commit that sin again.  Those that accuse us of a “license to sin” doctrine have conveniently found a way to justify their own sins. 

Listen, you are not guilty of adultery if you were to think of another woman lustfully.  You did not sin against your body.  You have no need of making restitution with your spouse over your thought life.  What Jesus was sharing was that adultery begins in the heart, but Jesus was not saying that you actually were guilty of the very act as many claim.  Sexual thoughts are not the same as sinning against the body, and that needs to be made clear.  If sexual thoughts were the same as adultery then the spouse would have grounds for divorce, but we know that simply is not true or courtrooms would be jammed packed with men/females who had inappropriate thoughts.  Adultery begins in the heart. 

One problem believers who struggle with sensual thoughts have is that any thought that enters their mind is for them to believe they are immediately guilty before God.  Guilt and condemnation fills their mind, as that is not a product of grace but law.  They feel agitated and defeated, and they think by making some renewed vow just might bring them the victory they have been longing for, but it never works, and they never seem to learn that. 

You that struggle with pornography ought to know that 1^st Corinthians 10 is NOT talking to you.  If you are looking to be possibly guilty of the sin in chapter 10 then I guess you need to open an adult bookstore, erect a golden Hugh Hefner as your god, and then throw a drunken orgy.  However, I doubt snakes will smite you, or that the earth will open up and swallow you for having sensual thoughts.  I know many believers who are still alive, but have been struggling with porn for many years. 

I am against entertaining sexual thoughts involving another person, but do not give it any emphasis the Bible does not give it where death and judgment are hanging over your head.  Such believers who view porn struggle with masturbation and weep bitterly over the practice that is not once said to be a sin anywhere, but they fear God is disgusted with them and may strike them dead.  Do you think that masturbation was not a problem in Paul’s day like it is a problem today?  Were they so righteous externally back then that Paul did not see the need to address it?  My point is that so many treat it as being the same as sinning against the body that they fear God’s wrath, but if that were the case then why the silence of it in scripture?  The problem people have is that they read too much back into scripture.   

I am not condoning anything here, but I simply want you to stop condemning yourself and reading your problem back into scripture.  OK, you have a lust problem, but you ought to know by now that your spiritual recipes, spiritual programs, the buddy system, cold showers, bible memorization, and so on do not work.  Those that tell you to do such things are most likely guilty of the same lust problem themselves.  The only difference is that you admit your lust and they self-righteously deny it, but give you the very techniques they use that clearly does not work.  No technique can change the heart that lusts. Masturbation is your way of releasing the lust that is in you.  People expect me to beat them up over masturbation, but what verse on masturbation shall I quote?  No, I will deal with the lust that leads to masturbation instead, but I do NOT prescribe spiritual gymnastics to hopefully cure ones lust problem as religion attempts. 

I spoke to one man that claimed that God gave him prostate cancer because of his porn problem, and that is simply a man who was living under law thinking that.  Some even question their salvation because they do such things repeatedly.  If this language is disturbing you then I apologize, but it is something I feel needs to be addressed.

We are told to not fornicate.  We are told that our “bodies” are bought with a price, and not to join the members of Christ to a harlot.  We are told that fornication should not be named among us once.  The emphasis is upon the acting out the sins.  However, you will fail to find, “Let not sexual thoughts be named among you once” in scripture, as some get upset when I quote what scripture does NOT say, as they feel I am justifying sexual thoughts when I am not.  I do not believe in entertaining impure thoughts, but I simply do not feel the need to get all self-righteous by exaggerating sexual thoughts to being that of 1^st Corinthians 10.  The fact is a believer would not have died in the wilderness for sensual fantasies.  I fail to see a death sentence for sensual fantasies anywhere.  

Believers may have an impure thought life, but scripture was warning not to indulge fornication openly once.  If scripture said, "Never think an impure thought once" then such thoughts would flood the mind.  However, do not let fornication be named among you once is not something that floods the mind.  It is telling believers, and even those believers who have sensual desires to not act out in sexual immorality with another person of the opposite sex.  The immorality is between two living human beings.  Marriage pictures union, as we believers are in union with Christ.  Sex is union between two marriage couples, and it is picturing something beautiful.  This is why sex out of marriage is to be avoided.  Our bodies are His, and we ought to treat it as such. 

Why do I seem to be downplaying sensual fantasies?  I am not, as I seek to give it the same place scripture does, but why do you elevate it to such an extreme not shared in scripture where you live in fear and anxiety?  I do know that every believer who preaches the loudest against it is often the ones that falls the hardest into it.  They preach loud against it, but many fail to recognize that they are preaching to themselves.  Remember, if you ever encounter a blog and all they do is bash porn and sexual impure thinking often is a person preaching their self-righteousness to you.  They are preaching against themselves to hopefully fire themselves up to keep from such things that will always fail to work.

Those that worry about their sexual thoughts and those that “try” not to think about them are those that invite the problem even more.  The Law is the strength of sin.  You can try the Internet buddy system where someone checks your Internet history, or take cold showers, or the memorization of scripture, but your problem is a heart issue, as I already stated before.  I already shared much about the heart issues in my two-part blog on Identity Crisis that I recommend for reading. 

My point today is to show that the example and admonition in 1^st Corinthians 10 is not addressing those that struggle with lust.  Looking at pornography is not grounds to fear 1^st Corinthians 10 as though death and judgment awaits you.  1^st Corinthians 10 was not the loss of salvation either, as you have to read those words back into the passage as well.  Idolatry was not you playing sports on Sunday rather than being in church.  Do not read more into a passage than is stated. 

In part-two of my blog on Identity Crisis is where I revealed how one can win in their thought life.  I shared how I used to have blasphemous thoughts many years ago that would plague me.  The lesson I finally learned was actually how I experienced victory in other areas of thinking.  I would have a blasphemous thought that would pop into my mind against God that would cause fear and anxiety to fill my heart years ago.  The same is true for sensual thoughts, as believers are filled with anxiety when such thoughts fill their mind.  The harder you try not to have such thoughts fill the mind the more they do fill your mind.  Sensual thoughts may pop into your head, but if you panic about them is to give them strength.  If you take responsibility for them popping into your mind with a sense of guilt and condemnation is to find such thoughts popping in your mind even more.  I hope you find time to read my two-part blog on Identity Crisis. 

James 1:22-25 Doer of the Word!

I shared in my blog titled ‘Identity Crisis!  True Growth in Christ’ that change is enjoyed through right thinking.  I have never met a believer who was enjoying his/her Christian life that simultaneously viewed God as violent, vindictive, grudge holder, and who was often disgusted with His own people.

You will find that the devil often whispers into the ear of a believer a truth twisted.  How many doubters and those struggling can relate to the prodigal son?  You may be a wanderer, but God embraced His wandering son and even kissed his neck.  The devil will amplify you as a wanderer where you see yourself far worse than anyone else, and will also convince you that God would not kiss your neck, and that God would not receive the likes of you.  

Christ died for sinners!  God demonstrated His love for us by sending Christ to die for sinners, enemies, and those without strength.  What does the devil do?  He whispers in the ear, “You are a sinner, an enemy of God” without preaching the love of God for sinners.  He preaches half-truths, and people listen.  They believe God demonstrated His love for sinners, but not for sinners who continue in it like them, so they make resolves to stop this sinning they do in order to hopefully experience the love of God.  They fail to see that they are powerless to change.  They fail to see that living in the reality of who they are is what breeds change and never our efforts, as we are powerless to change the heart. 

People have not changed since the day of Adam, because people are still trying to sow on fig leaves, as they fear that God would reject them.  To them, God can never accept a sinner who sins, so they “try” to make behavioral changes so that this god of religion just might receive them.  We have men confirming this heresy, as they preach the words of man over the word of God by saying, “If you are not divorced from your sins then you cannot be married to Christ.”  As long as you have that mentality is how long you will continue struggling with doubt.  

I want to do a quick devotional on James 1:22-25 because this passage is often twisted into some performance base Christianity nonsense.  Religion sees almost every verse according to the flesh. Change is impossibly when we “try” to change ourselves or following some religious "get right" program.  James 1:22-25 was not teaching some external behavioral modification to be performed.  

James 1:22-25 says:

 ²²But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

 ²³For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

 ²⁴For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

 ²⁵But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

What is a doer of the word?  Is it the one that strives to the best of his/her ability to keep the rules in the above verses?  No, the doer of the word is the one that BEHOLDS him or herself (image) and walks away remembering what he or she beheld in the law of liberty.  The law of liberty is that freedom we have in Christ.  The doer of the word is not some performer of works.  The doer of the word is one that continues LOOKING into the perfect law of liberty.  If you doubt your salvation then you are not a doer of the word.  If you doubt your righteousness because of sins you behold then you are not a doer of the word. If you think that a doer of the word is one that tries to be externally obedient then clearly you are not a doer of the word.

The context was about a wavering faith, as such a person staggers at the promises of God.  A doubter is the one that might read something that describes their identity in Christ, but one hour later, they are back in the mire forgetting what manner of man/woman they truly are in Christ.  

I have spoken to many doubters who all struggle to believe they are free, righteous, made alive, made holy apart from works, forgiven of all sin, and so on.  They may get a glimpse of their liberty in Christ, but then they end up struggling over the law of the flesh (rules, law, threats, etc.) within 48 hours.  They often share how something they read blessed their hearts.  They claim to have assurance of salvation, and they are praising God for His goodness.  It often never fails that within 48 hours they are flat on their backs again, as they forgot their true image and accepted a false one instead. 

The doer of the word is the one that does not forget what he/she sees in the perfect law of liberty.  Such a person is not living under the law or threats.  To further prove that James was not talking about your external performances is to look at a very similar passage in 2^nd Corinthians 3:17-18: 
 

 ¹⁷Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

 ¹⁸But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Notice the words of Paul "beholding in a glass" as being identical to James saying, “beholding his natural face in a glass.”  Neither Paul nor James was referring to you making behavioral adjustments.  It is when one beholds the glory of the Lord that the same image is reflected back onto the person.  If you gaze at the sun (Son) you will be tanned by it.  However, if you look at the Law of Moses (church laws, or man-made laws) then you will be destroyed by it.  The law of liberty preaches liberty to your heart.  The Mosaic Law preaches condemnation and that is what you are experiencing when you make yourself the focus.  The image we have of ourselves produces anxiety and insecurity rather than you being "blessed in your deed." 

If the thinking is focused on a god of condemnation then your thoughts and actions will reflect that.  If the thinking is focused on the God of love then your actions will reflect that.  Your faith will always waver (stagger) if it is not centered in the law of liberty, as your hearing will be tuned into threats and other voices of fear and anxiety.  If you were taught that James 1:22-25 was about you being externally obedient then it is no wonder you struggle, as I was taught that fleshly nonsense as well years ago.  Quit allowing religion to place you back under the law of conditional blessings.  Be a doer of the word by continuing to behold your image in the law of LIBERTY! 

Listen to Paul from Galatians 5:1: 

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.                                                                                                             

Colossians 1:23 Conditional Security?

Colossians 1:23 has caused so many people to sweat and there is no reason for it.  One can see for themselves that in the verses preceding verse 23 and the verses to follow verse 23 are not Paul preaching insecurity or threats of a loss of anything.  I find it very strange that people only focus on verse 23 and ignore everything else in the chapter.  Nowhere was Paul preaching conditions in the previous verses, but we have people assuming that everything in the chapter hinges on the one single word “if” in verse 23. 

Paul praises their faith in verse 3.  He tells them in verse 5 that they have a hope (a joyful expectation) laid up for them in heaven.  Paul shares some nice prayers and descriptions of them in verses 8 to 11.  He shares that they were made partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light in verse 12.  He said that we were past tense delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of His dear Son in verse 13.  How we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins in verse 14 that Hebrews 10:17 tells us that He remembers our sins and iniquities NO MORE. 

So far, I do not see Paul trying to scare or warn me of losing anything.  He is not saying that these things could possibly be mine, but that they are mine. 

Let us break down the 3 verses that so many stumble over:

²⁰ And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

²¹ And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

Am I reconciled by anything I do in verses 20-21?  I fail to see my name mentioned or even a single lifting up of a finger to be performed.  2^nd Corinthians 5:19 makes it very clear that I was already reconciled by the merits of Christ:

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

It was in verse 20 of 2^nd Cor. 5 that one was to be reconciled to God.  God was reconciled to this world through the death of Christ, but we now bid people to be reconciled to God.  He does not need to be reconciled to you, as He had done that already, but you believer needed to be reconciled to Him.  Let us make this even clearer by looking at Romans 5:10:

 For if, when we were enemies, we WERE reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Here is where Colossians 1:21 gets interesting.  The word “alienated” is in the Greek Perfect Tense.  The perfect tense is stating that a past action brought to completion continues to this very day.  Example of a Greek Perfect Tense (GPT) was when Jesus said on the cross, “It is finished.”  The effects are still carrying on to this present day, as the GPT implies permanence.  What Jesus finished is still finished and will always be finished.  Another example of the GPT is where you read that Jesus was “risen” from the dead in Paul’s writing.  The word “risen” was in the GPT in 1^st Corinthians, and it is telling us that Jesus who was risen is always risen, as He can never rise again. 

The only way for the GPT to lose its implied permanence would require something to follow immediately after it.  The GPT has to be interrupted by something or its effects remain permanent.  If nothing followed the word “alienated” in verse 21 then we are still to this day alienated and are hopeless because of that GPT.  However, look again at verse 21:

²¹ And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, YET NOW hath he reconciled

You WERE alienated (GPT), YET NOW (the interruption) are you reconciled.  This reconciliation can never be undone, as no scripture teaches you can ever be alienated again. 

When people try reading verse 23 back into verse 21 is to show a complete lack of scriptural understanding, as they are only embarrassing themselves.  God has already been reconciled to this world, so verse 23 is obviously not undoing the reconciliation that ONLY the cross had accomplished. 

Now look at verse 22:

²² In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 

Now Free Grace Theology views verses 22 and 23 as only having to do with the presentation based on what you do.  This means, if you are a disobedient believer then Jesus will not be able to present you holy, unblameable, and unreprovable in His sight.  There is nothing in the context about our behavior, but they read, “continue in the faith” as implying I guess just that.  Paul told the Corinthians to examine to see whether they be “in the faith” in 2^nd Corinthians 13:5 (see my blog on 2^nd Cor. 13:5), but that did not have to do with behavior there.  These Corinthians were questioning the apostleship of Paul, and Paul was challenging them to examine themselves.  If they were “in the faith” then Paul was vindicated, as it proved his apostleship, but if they were not “in the faith” then they were reprobates, and Paul included himself as being a reprobate if they were found to be as such.  Paul had utmost confidence that the Corinthians were “in the faith,” because if they were not then neither was he.

I do not see verse 22 as a nice possible option for believers but a guarantee based purely on what Christ had done.  In the body of His flesh through death, to present us holy, unblameable, and unreproveable in His sight.  Do you see human conditions in verse 22?  Why would you think that Jesus would need some of your help to accomplish being presented holy and without blame that was described as purely accomplished by His death?  Do you think He does most of the work, but you have supply what is still lacking?  Do you actually believe that you will stand before God holy, unreproveable, and unblameable because you so wonderfully continued faithfully in the faith?  Sounds like merit to me. 

I find it interesting that the word “holy” is the Greek adjective Hagos.  The Greek word translated “sanctified” (holy) in Hebrews 10:10 is the Greek verb Hagiazo.  Hebrews 10:10 reads:

By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Here is what people miss in verse 22 of Colossians.  Question, what was said in Colossians 1:22 as being the reason we will be presented holy?  It was His body of flesh in death as the reason for our being presented holy.  What does Hebrews 10:10 say as being the reason we are sanctified (made holy) once for all?  The offering of the body of Jesus Christ!  These two are identical, and this is why I disagree with free grace theology preaching that we believers might not be presented holy one day.  

 Look at 1^st Corinthians 1:8:

⁸ Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Is verse 8 telling me that I run the risk of not being confirmed unto the end because of ill behavior or lack of continuance?  No!!!  He spoke this to the carnal Corinthians.  Paul was not concerned that their behavior might cause them not to be presented holy, as he was convinced that they would be confirmed blameless period.  He was talking to the CORINTHIANS, so if behavior was an issue then I believe you would see some reserve in his comment in verse 8.  However, religion loves throwing Colossians 1:23 at people to scare them that they just might not be presented blameless or holy.  I am not seeing conditions like religion does here, and I hope you are not seeing them either.  Do not let religion pull the wool of the flesh over your eyes, so that scripture will appear to be all about your behavior and externals or ELSE SUFFER FROM THE HAND OF GOD type of talk.  

Colossians 1:23 begins with “If YE,” and the word “ye” is plural, as Paul was speaking to the body.  It is not, “If Frank Smith or Mary Thomas continues in the faith.”  The “ye” is referring to the body as a whole and not the wavering or wandering believers in Bob’s Baptist Church.  Frank Smith will not individually stand and be presented holy and without blame apart from the group as a whole.  The presentation involves the entirety of all the “YE’s” in Christ.  If one believer is not presented holy then we all are not being presented holy.  Look at the parallel passage in Ephesians 5:25-27:

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

²⁶ That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

²⁷ That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Do you see any hint of the above not happening for any particular believer?  The “ye” of Colossians 1:23 are the “it” (the church) in the above verses.  Notice that Christ “gave Himself for IT.”  Again, we have the offering (the death) of Jesus as talked about in Colossians 1:22 and Hebrews 10:10 here in Ephesians 5 as being the reason that the church will be presented holy and without blame.  It is through His death that I will be presented holy and without blame, and not my faithfulness, as nothing is written about me having to persevere or do spiritual gymnastics to be presented holy and without blame.  My faithfulness has no part in this matter, but religion will read Colossians 1:23 and insert such a meaning back into the previous verses.  I am showing you several places where the responsibility was not placed upon your back.  Your being "in the faith" is not conditional but a reality that I soon will prove some more. 

I am shocked that one can read all the blessings of Colossians 1 and not be blessed by them because of how they allow themselves to see verse 23.  Be honest, when you read verse 23 according to the flesh or how religion trained you to see it then do you not feel that the promises and blessings of the chapter seem to go south?  Does worry seem to fill its place?  Do you fear that maybe you will not be able to continue?  Do you fear that maybe you are not “continuing” enough in the faith today?  Your reaction today would be their (Paul, and the “ye”) reaction in the passage if that was what he was preaching, but you can see that it was all about security and not insecurity.  Look at the surrounding verses, and look at the parallel passages I shared and notice there is nothing there to scare you.  Stop listening to religion!

The “church” as a whole will be presented holy and without blame.  It is not, “John Smith, you are not holy, but Jane Doe you are holy.”  If John and Jane are both part of the church then both will be presented holy together, as they shall be confirmed unto the end.  It is by the death of Christ that they are presented holy and not because they were so wonderfully persevering in faith.  Janet who represents the right index finger of Jesus will be presented holy while Fred the big toe will be presented with blame, and that is nonsense.  We are part of the same body, and we all will be presented holy and without blame.  If any one of us believers are not presented holy and without blame then the fault lies with the offering and not our behavior, as that is what I want you to see from the verses I gave.  If you believer are not presented holy then there was some flaw with the death of Christ, but I doubt you would accept that heresy.    

Now look at verse 23:

²³ If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

It is so hard to reach believers with what I share because they get tunnel vision on the first few words of verse 23 and disregard all the other wonderful verses of promise.  People have offered various ways of viewing the word “if.”  They share that the word “if” is a first class condition in Greek.  This means that the truth is assumed and is not some possibility being presented.  They might quote Colossians 3:1, “If ye then be risen with Christ…,” as the “if” was not Paul doubting that they were risen with Christ. 

Such arguments often do no good because most doubting believers will always prefer insecurity, as they feel it is safer to entertain the possibility that “if” could be referring to some 50/50 chance on their part.  If you believe that verse 23 is conditional then let me tell you that your flesh will ALWAYS appeal to you to do something about it.  You will find that your mind will never be able to rest on the death of Christ, as you will be busy trying to do what you feel “continue” implies. 

You will discover that your religious view of Colossians 1:23 sucks the life and joy right out of you, but people will hang on to this iffy salvation.  If salvation could be lost here then justification is not by His faithfulness but ours.  If you have to keep persevering in the faith in order to be saved, then who is doing the saving, you or God?  It would be you, but God would need a lesson on what free and a gift means.  He would need to learn what grace means too, because if grace cannot be abused then it hardly can be called grace. 

The interesting part of Colossians 1:23 is that the words to follow “continue in the faith” are the words “grounded and settled.”  The word “grounded” is also the GPT, but it follows the “if ye continue,” as this would mean that a believer is one always grounded and can do nothing but be grounded.  You are grounded regardless if you “continue in the faith” or not.  I cannot find Paul preaching doubt or insecurity in the preceding verses, in the parallel passages, or in the verses to follow Colossians 1:23.  Not even the GPT “grounded” argues insecurity or uncertainty. 

You also find similarity in Ephesians 3:17:

¹⁷ That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

Many in religion treat the above “rooted and grounded” as though they are in the Greek Present Tense, but they are wrong.  The words are actually in the Greek PERFECT tense (GPT) once again, as in Colossians 1:23.  We were “rooted and grounded in love” and its effects still carry on to the present day, as it is permanent!  This was why Paul could say in Romans 8:39:

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, (NOTHING) shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The only admonishment here to the Colossians was that they would not be moved away from the hope of the gospel.  If anything, not continuing in the faith might be the moving away just from the hope held out in the gospel.  Most doubters reading this are already moved away from the hope of the gospel.  Most people who tried debating me on Colossians 1:23 made it very clear by their arguments that they probably never were a part of this hope of the gospel at anytime due to their preaching loss of salvation.  

Let me ask you, if the “hope” of the gospel is a “confident expectation” then how do you think you will ever have a “confident expectation” when you view Colossians 1:23 as a threat to your salvation?  If you claim that by hard work and abstaining from sin as best as possible as how you gain confident expectation then you have yet to trust Christ, as you are still in darkness. 

You that think that “if ye continue” is referring to your faithfulness then how much confidence can you expect to have when you know you have a wandering heart?  How weak do you notice you feel when you believe the responsibility of "continued" faithfulness is placed upon your back?  I am sure you feel awfully weak unless you are that self-righteous.  Religion forces its rules and obedience upon people as how they are to “continue in the faith” but look at a couple of verses:

Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?  (Acts 15:10).

For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.  (Galatians 6:13).

People have turned Colossians 1:23 into the yoke of bondage, as it now produces fear and uncertainty in them.  Quit living in a way you never were meant to live.  Verse 23 ought to be giving you assurance and joy, as that appears to have been the purpose of the ENTIRE chapter. 

Look now at verse 28:

²⁸ Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

People see “warning” here and run with it, but the word means “to admonish” in this chapter.  Paul used the same Greek word again in Colossians 3:16 about “admonishing one another in psalms and hymns.”  The point of the above verse is that Paul said here “that WE may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.”  The word “perfect” means “mature,” as Paul wanted believers to come to maturity.  It has been used elsewhere for believers leaving the milk and coming to the meat of the word. 

In verse 28, we have Paul saying, “that WE may present,” but in verse 22, we read that it is Christ alone that will “present” us holy and without blame through the body of His flesh.  Paul was not seeking for us to do anything to be presented holy and without blame, as it was all a work of Christ, so let us stop reading human merit back into verse 22.  Christ gets all the glory in verse 22, as there is no “we” in that verse, but Paul and others are the “we” behind the maturing of believers in verse 28, so notice the difference. It is obvious that man is claiming responsibility in verse 28, but there is absolutely no human responsibility in verse 22.  Religion instead reads human responsibility back into verse 22.  This is why some will tell you the first class condition in Greek in verse 23 is not referring to a possibility but a reality.  My point is that everything leading up to verse 23 is not about conditions we must fulfill or losing anything but an already possessed and enjoyed reality, so stop allowing religion to terrorize your conscience with fleshly heresy to undo the security you have in Christ. It is a fact that it is the death of Christ as being the ONLY reason why we will be presented holy and blameless one day.

You are forgiven, saints in light, redeemed, rooted and grounded, redeemed by the blood, reconciled, and you shall be confirmed unto the end blameless.  You are “in the faith” always, as you are permanently grounded in the faith.  You will find that it is often false teaching that is behind the reason why people “overthrow the faith” (2^nd Tim. 2:18), but nobody was warned that loss of salvation would be the result or that salvation was already lost.  Rather, you read Paul seeking the correction of these teachers who were dealing out falsehoods, and not some panic for people supposedly losing salvation.  

We ARE already reconciled.  God is NOT imputing the sins unto the world.  Your faithfulness does NOT merit eternal life, forgiveness, or even reconciliation, and it certainly does not maintain such things either.  Be NOT moved away from the hope of the gospel, as that will spare you the ills you are experiencing today doubter.  YOU ARE the one that “overthrew” the faith because of bad doctrine.  I hope you can see that now, as it is describing YOU!  You could be the very one that has experienced “shipwreck of the faith” due to these heretical teachings today.  This has nothing to do with losing salvation, but everything to do with embracing what is NOT of the faith.  You are obsessed with your works, sins, feelings, and behavior where you have wandered from the faith.  I am not talking about just having doubts, but you allowing yourself to believe false teachers that salvation now depends on your continuance, abstaining from sins, your so-called holy affections, and so on that has been robbing you of the confident expectation you once enjoyed.  Lordship Salvation and those that believe salvation can be lost are those who are leading you away from the faith.  You need to get that thinking of yours back in line with truth of the gospel.  Read the blessed promises Paul shared in the beginning of Colossians 1, as they are describing the real you believer!   

Read Colossians 1 in its entirety, but skip verse 23 the first time around, and notice no fear or insecurity being preached.  You have allowed one “word” out of 29 verses to throw you into a state of doubt and uncertainty.  Christ will present His church holy and without blame because of Him offering Himself for you, and not because you are so faithful (see my blog on 1st Thessalonians 5:3-10).  Do you really want to keep adding your merit or faithfulness to His work?  It has not brought you peace or assurance yet, so why will you continue to wreak havoc on yourself like this? 

You continue grounded in the faith, so do not let go of the “hope” held out in the gospel.  If verse 23 still concerns you then you are presently moved away from the hope of the gospel. Keep in mind that nothing Paul was writing in Colossians 1 was either scary or a threat.  If you feel fearful then know that it is your flesh misreading what Paul was sharing.  No fear was being preached in Colossians 1, so to entertain fear is you entertaining a message not preached in the chapter.  Stop listening to fleshly oriented religion!

***I have a friend that believes the “if” of verse 23 was challenging the teachings of the false teachers that were among them.  Personally, I do not feel that Paul starts talking about such people until much later in chapter 2 where Paul dealt about those using beguiling words in 2:4, but I agree that he possibly had them in mind here.  Yes, Paul did not want believers moved away from the hope of the gospel as such false teachers were seeking to do.  These believers needed to hear that what these false teachers were expounding was ridiculous, as Paul was saying, “If ye continue” as a way of mocking these false teachers claim that a believer might not continue.  This has some merit, but I am not entirely on-board with it.  I just thought I would share this opinion with everyone here, as it is interesting. 

Just some ramblings on doubting and faith

I was at my son's school early today and had some time to kill.  I just started jotting down a bunch of thoughts that I ended up typing here.  I hope my ramblings prove helpful to someone out there! 

I see faith in the Lord Jesus as one finding security, acceptance, and contentment in Him.  I find most believers in an in-between state of confidence and uncertainty.  One moment they are rejoicing, but the next moment they are in despair.  They have more days in despair than rejoicing.  They have adopted a legalistic gospel of rules and conditions.  What is legalism?  One finding security, acceptance, and contentment within what it is they do or do not do. 

What is the gospel?  Is it the good news that if we but repent and believe then God will save us?  If you believe that was the gospel then it should be no wonder that you struggle with assurance for you have no confidence in God or Christ but rather in your ability to get the job done.

Why does God tell you to repent?  Because you still believe the barrier exists between you and Him.  Your perception of Him is wrong, as you believe sin is still an issue between God and you.  When a person knows his/her sins are forgiven and that they have been justified from all things is a person who has indeed repented.   The one who refuses to believe has not repented.  No man or woman has ever repented who still seeks to gain God’s approval or forgiveness through works, turning from all sins to be saved, or even making Jesus Lord over every area of their life as religion teaches. 

Why does God tell you to believe?  Because He is powerless to save you until you can generate enough faith to make Him work?  No, it is only man that believes in the impotent god of religion would make such claims as that.  What aspect of your salvation did God forget or leave out?  What part of the redemption plan slipped the mind of God, or what part of this great plan did He leave into your hands to complete?  Nothing!  What is believing?  The realization that all is done.  It is the acceptance of everything the gospel says to you.    

A mother bidding a child to sit at the table and eat is not giving her child a bunch of rules and responsibilities.  She has prepared the food, and has prepared the table and now bids the child to eat.  God has prepared a body, and is calling us to eat of His flesh, and drink of His blood. 

Faith is simply rejoicing in a reality.  Faith does not make God do anything, but rather rests in what God has already done.  Faith rests in the salvation that has ALREADY “appeared to all men,” as faith receives what is already true. 

Faith receives but unbelief rejects.  A loved one of yours has been reported dead, and you weep bitterly.  However, a man brings you good news that your loved one has not died but is alive and well.  Faith rejoices in the news, but unbelief would be to persist in the pain of embracing news to be repented of. 

There is such unrest in the hearts of most believers, as they fear and stress over how they are to believe.  They erroneously assume that if they can but do this thing called believing, and if they can but feel faith working in them then assurance would be theirs.  This again is nothing short of unbelief and a lack of confidence in the God who supplies all things in Christ Jesus. 

Faith is no work, and it is never consumed with self.  Faith is not our savior, so why do so many look to it when faith can never be perfect?  Faith is to be consumed with His faithfulness, His love, His good works, and His accomplished work at Calvary along with His glorious resurrection.  If you ask a doubter how much of his/her day is spent rejoicing and reflecting upon such things is to discover it to be little or none at all.  They “try” to see those things through their feelings or behavioral modifications. 

What is faith?  A participation in the life and work of Christ.  It is an awareness of what Christ has done and is doing.  Faith is the enjoyment of all benefits in Christ.  Christ was not only our death upon the cross, but He is our very life today.  We can rejoice in life everlasting because as long as He lives so do we!

I have not met a doubting person who has not mixed law with grace.  They see salvation as conditioned upon their believing and their repentance, and many even add a pattern of good works on top of that to validate salvation.  To preach salvation on the conditions that you first believe and repent is preaching a gospel of works.  This confuses people because they see everywhere in scripture the importance of believing, and I agree. However, the person feels that they must do this thing called believing, and it leaves them questioning whether they are doing it correctly or enough of it.  Let me show you two examples of the gospel of works versus the gospel of grace below.

Example one:  A rich man walks up to you and says, “I will give you one million dollars in a checking account with your name on it if you will but believe me.”

Example two:  A rich man walks up to you and says, “I have given you one million dollars in a checking account with your name on it.  It’s yours to receive (believe).”

Tell me which example was an example of a free gift?  In example one, what would you say to the person who asks you, “What did have to do to get one million dollars?”  Would you respond back with “Nothing!”?  No, you would have said, “All I had to do was believe.” I doubt you would claim that it was purely a free gift where you did not have to lift a finger to get. 

Example two is the only example of a free gift because it required nothing but your acceptance of it, but you can see how wording it that way takes the human aspect out of it.  The money would do you no good sitting by itself, so you accepting the gift is you believing it.  If you thought the rich man were a nut case in example two then you would have never accepted that there was any money in a bank for you.  You had one million dollars that you rejected.  Believing is accepting what is already yours.  Religion confuses this as though it is not yours until you first believe, so you are busy trying to work up this faith in order to “get” it.  This is why people are obsessed with their faith because they see faith as currency to buy themselves eternal life. 

To reject salvation is to see the Father running to you (prodigal son), and when His arms come to embrace you is to push Him back and refuse the robe on your back, sandals on your feet, ring on your finger, the fatted calf killed for you, and a musical party with dancing.  Rejection would be you demanding to share your story about how you are not worthy to be called a son, and your desire to work as a hired servant that is such a common prayer today. 

Doubter, do you enjoy limiting the love of God?  Does it bother to know that the Father embraces and kisses the neck of the one that took advantage of His goodness?  To know that a loving Father is kissing the neck of one that was just wallowing with swine? 

Do you find it easier to believe God is displeased with you rather than having an overwhelming love that cannot be measured or fathomed for the likes of you?  Why do you allow the sins “you” choose to behold obscure the love that the Father has for you?  Why the consciousness of guilt and sins when He is no longer imputing sins?  He removed all barriers, but you feel secure holding on to things He hates.  You are still the prodigal son trying to give God a rehearsed speech of, “God, I have sinned against you and heaven.  I am unworthy.  I deserve hell fire.  I vow to fight against my sins.  I will be faithful in all things to the best of my ability.”  You think that crying out the judgments you have earned reaches the heart of God, but it rather shows your unbelief.  You still see a god that needs to be appeased.  You still see a god that has not really done something about sin until you fulfill your end of the agreement.  You still believe your moaning and bitter tears are swaying God to be merciful. God had already done something about your sins, and bids you to receive everything He has for you. 

Why does His love scare you when it is there to engulf you?  It scares you because love will make you aware of your sins, but the mind cannot accept such love when you are conscious of faults before one so perfect and pure.  You prefer judgment to mercy.  Your heart may cry out for love and mercy, but you rather sow on another fig leaf to feel secure in the presence of God. 

If your heart doubts is to look for the condition you have erected before you can believe.  You need to realize that there is nothing for you to do, as you have every reason to rest.  Jesus was made unto God your righteousness, wisdom, redemption, and sanctification, as your faith does not “try” to believe that, but simply accepts what is already true in heaven. 

Religion is all about the externals.  When religion or even your religious mind accuses you of having no works is to remember that you were already saved before such accusations came.  The absence of works can never overpower the redemption Christ accomplished by His works.  We are not saved by our faithfulness but by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ.  The law was based on works, but we believers are no longer under the demands of the law, as there are no commands of the law we live by, and there is now no condemnation the law can bring upon those who have died in Christ.  Such words will always bother the religious heart of the wicked.  Remember, grace gives liberty to the believers walk, but grace also breeds anger and hostility in those who still reject it unaware. 

If one doubter can show me God changing His mind about the salvation He has given to an individual then I will gladly join him or her in their doubts.  If they can but show me where God proved faithless is when I will join them in their doubts.  If they can but show me where God made the NT covenant with man based on good works or abstaining from sin then I will gladly join them in their doubts.  If they can but show me where God can lie then I will gladly join them.  If they can but show me where God will forsake and leave us is when I will gladly join their cause.  If they can show me where a believer was separated from His love is when I will stand side by side with them.  If they can but find one person (God included) that can find fault with us when it was God who cleansed us, forgave us all sins in Christ, redeemed us, and has us no longer under condemnation but has justified us apart from our works is when I will join hands with them.  For God to condemn me is for Him to find fault with His own work. 

People doubt because they believe they have the strength to be saved, stay saved, or choose to lose salvation at will.  They view God’s gift as though they possess it with physical hands and can simply toss it aside or lose it.  You cannot lose it for He has already given it to you.  He has given His Son to this world, and we cannot lose the Son. To say that we can lose it teaches that it was us that went out and got it ourselves, but the word of faith is said to be “nigh” to us, as it is in our “hearts” and “mouth.”  We simply come to accept this gift, but this gift does not have legs of its own.  The seal of the Spirit was placed in our hearts and not in something external. 

How many sins does one have to commit before they are beyond the hope of salvation?  What if a man sinned a billion times then is he hopeless?  If you rightfully said no to that then what in the world are you doing believing that God forgiving and saving a billion guilty sinner apart from any works would now condemn you over one sin or even a bunch of them?  Has any man or woman bore more sins in a lifetime than what Christ bore at Calvary?  Christ bore them all and He was resurrected gloriously for us!  Stop beholding your ugliness in Adam and start beholding your beauty and blessings in Christ Jesus. 

Perceive we the love of God says the apostle John, but do you perceive such love?  Why can you not see it?  It is probably due to you believing God’s love is based on your actions.  Are you aware of love and acceptance when you sin, or do you feel a sense of alienation and condemnation when you sin?  Any time your mind is tuned into your behavior, your feelings, your works, or even your sins is to veil the love of God with a sense of guilt and condemnation.  Instead of living a life trying to do things to feel loved by God is to start living a life KNOWING you are loved by God.  This knowing comes when we no longer base His love on our performance.  Stop the daily routines of bible reading, prayer, church attendance, joining ministries, and so on to keep His approval, but rather live your life free!  I used to do such things out of obligation fearing that if I did not read a chapter a day that I was giving a foothold to the devil, and that was pure religious insanity!  The religious insanity made bible reading and prayer a chore rather than a blessing.  I was going to church to get a pat on the back of God rather than going to church because of a God who continuously pats me on the back because I am His. 

If you want to live a life that is pleasing unto God then stop the insane efforts.  As you received Christ is how you are to walk daily in Him.  It is the relationship with Him that will produce changes in your life and never you producing changes to have a relationship with Him.     

May God open your eyes to see those conditions you have erected that are keeping the veil over your heart today.  If you doubt your salvation then stop the behavioral and sin searching you have been doing in your own life.  It is futile!  As long as you are consumed with yourself is how long your doubts will continue to wreak havoc on your spiritual life.