Austin Uphoff

[Austin Uphoff @AustinUphoff]

@thescriptures1 @DannySlavich from a restful, trusting, obedience to Christ.

[Austin Uphoff @AustinUphoff]

@thescriptures1 @DannySlavich I quoted the article you sent. The two things that Piper suggests are applications of the text. "This means two things that any Christian should do...submit all thoughts to scrutiny and ask the Spirit to work." This can certainly be applied to OCD, esp thoughts that lead away +

[Austin Uphoff @AustinUphoff]

@MBurtwrites @sevier_nick @StatlerMatthew that love, but me spending time in a bar and among friends who love to drink actually works against that process.) I'm also not saying that every pop-up needs to be repented of, but rather it can be traced back to the source of a sin-affected heart, rather than externally.

[Austin Uphoff @AustinUphoff]

@MBurtwrites @sevier_nick @StatlerMatthew Recognizing those thoughts as proceeding from a sinful heart leads me to the only one who can change my heart (values, fears, loves). I cannot change my heart, but I am at least partially responsible for what influences my heart. (I might love alcohol and ask God to be changing +

[Austin Uphoff @AustinUphoff]

@MBurtwrites @sevier_nick @StatlerMatthew Pharisees often did things that were seen as being for the good of others, but Jesus revealed the sinful motivations underneath (Mt 6). Admitting that sinful thoughts arise from a sinfully affected heart doesn't have to proceed to scrupulosity. +

[Austin Uphoff @AustinUphoff]

@thescriptures1 @DannySlavich "Destroy in my mind any false or proud thoughts that I have about God.” This really means two things, I think, that Sarah and I — and anybody else, any Christian — should do... Submit all thoughts to scrutiny, Ask the Holy Spirit to work." Does this only apply to wanted thoughts?

[Austin Uphoff @AustinUphoff]

@thescriptures1 @DannySlavich Could you explain how 2 Cor 10:5 doesn't apply to those pop up thoughts? How is it limited to only desirable thoughts?

[Austin Uphoff @AustinUphoff]

@MBurtwrites @sevier_nick @StatlerMatthew I'd really like to see those two engage you on this. Personally, I would say that it depends on motivation. If the motive is to cleanse themselves, then yes, those thoughts and motivations could be sinful. It makes those into a self cleansing work instead of a God given grace.

[Austin Uphoff @AustinUphoff]

@mrtylershores For example, can my heart desire something that I don't think is an actual desire of mine? Of course it can (Jer 17:9). Even as a believer, we can have sinful thoughts originating from a corrupted heart.

[Austin Uphoff @AustinUphoff]

@mrtylershores Yeah I'm still mulling that one over. Could those thoughts be consistent with the old dead man (Rom 7) even for a believer who is far along in their sanctification? I think so but I'm open to considering otherwise.

[Austin Uphoff @AustinUphoff]

@mrtylershores (3) our theory of causation leads us to assume that we need to deal with what's causing the thoughts externally. Or we look to meds to help us more easily cast off those thoughts and ignore introspection.

[Austin Uphoff @AustinUphoff]

@mrtylershores The goal then for the BC is to help the struggler replace those many implications from introspection with biblical truth about who they are in Christ. Our goal is not to reduce the intrusions or control their context. If it's a thought originating from outside of me then...

[Austin Uphoff @AustinUphoff]

@mrtylershores I think you made a shift in your thinking here. I see this introspection as a totally different thought process than intrusive thoughts. It moves beyond the intrusive thoughts into implications that could be made about me. Something that is common with OCD for sure. (1)

[Austin Uphoff @AustinUphoff]

@mrtylershores (2) I believe the heart's condition (values, loves, fears) is what takes a noticing thought past the point of simple observation into sinful rumination. This perspective frees the OCD struggler from the guilt of the observation, but holds them accountable to what they dwell on.

[Austin Uphoff @AustinUphoff]

@mrtylershores Right, but that's not what's being described with OCD. Just because I notice a knife, doesn't mean that I will necessarily have intrusive thoughts about the damage I could do with that knife. I understand you to mean that what's outside of us can influence our thoughts. (1)

[Austin Uphoff @AustinUphoff]

@mrtylershores (1) I would say that what's happening outside of you can certainly influence your thoughts or provide the context of those thoughts, but I would agree with the article in that the heart fuels the entertainment of those thoughts, sometimes more than is beneficial. But to say that