The topic for this week is doubt. We are going to be looking at two questions. First, how should the church and individual believers deal with doubt? Second, some believers express doubt constantly because they feel like God cannot forgive their sins, but is doubt normal and should we share it with others or keep it to ourselves?
Examination of Scripture gives us numerous examples of Doubt from those close to Yahweh in the Old Testament (OT) and Jesus Christ in the New Testament (NT). In Psalm 78 we see just one example of Israel’s doubt as God leads them through the wilderness. Asaph wrote, “Therefore the Lord heard and was full of wrath; And a fire was kindled against Jacob And anger also mounted against Israel, Because they did not believe in God And did not trust in His salvation.”[1]
In the New Testament we see Peter’s doubt after he takes his eyes off Jesus. Matthew tells us, “But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and *said to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’”[2] Later after Jesus Christ had risen from the grave, we see His disciples still had doubt even after they saw Him. Matthew writes, “But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful.”[3]
James addresses doubt in the early Jewish Christians who were dispersed because of persecution, “But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”[4]
First, how should the church and individual believers deal with doubt? For the church or a believer to conclude that no one should have doubt is an unsustainable belief. As shown above throughout Scripture in the OT and NT there was doubt. Not only in the few examples above but sitting here I am thinking about Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Moses and Israel for a few. Even those who were within Jesus Christ’s group of disciples had doubt. So, if those in the presence of our Lord had doubt, then we must know that doubt is going to be present today.
Doubt is present in many Christians today, but James tells us that we must have faith without doubt. As James writes “double-minded” people should not expect anything. Doubt can paralyze an individual from responding to God’s call, but the paralysis of a local church that doubts God’s ability is tragic. A congregation that places God in a box doubts God’s omnipotence.
Second, some believers express doubt constantly because they feel like God cannot forgive their sins, but is doubt normal and should we share it with others or keep it to ourselves? I want to discuss the feeling that God cannot forgive your sins because they are so great. On a personal level, I would like to share a time in my life when I had some serious doubt. My doubt centered around my belief that God could not use me in the upbuilding of His kingdom after my divorce. This doubt took me out of the game and sidelined me for over 10 years.
This topic touches close to home just like last week’s topic hit close to home for Pat. I am divorced. I failed to save my marriage and I failed in the promise that I had made God to be married until separated by death. It was her decision to leave the marriage after 5 years, but that did not and does not change the fact that I could not save our covenant between us and God. My ex-wife and I worked together for the benefit of our son and have been friendly to each other to this day. Growing up in a conservative Southern Baptist church, the resulting guilt and shame were catastrophic to my Christian walk. I felt that I was unworthy to serve God because He could never use a sinner such as I. While it was not a Damascus road conversion, God clearly used the events of July 17th, 2006 to show me that He can use the chief of all sinners, but you must allow Him to work in and through your life. It was on that day I was told I had colon cancer and the focus of my life changed forever. It was not an immediate change but one that took years as I dug deep into God’s word and prayed for wisdom and understanding. It is by God’s grace and mercy that He uses me today.
I have had doubt in my life, and I think that it is important to share with others. Not only so that others in our Christian fellowship can help us to steady our walk with Christ, but also so that other Christians experiencing doubt themselves will know they are not alone. We should all build each other up for God’s glory. I know that the things God has done for me, in me and through me are all Him, I give Him all the honor and the glory.
In Christ,
Don
[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ps 78:21–22.