|
INTRODUCTION
Today an encouraging message to help you through doubts and fears that arise. This subject is as difficult as it is deep. I give a
partial answer today from one key Scripture. I thank book by Os Guiness In Two Minds.
1. What is Doubt?
- Jesus said. v. 31. To discover what doubt is, we must put it context with faith and unbelief. Great story,
wish I could have seen this event happen.
- Faith = Heb. 11:1,6
- Personal confidence in God through Christ - focal point, object.
- Faith believes what eyewitnesses have said is true.
- Faith looks at the facts, the historical, legal, reasonable, objective evidence. Truth we haven’t
personally seen
- Faith is not blind, but intelligent, making a decision with our head, our heart, and our body. It is
active, wholly obedient.
- Accepts truth as truth, truth we haven’t personally seen.
- Unbelief = Heb. 3:12-19
- Willful refusal to believe, or a deliberate decision to disobey.
- This is sin. Concerning Christ, to disbelieve is to refuse His personhood and salvation. Fatal sin, the
one sin that keeps a person from heaven. “The whole world is lost in the darkness...”
- Psalm 14:1 “The fool has said in his heart ’there is no God.”
- Doubt = 6 Gk. vrbs and 1 noun = “perplexed, questioning, to be in mid-air, to hold in suspense, to be
without a way, to stand in 2 ways.”
- It’s suspension between faith/unbelief. Literally “In two minds”
ILLUS: Like having your feet in two boats. Or faith is believing that planes fly and ride; unbelief
is refusing they fly and won’t ride them; doubt is thinking they could fly, but not sure to
ride.
QUOTE: “Doubt is not always fatal but it is always serious... it must never be treated as
trivial... It is not the opposite of faith, unbelief is... Find out how seriously a believer takes
his doubts and you have an index of how seriously he takes his faith.”
- Doubt and fears go hand in hand.
Faith
believes
steps forwards
living in light
|
Doubt
uncertain
stands looking
looking for light
|
Unbelief
won’t believe
steps backward
content in darkness
|
- Jesus said v. 31 - doubt involves “little faith”. It is not no faith, it is not unbelief,
it is uncertain, confused, in suspense. In itself it is not necessarily sin, but it can lead to sin or to faith.
ILLUS: Thomas’s doubt lead to belief, Judas’s doubt led to unbelief. What has your doubts lead you to?
Salvation? Victory? Face crises?
2. Why do we Doubt?
- Doubt is first a result of our humanness. Finite creatures. Doubt in a universal problem.
- Christians doubt: “Every believer is prone to doubt.” Also atheists doubt
- Peter was human, not natural to walk on water. He asked to do humanly impossible, doubt would be logical
ILLUS: Doubt is like a cold, we get because we are alive. Like investing in stock market - highs and lows. Do you
doubt about your 401k’s?
- Doubt can also be a result of limited knowledge, Our faith depends on knowledge, and since we don’t know
everything, there are always areas open to doubt, questioning.
- Spiritual doubt is compounded by the facts that spiritual truth is a matter of life/death. “Since the object of
our faith is God, to believe or disbelieve is everything.” In a Natural world seeing is believing, BUT in the
Spiritual world believing is seeing. John 11:40; 20:29.
ILLUS: Doubts about political candidates can do - have to see to believe.
- Third: sin can play a part as it takes us away from God and hinders fellowship.
- Further: Satan is “the father of lies” John 8:44 doubt is to his advantage for it
opens a door for him to trick us to fall on the side of unbelief. We can be deceived by Satan.
- Fifth: the world is a scary place, full of turmoil to frighten us - Peter looked at storm.
- Finally: Peter took eyes off Jesus. A result of the previous points.
- Heb. 12:1-2 Here is the Key. Remember the object of our faith - not us, not world, not Satan, but Jesus is.
Jesus never fails. Look how He cared for others before us - 2000 years of Christian history.
3. What is the Treatment for Doubt?
- Doubt is like tossing a coin, it doesn’t stay in the air forever.
- How can we make sure that doubt will come down to the side of truth, side of faith.
- “Faith like health, is best maintained by growth, nourishment and exercise, the best way to resist doubt is to
build up our faith rather than simply fighting against doubt.” If it is not used, faith becomes useless.
ILLUS: Charles Darwin in auto: “I gradually came to disbelieve in Christianity as a divine revelation...
Disbelief crept over me at a very slow rate, but was at last complete.” (145)
- Note our text, to see some practical answers:
- Trust God’s Word “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” “Come”
- “For I trust in Your word. PS 119:42” “God said it, I believe it...”
ILLUS: Know it to quote it, find it, claim the truths I carry NT.
- Realize you are doubting. “became afraid”
- When doubts come, and you look away from Jesus and forget His word. Peter did. Thomas did. First step
to cure.
- Seek Divine help “Lord, save me!” Fix your eyes back on Jesus
- repression is dangerous, don’t turn away from only source of help.
- Why we need prayer, Bible study, fellowship, Christian influences
- Listen to your questions, do you know where to find answers?
ILLUS: Book: Second Wind for the Second Half - a book about midlife for men. There
is a difference between asking why and how questions. Younger people ask why; older people ask how.
I have come to treasure Psalm 56:14, 15a
- Allow Jesus to touch You. “Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him”
- However Jesus rescues, allow Him.
SONGS: “Jesus never Fails,” “He Giveth more Grace.”
- Worship God “those who were in the boat worshipped Him”
- When you have come through the storm - pause to adore Him.
CONCLUSION
Welcome to the human race; but Jesus wants to welcome you into His divine care. Jesus is the Healer!
Understand that Jesus is not an idea or ideal. He is a real person. He is stronger than any doubts.
What are you afraid of or doubting right now?
How are you handling it?
Don’t panic, don’t be afraid of doubt, let us lead you to faith.
|
