I have been in a conversation recently about doubt. Most specifically, the question that has risen is, “Can a true Christian doubt God at the most fundamental level.” A girl just wrote to me and said that she often envies Christians who don’t ever doubt. I told her that there is really no such thing. All people doubt!
Let me be clear (for this is something that many people would disagree with me on): I don’t think that belief should ever be conceived of as “black and white.” No, don’t go there. I am not talking about some form of relativism with regard to the nature of truth (i.e. there is no such thing as truth). What I am saying is that people vary with regard to the strength of their beliefs. And I am saying that this can vary from time to time. Belief can go up and down. In other words, belief is not something that you either have or you don’t.
I have already revealed my proposition (i.e. a truly born again believer can doubt). Let me define “fundamental level.” What I mean is that a Christian can doubt to such a degree that they even doubt the very existence of God. Yes, I am assuming that you have done the same. I have and sometimes still do.
Where did this come from? I had a different conversation today when a lady, whom no one would ever expect, came to me in confidence expressing her inner pain. “I have recently been doubting the existence of God,” she told me with much trepidation. I think that she was most surprised that I was not surprised (well, maybe a little).
A dictionary definition of a straight line is “the shortest path between two points.” The definition of doubt, at least from one perspective, is the line that bridges our faith and perfect faith. I am under the assumption that no one has perfect faith. If this is true, then everyone’s faith is lacking in some respect. This lack will take on different forms for different people and different circumstances. Sometimes it will show itself though particular habitual sins. Sometimes it is our own pride. Many times it takes the form of doubt at our most fundamental levels.
I don’t believe that this is wrong. Let me step back and rephrase. In a fallen world with fallen people—and Christians who are still battling the flesh—should we expect anything else? Do you really believe that once you become a Christian doubt is no longer a foe? So it is wrong only in the sense that living in a fallen world is wrong. It is bad to the degree that being a resurrection short of full redemption is bad.
These are the words of another who sent me an email today (it has been a day full of this issue for some reason): “I lived for so many years doubting as religion was crammed down my throat, and watched those very same people live in hatred and judgement…now I know that Christ is not about rituals, dogma, and I was so relieved to find out it was OK to question…I just didn’t know what I didn’t know.”
I can’t read too much into this, but my assumption is that many people, like the one above, are afraid to make a commitment because they have worked under the unfounded assumption that our faith must be perfect. J.P. Moreland once said if someone believes 51% and disbelieves 49%, they are a believer in that which holds the greatest percent.
Do Christians doubt? Of course we do. But this does not mean we don’t believe. You may be at 63%, 95%, or 51%, but know that your ability to rise above 50% is of the Lord. He is with you and will hold you tight. Doubt is a necessary by-product of imperfection. It is a necessary evil that accompanies us on our road to belief.
338 replies to "Can Christians Doubt?"
Vinod Isaac,
I’m wondering if we are reading the same Bible.
It’s there…. read it again. “The Spirit is like the wind, it blows where it will.”
Jesus tells Niccodemus that he can’t do it (be born again -[have faith] himself. It must come from above.
Hi Dave Z,
Yes apologetics helps strengthen faith that Bible is accurate. But apologetics needs to be in line with the Word of God. With term apologetics we can have “anything goes” attitude.
Eevery thing needs to be checked if it aligns with the Word of God or not.
I guess John the Baptist was an agent of Satan as he illustrated this doubt?
“Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (Mat 11:11 NAU)
“Summoning two of his disciples, John sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?” [is John doubting here?]
20 When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, ‘Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?'”
21 At that very time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind.
22 And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM.
23 “Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”
(Luk 7:19-23 NAU)
Jesus had to help John in his doubt here by giving evidence. Often, we need the same in our doubt.
Vinod,
I’m not asking what the purpose was. I’m asking, “What do you think CMP said?” How would you put his basic thesis in your own words?
Are you willing to answer that question?
Vinod,
In the meantime, I noticed your reply to Lisa:
In other words, you think she was saying, “It’s not important to increase our faith”?
(By the way, I’m at least in partial agreement with you. Still trying to figure out what entirely you’re trying to say, though.)
When I read Verse 23 “Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.” I take it as a rebuke to John the Baptist.
It looks he is offended by some thing Jesus said or did.
Mat 11:2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples
So may be something he heard made him doubt and Jesus is setting the record straight when He said go and tell what you hear and see.
Tells me that John may have received a different report thn the actual report so Jesus is asking them give the correct report.
So yes John’s doubt was wrong and he needed to listen to the right things about Jesus.
“So yes John’s doubt was wrong and he needed to listen to the right things about Jesus.”
All of our doubts about Jesus (God) are wrong, and they condemn us.
Our doubts are proof that we are sinners in need of a Savior.
I guess one more question then Vinod.
Does my intial faith come from myself or God?
If it comes from God how and why in the world would I expect any additional faith (even though there is no real way to quantify having “more faith” unless you can buy a “faith meter” on TBN; which I wouldn’t be suprised if you could) to come from yourself?
Hi Jugulum,
you wrote: In other words, you think she was saying, “It’s not important to increase our faith”?
she is not saying it in her question but I am making a guess that her intention of the question is pointing toward that direction.
“ability to have faith” is a compliment to object of faith “God”. when you elevate “ability to have faith” as object of faith then you create a perception that it is contrary to another object of faith “God”. So you create a competition between those two object of faith in which one is just an assumed object of faith.
While reality is that “ability to have faith” is the essential ingredient to have faith in the object of faith “God”. They don’t contradict instead they compliment. You can’t have faith if either of them is missing.
“… ‘faith meter’ on TBN …” LOL
There is a thick block of ice all over, and I could walk on it pretty well, even if my faith is feeble. That’s because the object of my faith is strong. Then there is a thin sheet of ice all over, and I need to walk across. Even if I have all the faith in the world that that would carry me, I would definitely sink, simply because the object is truly feeble.
It’s not the amount of our faith that matters, but it’s object, God-Jesus. BUT, the Jesus I mention here is the Biblical One. Not the Jesus who is “too safe”!
Hi Joshua,
you asked: Does my intial faith come from myself or God?
It comes from Word of God when I begin to hear it more and more. Unless one hear the Word they don’t have faith in God. They can try to believe in something they call “god” but that God will not be God of Bible.
Every body has faith in something. That faith has developed through what they heard and what they saw. A child learns to walk on two legs by faith becaus he heard from parents that he can do it. If he didn’t have faith that his legs can hold him he will never try.
Let me quote another statement/illustration that Billy Graham uses often.
“Now this looks like a good platform.” Billy Graham shook the railing. “I believe if it’s a well-built platform.” He put his foot, tentatively, on the step. “But I have to step on it before I know. I have to trust this platform enough to try it. You may think that Christ is all the Bible says He is. But you’ll never know until you decide to try Him.
It is your and my decision to put our trust on the Word of God. It is your and my responsibility to grow in faith.
@Dr_Mike: Thanks for that description; I think that normalizes doubt for me, too.
@Vinod: You seem to be arguing against a straw man, as if Michael or anyone else said that doubt is equally as desirable as faith.
And responding to people who have doubts with your response (“You are going to hell if you have any doubts, so just believe harder!”) is utterly unscriptural. In fact, it is exactly what the devil says to people. Christ leads people from doubt toward greater faith; the devil accuses people of not having faith.
Vinod,
While I’m waiting for your reply to my question about what you think CMP was saying:
OK, so, Lisa: Vinod thinks this is where you’re coming from. He think you’re defending a position that “It’s not important to increase our faith”.
(And Vinod… Do you think that was what Michael was saying, too? That it’s not important to increase our faith?)
Is that what you think? Or is he just misunderstanding you?
I agree, though your last sentence is off. (You can have faith in aliens, even aliens don’t exist. I think you meant, “You can’t have saving faith if either of them is missing.” Because if God’s not there, faith won’t save. And if you’re unable to have faith, God won’t save you.)
They don’t contradict, and they should be complimentary, but that doesn’t mean Lisa’s question is meaningless. There are many people who have faith in “faith”. Their faith isn’t directed at God, it’s directed at a supposedly inherent power in faith itself. (That said… I don’t know why Lisa asked the question. I don’t know why she thought you might be making that mistake.)
Lisa,
We both agree that object of faith is Jesus. Problem we have is with quantity of faith.
Lisa you missed the point in your own analogy. You just missed it that it does matter that how much faith you have. You are not going to step on the ice if you don’t have faith how ever firm the ice may be.
So your faith on the ice that it will hold is the key. If you have enough faith on Jesus you will act on what He said. If you doubt on Him you will not give full control of a situation in His hand.
If you didn’t believe that Jesus saves from sin you would not have acted and prayed to Him to save you from sin.
If you don’t believe that Jesus heals you will not act and ask Lord to heal.
If you don’t believe that if you have faith like a mustard seed and can ask mountain to move, you will never ask for it.
You will not even try to do something. You will not even put your foot on the ice.
“So your faith on the ice that it will hold is the key.”
Exactly, therefore, if you have 51% faith and 49% doubt you will step out on to the ice!
Some people can have greater confidence when they are flying on an airplane that it will not crash. Others are not quite as confident and have a lot of fear. However, what demonstrates the faith is whether or not one gets on the airplane. If you are on the plane, you are of the faith!!
Am I missing something?
Again, the object of our faith could well be Jesus, but not truly Jesus. It could our caricature of him, which is a huge error!
Hi Jugulum,
Yes you are correct. I did mean saving faith and also faith on everything Bible talks about. Jesus doesn’t only save, He also heals, guides, protects and so many things. For everything you need both amount of faith and object of faith “God”.
Let me say again. Jesus talks about faith and CMP talks about doubt. They are both contradicting each other.
Vinod,
Now I am curious if you even read the post? I am with Jug, can you tell us what I was trying to say here in the blog post?
(if you get it wrong, I can quickly clarify and throw water on the fire here)
Vinod,
It would really help me to understand if you would answer my question. What do you think CMP said about doubt? How would you put his point in your own words?
Hi Jugulum,
You wrote: There are many people who have faith in “faith”. Their faith isn’t directed at God, it’s directed at a supposedly inherent power in faith itself.
To have faith you need to have faith in faith other wise you will not try to accuire faith.
When desciples asked
Luke 17:5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
I am glad that Jesus didn’t tell them that you should not put your faith on faith instead put faith on Me.
Why is it that I keep hearing on “faith” on “faith” problem?
Jesus never had any problem with people putting ephesis on faith.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Now if you read Heb 11:6 you need to trust first that Heb 11:6 is Word of God. Then you will have to trust faith. Because to me it looks writer of Heb had full faith that faith works. Then you have to have faith that God exists. Then you have to have faith that God is rewarder.
So having faith on faith is again not competitor of faith in God. These are the terms people have defined because they could not believe Bible verses like Heb 11:6. These phrases are just brain washing methods.
Vinod, answer Jugs question or we cannot go any further with this. You seem to be misunderstanding everything and avoiding people’s recognition and attempts to move this post in a productive direction. It is bordering on becoming a sinful waste of time for many people because of your apparent misunderstanding.
This blog must stay focused and productive.
I posted a clarifying reply to Vinod’s last comment–because he misunderstood what I meant by “faith in faith”–but I’m editing this comment after seeing CMP’s. I don’t want to distract from waiting for an answer.
ok since so many question on what I understand from article. Here I go.
CMP wrote:
I don’t believe that this is wrong. Let me step back and rephrase. In a fallen world with fallen people—and Christians who are still battling the flesh—should we expect anything else? Do you really believe that once you become a Christian doubt is no longer a foe? So it is wrong only in the sense that living in a fallen world is wrong. It is bad to the degree that being a resurrection short of full redemption is bad.
Isn’t he saying that it is ok to have doubt? Difference here is when Jesus sees doubt he rebukes.
Mat 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Jesus is calling them perverse who are faithless.
Mat 17:17 Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.”
Jesus is taking that word perverse right from Deu 32:20
Deu 32:20 And He said: ‘I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end will be, For they are a perverse generation, Children in whom is no faith.
My question is are all in this discussion board blind that they don’t see the difference?
CMP is in total contradiction of what Jesus said and believed. I wish when people came with doubt he had told them to read the Word and try to increase their faith.
People who came began to doubt in God’s existence because probably they didn’t read the Word from long time. The more you read the Word of God and meditate it helps. The more you listen to outside world it tries to take away faith.
Today many people don’t read Bible instead they read book written on Bible. All they get from there is also unbelief.
Hey Vinod: Is it too difficult for you to give a synopsis of CMP’s post? Hope you understand that unless you clarify YOUR understanding of the post, the rest of the conversation is surely point-less.
Vinod says
“she is not saying it in her question but I am making a guess that her intention of the question is pointing toward that direction.”
First, I am fully impressed that you understand my intention is as you described based on the words I used. You not only have full faith but full understanding. However, based on Jugulum’s question here:
OK, so, Lisa: Vinod thinks this is where you’re coming from. He think you’re defending a position that “It’s not important to increase our faith”.
That is not what I am defending. Somehow Vinod, you are imposing your theology upon my words and that is dangerous. It seems you are doing the same to the Biblical text. My issue is as Jugulum indicates -“There are many people who have faith in “faith”. Their faith isn’t directed at God, it’s directed at a supposedly inherent power in faith itself.”
And that, I believe is supported by your statement here, Vinod:
“So your faith on the ice that it will hold is the key. If you have enough faith on Jesus you will act on what He said. If you doubt on Him you will not give full control of a situation in His hand.”
I don’t have full control of the situation, God does. He is the object of faith not my words or the ability to have faith. My faith is apportioned as a gift from Him. He will work all things according to the counsel of his will (Eph 1:11). This points to the fallacy of your argument, that outcomes are dependent upon us and the amount of faith that we have.
Vinod,
So… You posted a comment with a lot more response to CMP’s post. But the actual answer to my question seems to be this:
I asked, “What do you think CMP said about doubt?”
Your answer is, “It is ok to have doubt.” Right? That’s what you think he was saying?
Hi Jugulum,
Here is a clear answer to your question.
Is it something like this? “It’s OK to doubt–if you find yourself doubting, that’s not a problem to be fixed. It’s just the way things are. It’s fine to stay that way.”
As I mentioned in last post yes that is what he says that “it is ok to doubt”
The paragraph I quoted in last post says is clearly.
“I don’t believe that this is wrong.” that is CMP talking about doubt.
Then he goes on saying 49% unbelief is ok as long as you have 51% faith.
That’s what he is saying. And he gives a reason that it is because we live in fallen world.
If his anology is correct then it is ok to sin 49% of time and live holy 51% of time. Why guard our lives in holiness?
Hey Vinod: Is it that hard for you to understand that you are asked for a synopsis of YOUR understanding of CMP’s post!? Man!!
Hi Lisa,
You wrote:
I don’t have full control of the situation, God does. He is the object of faith not my words or the ability to have faith. My faith is apportioned as a gift from Him. He will work all things according to the counsel of his will (Eph 1:11). This points to the fallacy of your argument, that outcomes are dependent upon us and the amount of faith that we have.
If you don’t have a control then Jesus is wrong every time He is rebuking people saying “O you of little faith”. Instead He should have rebuked himself that He is not doing His job correctly.
So I am not sure if your assumption really aligns with Jesus. Jesus is asking people to have faith and you seems to be putting everythig on God.
Leslie,
Actually, his last comment seems to answer the question. Yeah, he used my suggested synopsis, but that’s fine. (Also… Based on the time stamps, you might have started writing your comment before he posted #77. So maybe you were objecting to #73.)
Also, I think we should all let CMP respond to Vinod’s synopsis, before we jump in.
Now I can step in an correct, and also say that you must not have read the post or simply interpreted it according a a reader response model (it means what I want it to mean!)
You said:
“CMP said, I don’t believe that this is wrong.” But you ended there. The next sentence says, “Let me step back and rephrase. In a fallen world with fallen people—and Christians who are still battling the flesh—should we expect anything else?” (Emphasis added.)
In literature, it is common for the author to expand or rephrase a thought that they believe will be misunderstood otherwise. Therefore, out of common curtiously, I would appreciate you understanding my post as a whole, not one sentence.
I go on:
“Do you really believe that once you become a Christian doubt is no longer a foe? So it is wrong only in the sense that living in a fallen world is wrong. It is bad to the degree that being a resurrection short of full redemption is bad.”
Notice, it is wrong in the sense that living in a fallen world is wrong. It is bad to the degree that we are still fallen. Is it bad? yes. Is it wrong, yes. Is your misunderstanding this post wrong? Yes. Is it bad? Yes. But such is the world of the fall. Our conversations are affected. Our hair is affected. Our wills are affected.
My post is about helping people who struggle and doubt understand that this is part of a fallen world and is common to all, including yourself (I am assuming your faith is lacking —i.e. it can grow).
Hope this clarifies.
Vinod,
And here’s the comment that I deleted–#72.
Vinod, I was talking about people who have a generic kind of spirituality–who say, “The important thing is to have faith,” but who don’t care whether it’s faith in the God of the Bible or faith in the power of crystals or faith in themselves.
That’s what I meant by “faith in faith”. When the disciples prayed for more faith, they were praying for faith in God & his promises. That’s not “faith in faith” in the sense I meant–that’s “faith that God will work in response to faith”.
I long for more faith in my life, because I know that God works in response to faith. I know that faith matters. (I do have faith, but it’s imperfect faith. So I want more. I want faith in increase.) But that’s not because I think that I will accomplish something by the inherent power of my faith. My faith will result in something happening–because God will exercise his power. It’s based on his graciousness in deciding to respond to our faith. Our faith is faith that God will act according to his promises.
Vinod,
I’m going to ask CMP a clarifying question. You might want to wait for that, and get his answer, before you respond.
CMP I understood you correctly. You are still saying the exactly the same thing.
BTW CMP seems to have obtained faith meter from TBN to measure 51% and 49%. I should get one too. LOL
Let me put this in a context that might help:
If some one was completely distrought over their sin. They could not believe that they were a sinner and beat themselves up over it every day. They came to you and said, “I cannot quit sinning. I am selfish, angry, I don’t trust God enough, I don’t give everything to others, I oversleep, overeat, and am plagued because I am not able to be sociable with people. I am unable to do anything because of this guilt.”
Would you come to them and say, “OK, you should either quit sinning all together or stay in your paralizing guilt.”
Or would you first explain to them that sin is common in our fallen world. This does not make it right, but you need to understand that this is who we are and take courage. This is why Christ came.”
Would this be saying that the sin is right? Well, according to how you are wanting to take this issue with doubt, yes! But is it saying that there is an ontological quality to sin and doubt that is positive—no!!!
Sin, doubt, greif, and pain are part of the world we live in. It is part of our burden until Christ comes. This does not say that doubt is good, but that it is normal as everyone has it (including you!).
That is all the post is trying to do. Give perspective on doubt. If you think I am trying to encourage doubt (which is what you are saying), you are simply following your own passions, not mine.
Vinod, ad homs and guilt by association at this point really don’t do anything for the understanding of the issue.
CMP,
So, Michael, when you talk about “doubt”, you mean “the imperfection in our faith”.
Maybe that’s a good definition of doubt, maybe it isn’t. But I’m pretty sure Vinod’s still going to stop at that word, and not understand you. So let me try rephrasing your point without the word “doubt”, and you tell me if I captured it.
You’re saying that to be a Christian, we must have faith–in God, in Christ, in God’s promises, etc. If we are without faith, we’re not followers of Christ. We must have enough faith to act on it. Like the ice example–we have to have enough faith to step out on the ice.
But even if we have enough to step out on the ice, we might have more room to grow. Our faith might be imperfect. We might need an increase of faith. And it’s always important for us to seek more faith. We should never be complacent about imperfect faith.
There is something wrong with having imperfect faith, just like there’s something wrong with sinning as a Christian. Both are part of our struggle with our flesh.
But it’s important for Christians to know that the struggle with the flesh is expected. If you sin as a Christian, it’s terrible to be complacent about it–but it shouldn’t make you say, “I must not be a Christian.” Similarly, if you have imperfect faith, it’s terrible to be complacent about it–but it doesn’t mean you have no faith.
It’s not “OK” to have only 51% faith–but 51% faith is still enough faith to step out onto the ice.
Michael,
I just want to say to not be discouraged by Saint Vinod. Your willingness to be real and authentic (in both your triumphs and struggles) is what we who follow you on a regular basis LOVE about you. Your patience in dealing with dissenters is Job-like, I wish I could be more like you.
Vinod: Do you basically agree with what I just wrote?
Ignore whether or not you think that’s what CMP said. Do you basically agree with what I wrote? I realize you might want to tweak it a bit–but do you think I’m close to being right? Or do you think that when I said it, I’m being a tool of Satan?
CMP: Did I restate your point well?
Hi CMP,
you wrote: They came to you and said, “I cannot quit sinning. I am selfish, angry, I don’t trust God enough, I don’t give everything to others, I oversleep, overeat, and am plagued because I am not able to be sociable with people. I am unable to do anything because of this guilt.”
You don’t justify it by saying that people live in sinful world so it is ok. When people saw Jim Baker fall in sin they condemned his action and it was right. Billiy Graham embraced him back in to believers community that was also right.
But you do it by encouraging the person to put their trust back in the Lord and ask the Lord to help them out.
You don’t do it by taking away the gravity of sin and disbelief.
Your article seems to take away the gravity and is trying to say it is ok to doubt.
Take a look at your statement
“Do Christians doubt? Of course we do. But this does not mean we don’t believe.”
doubt is unbelief they don’t go togather. All the verses I quoted are clear that doubt is unbelief. When doubt arises people need to go back to the Word of God and strengthen their faith.
Words of a preacher or minister may help a little but only thing that will really help is Word of God.
Psa 119:11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You!
When a person is in a situation you described probably he doesn’t have will power to take the Bible and read themselves so you can sit with that person and read the Word for them.
Perfect
Jugulum,
I completely agree with your post.
Vinod,
When Jesus speaks of faith in the gospels, he is speaking towards the ability of His disciples to believe in Him, meaning believe in who He is as God incarnate. We have to also consider Jesus’ statements in context of his redemptive purpose and in correlation to the whole counsel of Scripture, which btw, point to the fact that we are not in control. If we are, we have invalidated much of the New Testament letters as well as all Old Testament history.
So our faith must have an object and that is in God and His promises. To say that it is all God with responsiblity on our part is not what the point of what I was getting at. But we believe in Him and not our ability.
You would do well to understand some basic Bible study methods that will help understand the layout of the Bible and how to read passages in their proper context. I say this because of the way you are reading the gospels in particularly. This is not a slight but an encouragement. The worst thing we can do is impose words and positions upon God that He has not intended. And that does start with having a teachable Spirit. We are afterall, fallible beings and capable of getting much wrong.
OK, I understand where you are coming from. You do understand that I am not saying doubt is good. That is important. I am not comfortable with your belief that I am saying that doubt is “OK” (at least in the way you are nuancing it).
Let me add this to end (hopefully) this current movement in the post:
While doubt is a common plight of all Christians, we should all seek to grow in our faith. God can and will help us to overcome doubt, but it will not be fully realized until the resurrection.
(Yeah, like that will stop it!!—but I try anyway.)
Vinod,
So, notice something. CMP said that I perfectly summarized his point. And you said that you completely agree with it.
So, the problem is one of misunderstanding. Now, maybe that’s happening because CMP expressed himself poorly, and maybe it’s because you’re just failing to exegete his words well.
But you need to start being aware that the problem is with how to express ourselves, not with what we’re all trying to say about belief & imperfect belief in the life of a Christian. (Mostly, at least. We might all have some differences, but we seem to largely agree.)
Lisa,
You wrote:
You would do well to understand some basic Bible study methods that will help understand the layout of the Bible and how to read passages in their proper context.
You want me to get brain washed like you? No way. he he he
Lisa we obtain Salvation by faith. And we are responsible for that faith God is not.
It is we who take decision to come to Jesus or not. God is not going to do that decision for us.
What God has asked us to do we have to do. God is not going to to them for us.
When Jesus is rebuking saying, “O you of little faith”. That is very clear that it’s our responsibility. And we take one step forward and ask the Lord to help us with our faith he will because He is author and finisher of our faith.
Heb 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hi Michael,
I understand that your intention was to convey that doubt is not ok but you some how ended up justifying doubt. So yes you need to rephrase your article.
Yes, the paragraph you intent to add may help clarify the meaning.
CMP,
Two things.
1.) I’m not sure that you’re using the word “doubt” correctly. It’s hard to say. The “51% faith and 49% doubt” thing… I’m not sure if doubt is identical to “the imperfection in our belief”. Maybe doubt is more active than that.
Maybe it’s not faith unless it’s strong enough to get us to step on the ice. And maybe it’s not doubt unless it’s strong enough to stop us.
At least, I think that’s how people often think about those words. (Honestly, I’m puzzled about how to define “doubt” precisely, biblically.) So… You’re probably going to run into this kind of misunderstanding.
2.) As practical matter… It might be good to avoid uttering the words “It’s OK to doubt” at all, even if you immediately clarify–because it’s almost guaranteed to be misunderstood. Maybe stick with “It’s expected, and it’s not as bad as you fear. Struggle with doubt doesn’t mean that you don’t believe–it means that your belief is imperfect.”
If only because we’re guaranteed to run into bad listeners.
Hi Jugulum,
You seem to be a great negotiator. I was not suppose to compromise but how did I end up compromising and falling in the trap? LOL
Anyway thank you for bringing that clarification.