It is OK to doubt.
Sometimes the Bible equates doubt with the concept of confusion (both willingly or unwillingly). Let’s explore doubt through this idea and see if it makes sense. If it does, we will also discover what to do with doubt.
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There was a time after Jesus left the earth and early days of the church when God’s spirit came upon the disciples (As Jesus said it would) and they began to preach in the language of the many different people who were in Jerusalem
And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.
Acts 2:5-6
This remarkable event had a purpose. It was to ignite and spread the truth, the good news about Jesus. The early church went from a hand full who had been with Jesus to thousands in one day! It was just the beginning. The new converts (or simply those who had been there) would hear the message about Christ and take it back to their homeland. This migration of the message would lay the ground work for the travels and preaching of the disciples by preparing the hearts of those who would hear the story of Jesus confirmed by those who had been with Jesus. They did a similar work of John the Baptist by preparing their friends and loved ones for the reception of the gospel.
‘“Prepare for God’s arrival!
Make the road straight and smooth”
Isaiah 40:3 (The Message)
But, for now, there was a bit of confusion by those who heard the disciples speaking in their own language. Despite this miracle, there were some who doubted.
And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
Acts 2:12
Since they could not explain what was going on, they were confused and it led to doubt.
Not much has changed over the thousands of years. When man cannot understand or explain something, they doubt. It is OK to doubt, but to refuse to seek answers and truth is a mistake.
If you are having doubts about Jesus, it might be that you have not sought the answers. For this study, let’s try to understand why there is so much confusion regarding the truth about God, Jesus, and our purpose on earth.
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If you think about it, your religious preference, world-view, denomination, and thoughts about truth are often “preset” for you based where you were born and your parents. If you are born in North America, you are likely a Christian, either Protestant or Catholic. If you were born in the Mid-East, you are likely Islāmic in your beliefs. Are your parents Chinese? Then likely you would subscribe to some sort of Buddhism.
As a child, you were trained up in the preference of your parents. If your parents never attended church or sought truth, then you too likely have done the same.
With all of us, from different backgrounds, confusion reigns. A simple answer is to say that all are just different paths to the same place. Some might say, there is no “path”; there is no “place.”
But Jesus makes a claim that cuts across this:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
John 14:6
Now if Jesus made this claim, He better be able to support it. Either this is an absolute truth or it is an absolute lie. It (and He) cannot be both.
It is tempting to go down the path of talking about the reality of absolute truth at this point, but I will save it for another time. Instead let’s think about the things that would cloud our thinking and bring confusion and doubt about truth.
Here is a list of 12 items that can bring confusion and doubt in a person’s experience. Before you read this list and think about it, know that there is a loving God who does not want us to be “ignorant” about truth regardless of how we got to a state of confusion.
“…I do not want you to be ignorant…”
1 Corinthians 12:1
- Family religious ancestry (If Grandma’s beliefs were good enough for her, it must be right!)
- Popularity (If the masses believe this way, it must be right!)
- Tradition (It has always been believed this way)
- Dogma (Blindly following a set of creeds and rules for points with God.)
- Shallow study (Not only a cursory approach, but studying to prove a point rather than discovery of truth)
- No study (Gathering around us speakers we like and who support our un-researched beliefs.)
- Education (Especially denominational education) and Science explained with a humanistic agenda. Remember, God is the author of all science!
- Closed-mindedness (Don’t want to know the truth. Might interfere with my lifestyle)
- Feelings (My heart tells me what is truth)
- Good looking, articulate, entertaining ministers (Someone that is good looking and charismatic can’t be wrong!)
- Entertainment and Entertainers (These famous people are smarter than most. Aren’t they?)
- Actual deception from Satan himself (Don’t forget, he can appear as an angel of light. II Corinthians 11:14)
Let’s call these the “Dirty Dozen” for future reference. Notice what is missing in all of these: A personal knowledge and experience with God and his word! What do you think would happen if we earnestly asked Jesus, directly, for truth from His word through the work of the Holy Spirit? What would happen if we honestly wanted to know truth, regardless of the presence of the Dirty Dozen? How many Christians do this? How many search like their lives depended on it? Has church attendance become a routine and social event rather than worship and search for truth.
It should not be a surprise that the enemy of mankind can (and does) use the “Dirty Dozen” to keep truth from doing its work of introducing the lost to Jesus; building up the body of Christ; and enriching our experience with God. Is that a fair statement? He is the father of all lies
He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
John 8:44
Actually, the Dirty Dozen is on automatic pilot in a world of sin. Our sinful nature and those 12 items listed above can do their work on their own without Satan being just over your shoulder. He is not omnipresent, like God, is he?
So much to overcome in the pursuit of truth! But, take heart! God is working to draw every person on planet earth towards the one and only true God; towards truth about Him and His life saving teachings! He does not want anyone to perish. That is why the gospel must go to the whole world for a witness. Yes, to the Chinese, the Japanese, the Asians, the Latino, the African, the English, Americans….everyone! Christianity is not an just for King James English speaking people. God and his written word is greater than the dirty dozen and greater than the boundaries of language, space, and culture! He draws every person born onto the planet towards him…inviting us to search for truth. If we search, we will find it!
That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
John 1:9
And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”
John 12:32
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
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Most Important Truth
At the very core of every doctrine is the character of God. It is often overlooked that the reason Jesus came to this earth was not only to live a sinless life; pay for our sins by his death on the cross; and to reveal the power of God through his resurrection, but to reveal the true character of God and therefore draw people into salvation. By the time Jesus arrived on the scene, the truth about the character of God had been turned into a lie. Would you agree with that? How had it turned into a lie? Well meaning followers were influenced by the “professional” religious leaders (Scribes and Pharisees) in the interpretation of God’s word and character. There were so many rules and misunderstandings that the creator God, they professed to know, was in their presence and he was not even recognized.
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
John 1:10
Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.
John 8:19
Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
John 14:8-9
It is so important that we “know” the true character of God the Father and Jesus our Creator, that Jesus equates it with salvation and having eternal life:
And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
John 17:3 (New King James Version)
He goes on further in explaining this important concept of knowing God as the basis of salvation. In the following text, he discloses that there are many who think they know God and even have the works to prove it (or do they), but they are lost, because of this lack of knowledge!
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Matthew 7:21-23
Interesting that these people look like Christians and even have some of the spiritual gifts and works, but they practice lawlessness. In other words, they have the form of godliness but deny its power. 2 Timothy 3:5.
If we “know” him, we know not only about him, but we know his character, his motives, and his feelings. We find out about him through: His word, the life of Jesus, other born-again Christians, His work though other people, nature, even through working with him and doing his will. Very important that we are willing to do his biding, because if we are not willing to follow, not only will we fail to get to know him better, but we will become confused about his teaching:
“If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.”
John 7:17
The power of the dirty dozen is not to be underestimated. Any one of them can, at the least, can prove to hinder a relationship with Jesus and at the worse lead to making “Christ of no effect” Galatians 5:4 (King James Version). In the end, a true knowledge of God is not just facts or an understanding of his historical actions, but a present personal relationship with him. When you do know him, you will know that he is forgiving, slow to anger, has your best interest in mind, etc.
The only way to overcome confusion is through a personal study and application of the powerful word of God created by a desire to find out the truth about God. In the end, however, it is not how much you know that saves you, but how well you know Jesus. Today, He invites you to:
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Matthew 11:29
How about it? Are you ready to start your Jesus Journey?