Doubt

John 20v24-29

Part 3

24^th April 2026

In my last two articles, I wrote about a number of Bible characters who had doubts. These included Thomas, Peter, the other 10 disciples, Abraham, Sarah, Gideon and John the Baptist. If you have doubts, you're in good company. Those examples also show us that we can doubt many different things.

Also, our doubts change over time. I've walked with God for 53 years now, with less than perfect wisdom, commitment and obedience. Or, perhaps I should say, God has held on to me. I have fewer doubts than I once did. Continual contact with God, with the Bible – His word, and with the church – His people, changes a person.

Romans 12v2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…

This process takes time. As we faithfully study the Bible, pray, celebrate the Lord's Supper, sometimes called Communion, and spend time with God's people, our minds are renewed. Part of that renewal is that some Christian doctrines, which we once doubted or just didn't understand, become certainties for us.

I no longer doubt such basic truths as God is Trinity, Jesus is God, His sacrifice on the cross pays for my sin, I am forgiven, my destiny in heaven is assured, the Bible is true. I no longer doubt the Virgin Birth. I no longer doubt that Jesus lived a sinless life, that He was crucified, died and rose again three days later. I no longer doubt that Biblical ethics are better than worldly ethics. I no longer doubt that Jesus will return to earth, the Day of Judgement will happen, and I will be accepted into glory on the basis of my faith in the redeeming blood of Jesus, that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. I don't doubt that God is perfect in every way. I don't doubt:

Ephesians 1v11
In [God] we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.

God has done a wonderful work in me, and in all Christians. What we used to doubt, we now know is true. His Holy Spirit convinces us.

I do have doubts, though. I doubt, sometimes, that I'm living the life God is calling me to live. I doubt, often, that I hear God clearly when He speaks to me. I doubt my understanding of the Bible, so I read books written by faithful and reliable Bible scholars to check my interpretation.

I don't doubt that I'm accepted, loved and included by God. I do doubt, sometimes, that I'm accepted, loved and included by the church. Perhaps that's just me. I don't doubt that the Lord's Supper does me good. I do sometimes doubt that I'm partaking of it with a pure heart. I don't doubt that God is calling me forward, deeper into Himself and His purposes. I do doubt, sometimes, that I'm making the right choices. In short, I don't doubt God, but I do doubt myself.

I also doubt the church, God's people. I think I'm right to do so. God is perfect. We're not. I remember too many times when I've made foolish, selfish, sinful decisions. I remember too many times when I've seen other Christians make foolish, selfish, sinful decisions. God never does. We can fully trust in God. We can't fully trust ourselves, or each other. Some Christians are more trustworthy than others, but none of us is as trustworthy as God.

I'd like to finish with three pieces of advice.

Firstly, is your faith weak? Then it's OK to echo this prayer from Mark 9v24, "I believe; help my unbelief!" It's good to be honest with God. It's not like He doesn't know.

Secondly, some Christians doubt that they're truly forgiven. Some of us doubt that we're truly saved. Some doubt that we're guaranteed eternal life. The Bible's response to these doubts is:

2 Peter 1:5-10
… make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so short-sighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure…

That is, if we grow in Christian virtues, we will be assured that we are truly chosen, truly called, and truly saved. We will be assured because we will see that God is sanctifying us, making us more like Jesus.

As 2 Timothy 2v19 tells us, "The Lord knows those who are his". He knows who is saved and who is lost, and God wants us to know that we're saved. Sanctification is the demonstration that we're saved.

Thirdly, perhaps some of us doubt the basic truths of the Christian faith, whether in general or just as they pertain to ourselves. If that's true of you, I suggest you invest serious time in studying the Bible and listening to sound preaching. That great American theologian R. C. Sproul once said, "I think the greatest weakness in the church today is that almost no-one believes that God invests His power in the Bible. Everyone is looking for power in a programme, in a technique, in anything and everything except where God has placed it: His word."

God is trustworthy. We need not doubt God. God's word is trustworthy. We need not doubt the Bible. We need not doubt that Jesus achieved what He intended to achieve when He went to the cross. We need not doubt that God is in control of human history, including our own lives. He is, after all, God. He is almighty, He is wise, He is loving and He is good. And He loves us, whether we doubt or not.