When We Doubt...
Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:5-6)
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. (John 14:11)
No, this is NOT a rant about my own doubts. Maybe if you go through this blog's archives, you might find one. T
This post is, instead, about other believers' doubts about the truth of Christianity.
Perhaps some Christians might have doubts as to whether some other religion happens to be right and theirs, wrong. This, I think, is uncommon. For a Christian, from the get go, ought to be already have some satisfaction in his or her religion (even if he might not be saved). This satisfaction is not unbiblical, however. But we must not, I think, base our assurance of salvation (or anything else, for that matter) on feelings alone. We have the Bible for that.
I certainly can't generalize the kind of doubts I have, but I would venture to say that most Christians doubt as to whether there is anything beyond this realm. If there is indeed, something supernatural, if there is indeed a God. The thought of materialism being in the end true strikes dread to us Christians. Yet that explanation of reality is something that we sometimes wander to. We wonder if it is indeed, true.
There is also the question if we can truly know anything for certain. The fact that there is so many conflicting facts (or "facts") thrown at us sometimes pulls us into the pit of discouragement.
However, that doesn't mean that we can never know anything for sure. It just means we haven't thought through these things properly. The concede that certainty is a castle in the sky on this ground alone would be, at best, laziness and unwillingness to sort out the facts.
The Bible can be clearly understood. It is reasonable to assume that God would ensure the perspicuity of Scripture for his children. At the very least, He would ensure that the most important parts of scripture can be clearly understood.
Looking at the Bible verses above, we see something clear and undeniable. Jesus said that he is The Way, The Truth, and The Life. Let us start from there.
Or else, "believe on the account of the works themselves". It means simply, to believe his miracles which attested to his Godhood. I think a case in point here is the resurrection. Jesus claimed that he was God. And he rose from the dead*. Go figure!
___________
* See here for a thorough article defending the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus.
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. (John 14:11)
No, this is NOT a rant about my own doubts. Maybe if you go through this blog's archives, you might find one. T
This post is, instead, about other believers' doubts about the truth of Christianity.
Perhaps some Christians might have doubts as to whether some other religion happens to be right and theirs, wrong. This, I think, is uncommon. For a Christian, from the get go, ought to be already have some satisfaction in his or her religion (even if he might not be saved). This satisfaction is not unbiblical, however. But we must not, I think, base our assurance of salvation (or anything else, for that matter) on feelings alone. We have the Bible for that.
I certainly can't generalize the kind of doubts I have, but I would venture to say that most Christians doubt as to whether there is anything beyond this realm. If there is indeed, something supernatural, if there is indeed a God. The thought of materialism being in the end true strikes dread to us Christians. Yet that explanation of reality is something that we sometimes wander to. We wonder if it is indeed, true.
There is also the question if we can truly know anything for certain. The fact that there is so many conflicting facts (or "facts") thrown at us sometimes pulls us into the pit of discouragement.
However, that doesn't mean that we can never know anything for sure. It just means we haven't thought through these things properly. The concede that certainty is a castle in the sky on this ground alone would be, at best, laziness and unwillingness to sort out the facts.
The Bible can be clearly understood. It is reasonable to assume that God would ensure the perspicuity of Scripture for his children. At the very least, He would ensure that the most important parts of scripture can be clearly understood.
Looking at the Bible verses above, we see something clear and undeniable. Jesus said that he is The Way, The Truth, and The Life. Let us start from there.
Or else, "believe on the account of the works themselves". It means simply, to believe his miracles which attested to his Godhood. I think a case in point here is the resurrection. Jesus claimed that he was God. And he rose from the dead*. Go figure!
___________
* See here for a thorough article defending the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus.
This entry was posted
on Friday, June 09, 2006 at 3:25 PM.
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