Doubt

3,004 Views | 40 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by Athanasius
dds08
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Could some forms or degrees of doubt be considered a sin on faith and faithfulness?
Pro Sandy
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Is this an academic question or is something going on in your life?
Martin Q. Blank
How long do you want to ignore this user?
But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. Rom. 14:23
dds08
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Pro Sandy said:

Is this an academic question or is something going on in your life?
A little of both I guess.
Zobel
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Doubt is part of the human condition. "Lord I believe, help my unbelief."
schmendeler
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
dds08 said:

Could some forms or degrees of doubt be considered a sin on faith and faithfulness?
be wary of things that tell you not to listen to your voice of reason, and instead to just "trust".
bmks270
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Some yes, some no?
Pro Sandy
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Is doubt a sin? Sure. It is a lack of faith. But when we look throughout the Bible, we find that God is sympathetic to doubt.

When Abraham and Sarah doubt that they will be able to have a child at their elderly age, God doesn't revoke his promise, but reassures.

When the disciples of John the Baptist come to Jesus doubting if he is indeed the messiah, he reassures them by reminding them of the miracles and the testimony of John the Baptist.

When Zechariah doubted that he could have a son, God made him mute for a time, but did not revoke the promise.

When Thomas doubted that it was the risen Christ, Jesus offered his side and hands as proof that it was him.

God hears us cry out about our doubt in faith and listens. He knows that faith is a very difficult thing. Jesus tells Thomas that we who believe based on faith are blessed.

Many times, I think God reminds us of things that He has done in our lives as reassurance that He is who He says He is. In the ark of the covenant, they carried reminders of what God had done for them. The Hebrew festivals were to serve as a reminder of what God had done for them. We celebrate Christmas and Easter as a reminder of what God has done for us through Jesus. These markers in our life are things we can return to when doubt creeps in.

I do not think our salvation is in jeopardy when we doubt. We see how God responds to those who doubt, he keeps His promise. His promise of salvation remains even when we doubt, because the promise of salvation is dependent on the finished work of Christ.

Is it a sin? Sure. Does God still love you and keep His promise even when you doubt? Undoubtedly.
The Debt
How long do you want to ignore this user?

In many occasions in the Bible the translation of "faith" is best understood as "trust". Those concepts are often linked. So what is the opposite of trust? What does that tell us about doubt?
dds08
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
schmendeler said:

dds08 said:

Could some forms or degrees of doubt be considered a sin on faith and faithfulness?
be wary of things that tell you not to listen to your voice of reason, and instead to just "trust".
+1
dds08
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Pro Sandy said:

Is doubt a sin? Sure. It is a lack of faith. But when we look throughout the Bible, we find that God is sympathetic to doubt.

When Abraham and Sarah doubt that they will be able to have a child at their elderly age, God doesn't revoke his promise, but reassures.

When the disciples of John the Baptist come to Jesus doubting if he is indeed the messiah, he reassures them by reminding them of the miracles and the testimony of John the Baptist.

When Zechariah doubted that he could have a son, God made him mute for a time, but did not revoke the promise.

When Thomas doubted that it was the risen Christ, Jesus offered his side and hands as proof that it was him.

God hears us cry out about our doubt in faith and listens. He knows that faith is a very difficult thing. Jesus tells Thomas that we who believe based on faith are blessed.

Many times, I think God reminds us of things that He has done in our lives as reassurance that He is who He says He is. In the ark of the covenant, they carried reminders of what God had done for them. The Hebrew festivals were to serve as a reminder of what God had done for them. We celebrate Christmas and Easter as a reminder of what God has done for us through Jesus. These markers in our life are things we can return to when doubt creeps in.

I do not think our salvation is in jeopardy when we doubt. We see how God responds to those who doubt, he keeps His promise. His promise of salvation remains even when we doubt, because the promise of salvation is dependent on the finished work of Christ.

Is it a sin? Sure. Does God still love you and keep His promise even when you doubt? Undoubtedly.
+1
dds08
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
The Debt said:


In many occasions in the Bible the translation of "faith" is best understood as "trust". Those concepts are often linked. So what is the opposite of trust? What does that tell us about doubt?
+1
dds08
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
How about when Peter saw Jesus walking on water and Jesus told him to come near? Peter began to sink once the wind started blowing and Jesus came and took hold of him.
Pro Sandy
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
dds08 said:

How about when Peter saw Jesus walking on water and Jesus told him to come near? Peter began to sink once the wind started blowing and Jesus came and took hold of him.
Absolutely.

He doubts with Jesus standing right in front of him. Yet Jesus rescues Peter.

If he is sympathetic to those who doubted in his physical presence, how much more will he be to those of us today?
gordo97
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Peter stepped out of the boat..... he doubted a whole lot less than the rest of those that stayed in the boat
rbcs_2
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
dds08 said:

How about when Peter saw Jesus walking on water and Jesus told him to come near? Peter began to sink once the wind started blowing and Jesus came and took hold of him.
Oddly enough, this is one of the stories that led me down the doubting path.
Zobel
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Kinda. "Lord if it is you tell me to come."

What is Jesus supposed to say? It is Him. That scene is always somehow comical to me.
dds08
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
How about Jonah when he fled to Tarsish? Perhaps he wasn't doubtful, insomuch as just plain disobedient.
dds08
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
In Matthew 17 Jesus said it was the disciples' unbelief that caused them to not be able to cast out the demon from the boy who would throw himself into fire and water(try to drown himself).

I would like to know more about the doubt they had. What was the doubt and to what extent was it?

Are there certain things that will only be healed, as Jesus said, by prayer and fasting?

I admit that I pray, however as far as fasting. Not so much.

When I think of fasting, often times, I immediately think of refraining from food. However, I would consider a refrain from tv or other things as fasting too, in a way.
Pro Sandy
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
dds08 said:

In Matthew 17 Jesus said it was the disciples' unbelief that caused them to not be able to cast out the demon from the boy who would throw himself into fire and water(try to drown himself).

I would like to know more about the doubt they had. What was the doubt and to what extent was it?
I don't know. He says it is because of little faith, which sounds like doubt. The extent, I don't know.

Quote:

Are there certain things that will only be healed, as Jesus said, by prayer and fasting?
He says so, so yes.

Quote:

I admit that I pray, however as far as fasting. Not so much.

When I think of fasting, often times, I immediately think of refraining from food. However, I would consider a refrain from tv or other things as fasting too, in a way.
I think fasting is an often forgotten about spiritual practice. I saw a while back that only 15% of protestants fasted. Jesus expects that we will fast. When asked why his disciples didn't fast, Jesus said "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast." Numerous examples in Acts of disciples practicing fasting. Martin Luther fasted so much his friends worried for his health.

Wyoming Aggie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I don't see how anyone can consider themselves to be a true believer without ever going through at least one phase of doubt or questioning. If you never once have had a doubt, then how can you possibly grow? You're just mindlessly believing in something at that point just because people told you to.
agie95
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Jonah's issue had nothing to do with doubt
gordo97
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Jonah was a racist
dds08
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
RockTXAggie said:

I don't see how anyone can consider themselves to be a true believer without ever going through at least one phase of doubt or questioning. If you never once have had a doubt, then how can you possibly grow? You're just mindlessly believing in something at that point just because people told you to.
Not necessarily so. There is nothing wrong with believing what people tell you (assuming it's all truth). If it's all truth, there is no error in that.
Wyoming Aggie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
dds08 said:

RockTXAggie said:

I don't see how anyone can consider themselves to be a true believer without ever going through at least one phase of doubt or questioning. If you never once have had a doubt, then how can you possibly grow? You're just mindlessly believing in something at that point just because people told you to.
Not necessarily so. There is nothing wrong with believing what people tell you (assuming it's all truth). If it's all truth, there is no error in that.


How do you know it is truth if you never question it? Again, you're just blindly doing what others tell you.
Sapper Redux
How long do you want to ignore this user?
This is why I don't get folks saying doubt is a sin. God doesn't show himself in creation or actively visit people. Everything found in the Bible is 1800 years old at the youngest. Why shouldn't people question such a deity? Why is that a sin?
Wyoming Aggie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Dr. Watson said:

This is why I don't get folks saying doubt is a sin. God doesn't show himself in creation or actively visit people. Everything found in the Bible is 1800 years old at the youngest. Why shouldn't people question such a deity? Why is that a sin?

Exactly. It's human nature to question things. We all believe in Santa until we grasp the concept of critical thinking. At some point, you have to question the existence of God if you're a living, breathing human being. It's just natural. And honestly, I have a hard time believing God would fault someone for questioning. It's called faith, afterall.
dds08
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Dr. Watson said:

This is why I don't get folks saying doubt is a sin. God doesn't show himself in creation or actively visit people. Everything found in the Bible is 1800 years old at the youngest. Why shouldn't people question such a deity? Why is that a sin?
This thread assumes a certain level of faith, that you are at least a born again believer in Christ and that he is your savior.

The faith I speak of is the faith referenced in Galatians 5:23-23:

But the fruit that the Spirit produces in a person's life is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these kinds of things.
Post removed:
by user
dds08
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
AstroAg17 said:

I don't understand what the questioning process is if someone has faith. What questions could you be asking?
A believer in Christ may go through life and certainly have doubts. The development of faith is a never-ending process, once someone becomes a believer, till the day Christ returns.

I doubt anyone achieves perfect faith, except Jesus.
Post removed:
by user
dds08
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
AstroAg17 said:

Jesus didn't need faith, he had knowledge.
I wouldn't say it's a question of need necessarily. If one of the fruits of the Spirit is Faith, then I would be willing to believe The Father/Son/Holy Ghost have faith too.

You determine what a tree is by the fruit it produces.
dds08
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
RockTXAggie said:

Dr. Watson said:

This is why I don't get folks saying doubt is a sin. God doesn't show himself in creation or actively visit people. Everything found in the Bible is 1800 years old at the youngest. Why shouldn't people question such a deity? Why is that a sin?

Exactly. It's human nature to question things. We all believe in Santa until we grasp the concept of critical thinking. At some point, you have to question the existence of God if you're a living, breathing human being. It's just natural. And honestly, I have a hard time believing God would fault someone for questioning. It's called faith, afterall.
I love what Jesus says about faith in Matthew 17:

Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"

20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." [21] [a]
dds08
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I don't do this very often, however, as a rational, logical, physical being with senses and perception, it seems faith and the human physical body are are like grease to water. They don't mix very well and it doesn't bode well to question logic or question what one can see, hear, feel, smell, taste, and touch.

Faith even dances with logic, like when the children of Israel walked through the Red Sea once God parted it; they made it to the other side. The Egyptian army danced with this faith of the waters parting, (by indeed walking on through via dry land), however, unlike the children of Israel, the waters swallowed them (the Egyptian Army) up!

I know about gravity and electricity. Certain, "invisible" things are there and you can notsee them, yes, yes, certainly,

Miracles are by nature at times events that catch people off guard "unexpectedly" as well as disaster and chaos.

Faith and the physical and reality seem to be such contradictions! It's mind-boggling, and hard to wrap my brain around!

Just thinking out loud!

dds08
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
One may certainly indeed experience confusion and running amok.

I wouldn't necessarily characterize this period as doubt, but it certainly isn't self-efficacy and control.

It hurts. It's painful. It's a pull. Chaos.
Page 1 of 2
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.