"When in doubt . . ."
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What should we do with doubt?
Intro
Intro
Hurricane Harvey & Irma - They were big and Iram impacted our lives didn’t it?
Christians begin to doubt don’t we
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
We wonder how God could allow such things
Many have doubted in Scripture
Adam and eve doubted, Abraham doubted, Moses doubted
Disciples doubted
Storm came and boat rocked and they asked Jesus:
And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
Doubt is a natural human response
But, it is a sinful response
Drama
Drama
Thomas was Obstinate
“Unless I see . . .”
Jesus responds to Thomas doubts
“Peace be with you”
Doctrine
Doctrine
Faith:
Man’s Nature is obstinately faithless
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Total Depravity
Unable to save oneself
Faithless
There are degrees of faith
The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition Chapter XIV. Of Saving Faith
III. This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong; may be often and many ways assailed and weakened, but gets the victory;l growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ, who is both the author and finisher of our faith.n
Paul uses Abraham as an example
For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.
That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.
That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
Rom 4:14-
Faith would no longer would be associated with sight
Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Faith is given by Jesus Christ
Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,
“I have been found by those who did not seek me;
I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”
The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition Chapter XIV. Of Saving Faith
THE grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts,b and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the word: by which also, and by the administration of the sacraments, and prayer, it is increased and strengthened.d
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,
We are blessed because we have not seen and believe
Sermon on the mount - Beatitudes
Jesus teaching on the Kingdom of Heaven and new way of things
Resurrection brings newness
Also, brings restoration
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Rom 5
Doxology
Doxology
Praise God that He has revealed Himself to you through faith in Jesus Christ
If you don’t have this faith you don’t have because you don’t ask it.
You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.
If you don’t have this faith you don’t have because you don’t ask it.
Or you ask wrongly
You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
That he hasn’t left you faithless
Rich Young Ruler - walks away
And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him.
Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Praise God that faith will be victorious and is increased
How are you growing in your faith?
Have you grown to a point that you are sharing your faith with others?
Consider those still lost in their doubt
Your sphere of influence
Who are the doubters?
Point them to Christ
It’s Jesus who made Thomas able to believe
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”
Illus: Dr. Burk Parsons
For our assurance of salvation is not based on our circumstances, our feelings, or our perfection—but on our doctrine. Our Father is the source of our assurance, Christ is the ground of our assurance, and the Spirit is the sustainer of our assurance. And our assurance is not established on the strength of our faith but on the object of our faith, Jesus Christ. Therefore, when we doubt, let us remember that when Abraham counted the stars, he was counting you, me, and all those chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.