Apologetics - Doubt in John 20

Is it OK to doubt?

What do you think- is it OK to doubt?

In this context, doubt is defined as uncertainty regarding God or our relation to Him.

Read John 20:24-29

Is doubt a sin?

We can struggle with doubt of all sorts of different kinds- doubt that questions the truth about Jesus and the Bible, doubt about our salvation, doubt about faith and its importance, doubt about why we should follow Jesus and not other religions or beliefs, doubt about why tragedy happens and loved ones are taken away from us, etc.

Let’s establish some foundations

First of all, Jesus knows your unbelief just like He knew Thomas’ unbelief.

1 Samuel 16:7

Lets look at another Gospel account:

Mark 9

Jesus responds to the man who cries out, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

The man’s unbelief was not a rebellion against God or a rejection of God’s promise.. He didn’t deny God or His promise, but rather he desired it.

Perhaps the question we should ask is not if doubt is a sin, but how should we as a follower of Christ deal with doubt?

Let’s be honest, doubt can be powerful! Tomas wouldn’t even believe that Jesus was alive after ten friends tried to change his mind!I hope y’all don’t deal with doubt like I deal with my hip issues…

Has anyone ever faced doubt in here regarding God or your relationship with Him?

I once had many, many questions about the Bible- its origin, reliability, etc.

What are some questions you have wrestled with? Are you wrestling with any now?

Perry Noble: “It’s OK to not be OK… but it’s not OK to stay that way.”

How do you deal with doubt? Or rather, how have you dealt with doubt in the past?

Come to God with sincere questions and doubt, knowing He can and will answer these questions and doubts.

Lean into God… “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

Let this be our prayer!

Matthew 6:8

1 Timothy 2:4

God wants to move you from doubt and unbelief to faith.

God will work it out!

The Bible is right here in front of you!

You have brothers and sisters in Christ God has gifted you for a reason!

We are ashamed. We are afraid. We would rather seem OK to others.

The remedy for doubt is faith, and faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17)

A lot of times our doubt stems from emotion.

Did you know there’s a whole book in the Bible that deals with real, sticky, knotted-up emotions?

Psalms!

Beyond this, your doubts do not trouble God… plus, doubt puts you among some faithful, awesome people in the Bible: Job, Abraham, Sarah, Gideon, John the Baptist, our boy Thomas… etc.

Some well-meaning Christians ignore or stifle true emotions and doubt… and pretend everything is fine. A smaller portion of other Christians, and perhaps worldly nonbelieving people in general, have trended towards airing everything out in public and venting everything they experience and feel in life. Look at our culture.

“We are called to pray our innermost feelings and realities. Not squash them, not spew them out everywhere and ride the waves, but pray them out.” (Keller)

God loves us through our doubt (verse 27). But Christ also calls out, “Stop doubting and believe.”

Do you have a satisfied faith that finds what God has provided to be enough? Blessed are those who have not seen but believe! Yet if there are roadblocks and obstacles… God still beckons you to Himself. Our doubts and fears don’t scare Him or shake Him.

“It’s OK to not be OK… but it’s not OK to stay that way.” Noble

Tonight, I challenge you to face whatever doubt you may be facing right now. Have you been stifling it, or have you been prayerfully bringing it to God?

If you are walking along with God candidly- prepare yourself, for battles will come your way. Satan will attack because that is what he does. College is a difficult time.