I appreciate the post very much and I’m glad it was written (the post at BHT, that is.)

jerry

Thanks for the loud, eloquent admission that you missed the point of my post. I don’t know how else to say it. You missed the point. If you had read carefully, you would have noted that the post is about faith, not doubt.

jerry

Lets start with the scripture you started with.

“And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.” (Matthew 28:17, ESV)

Who do you think God was pleased with? Those who worshiped Him, or those who doubted Him? In context Jesus appears after His death to the 11 disciples, and it says that some worshiped and some doubted Jesus. So, by this context, I would deem the doubt BAD! It is not courageous to doubt. Ever!

Also, understanding this too, the Holy Spirit had not yet come, and the were not yet empowered by the ‘Comforter’. There is no comfort in doubt, interestingly.

There are also times when Jesus ‘chastises’ doubt and unbelief. (Mat 14:31) and in general doubt in Christ or God or His promises or Word is indeed sin. doubt in ourselves is fine, because we are not absolute in our nature nor are we, in ourselves, worthy of absolute trust. We can have faith without doubt in Christ.

Also, the point made by the father of the child in the following story recognized the undesirableness and sinfulness of his unbelief.

“Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”” (Mark 9:24, ESV)

Doubt does not lead me to risk my life for the Gospel. IF I had doubt and not faith, you’d not catch me near China trying to sneak Bibles through customs. You’d never see me trying to convert a Muslim. Doubt does not give courage. Doubt and courage are exclusive and do not mix.

Faith casts out fear. Faith is standing on a certain foundation. I believe in Jesus Christ and His finished work on Calvary. It is not based on doubt; if it were I’d not be saved at all. Certainly that faith is itself a gift from God, but that is the certainty of it. It is not a reliance on myself but on Him and Him alone.

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it” (2 Timothy 3:14, ESV)

If you want to doubt, go right ahead. I know in whom I have believed, and I know, by faith, with no shadow of doubt, He is able to keep me.

it’s a response to both the article and the constant complaints I outlined above that float in the air around these issues.

As usual you have hit the nail on the head.

Many believers, including the one I know best, have been brought to a greater depth of knowledge and intimacy with the Savior via a journey with a combination of brokenness, doubt, searching, confusion, and all with the entire journey filled with complete certainty concerning the Great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.

That sums up my belief perfectly. I am certain as far as I can be about Christ, but realize I could be wrong in the particulars regarding all the rest.

But “certain” carries an absoluteness with which I am uncomfortable as I think is also one of the main points of Jerry’s post.

Those that continually cling to one buoy, from which they can judge all others who are in a journey, are most likely the ones who are supremely insecure about journeying any further than the place they have “occupied” for many years. Many believers, including the one I know best, have been brought to a greater depth of knowledge and intimacy with the Savior via a journey with a combination of brokenness, doubt, searching, confusion, and all with the entire journey filled with complete certainty concerning the Great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.

And when that journey stage is done, I have found myself more certain than I have ever dreamed possible this side of eternity. I have been at the buoy some cling to, and I say to them there are deeper waters and more glorious buoys ahead, if only you would deny yourself and seek Him with all your heart, admitting you are far from the arriving that even the great Apostle had not experienced at his death.

Some attitudes of certainty hinder going deeper in the knowledge of Him, and they are usually grounded in self righteous fear.

Thus the door is open to doubt. And doubt opens the door to faith

.

What? Not one? Upon what shall I base my, uh, belief then? Faith? Pshaw! Thus the door is open to doubt. And doubt opens the door to faith.

might lead one to think you are “reveling” in dobut. Just an impression one can receive from the tenor of your post.

NC: It demonstrates the ambiguity that marks the human self and the human journey and experience of faith.

I agree NC. Is your response in regards to the article on the other blog? I didn’t read that.

“I believe. Help my unbelief.”

It demonstrates the ambiguity that marks the human self and the human journey and experience of faith.

Why is that wrong to say that that story represents a feature of the faith experience and to acknowledge it in contrast to the extra-biblical myths being laid over Christianity?