Doubt and Believe

Faith in Jesus replaced our temporal doubts with eternal hope. When we doubt means we disobeyed God. In term of "obedience" we are to present our bodies "as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God." A faithful Christian will learn and see to it that his/her anticipations conform to the revealed Word of God and he/she has nothing to doubt or fear in life or in death. When people are teaching doctrines wrongly, fear is created. Certain doctrines have planted false fear throughout Christian history. Worst case scenerio, fear of something would happen is always often in everyone's mind. Jude 1:22-23 NIV Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. A faithful Christian will learn and see to it that his/her anticipations conform to the revealed Word of God and he/she has nothing to doubt or fear in life or in death. Doubt is doctrinal belief is what we hold in teachings. Real faith is the practical belief is what you hold in reality and what holds you in your day-to-day living as those great faiths in the Bible who didn't have similar doctrines as we do today. The Holy Spirit manifests Christ into our human spirit, not to our physical eyes. Without the Holy Spirit, human pride often create the confusions and seeing contradictions that are plainly outside the field of human understanding. There are people who keep saying that the Bible contradicts because there are many doubters in this world requiring proof, if by knowledge means facts. These doubters often do not trust the Holy Spirit. Therefore, those who believe that the Bible contradicts should blame themselves for unbelief when their trouble is nothing more than inability to visualize. The Bible cannot be comprehended by the human mind alone. We are to rely on the Holy Spirit which will give us divine revelation that will assures us that certain things are true which our human imagination cannot grasp. With the help from the Holy Spirit, we believe but we cannot see in the human mind's eyes. Christian faith is inward, not outward. It is of the spirit and not of the flesh. The kingdom of God is within you, Christ dwells in your heart, and "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27) is the burning core of the Christian faith. So Christianity, the true Christian faith, is inward in nature--we are to be inwardly Christians. Therefore the my personal relationship with God through the Holy Spirit gave me GREAT assurance of my faith. Quotes relating to "Doubt" When you cannot answer a skeptic, be content to wait for more light; but never forsake a great principle. J.C. Ryle Our peace and confidence are to be found not in our empirical holiness, not in our progress toward perfection, but in the alien righteousness of Jesus Christ that covers our sinfulness and alone makes us acceptable before a holy God. Donald Bloesch Can a mortal ask questions which God finds unanswerable? Quite easily, I should think. All nonsense questions are unanswerable. C.S. Lewis Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength. Corrie ten Boom Our twentieth century, far from being notable for scientific scepticism, is one of the most credulous eras in all history. It is not that people believe in nothing - which would be bad enough - but that they believe in anything - which is really terrible. Malcolm Muggeridge Faith recognizes the fact that God is in control of my life. Whether I believe it or not, it's a fact that God is in control of the world. If I don't believe it, I"m just robbing myself of the enjoyment of the fact. Paul Little "Faith never means gullibility. The man who believes everything is as far from God as the man who refuses to believe anything." The Root of the Righteous, 120. Faith A.W. Tozer Some have called me "Doubter". Can you choose to believe? Can you choose not to? How does belief come? On the opposite end of a scale from "doubt", is belief and doubt manifestations of the same substance? Or are they apples and oranges, one effecting the other. "Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16). Is the lack of belief unbelief? Or is unbelief simply belief in something opposite of what you are desiring? Example: Belief in sickness is unbelief in health & belief in health unbelief in sickness. Actually, people like me actually believe but in a different way than some of you do. If we could see the end result of things from God’s view point, instead of asking “Why?”, we should be responding in FAITH and allow God to use our disavantage for HIS Glory. In Gal. 4:13-14, he writes "As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself." Paul also suffered from a "thorn in the flesh" which he unsuccessfully petitioned to have the Lord remove (2 Cor. 12:7-9). God does heal but only according to His will, not ours. Those who are not healed are not at fault. Its not about lack of faith or our sins or anything like that. The bible explains that each of our faith always pleases God, because it comes to grips with our own reality. If you know someone who is suffering, be careful what we say because your best guess as to the reason for someone's suffering is likely to be way off. God knows the reasons. We need to remember, God is God and He KNOWS ALL. Ecclesiastes 8:17 then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it. Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny ? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. I used to believe such doctrines but I don't. Instead, I believe in God who is able to do ALL things according to His Will. Faith is focusing on God's decision. It isn't that He just hasn't gotten around to doing it, He has a purpose. All circumstances can turn people to God. Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. God will always accomplish His purposes in His eternal time. According to faith, I am whole in God's eternal promises. We must remember that God does not see time from our perspective. It does not mean that God does not recognize time. It does not say that there is no time with God, but time does not impact God the way it impacts us. A Spirit-lead believer (non-doubter) is outlined in Galatians 5:22-23 "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." That we should "not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30) That if we have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make our joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. (Philippians 2:1-2). Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God (Colossians 3:16). Christians will call other Christians "doubter" simply because of doctrine of faith rather than "faith in God".