HANDLING DOUBTS ABOUT THE FAITH (Apostasy 2019 – 2)
In my previous blog I wrote about why well-known Christians like Josh Harris and Marty Sampson are leaving the faith. I think the emphasis today on valuing feelings more than facts has spilled over to the church and influences those who don’t keep their eyes on Jesus and God’s Word. These men, and others, have expressed doubts about the validity of Christianity and the truth of the Bible in today’s world.
God gave us minds and wants us to use them. He gives us facts in the Bible to base our faith on. Truth, not emotions, is to be the basis of our faith. The church must refocus on God’s Word and emphasize preaching and teaching (2 Timothy 4:2; John 21:15-17; Ephesians 4:12). John Cooper from the Christian band Skillet wrote a lengthy Facebook post responding to Marty Sampson’s criticism of Christianity. Among other things, he said, “It is time for the church to rediscover the preeminence of the Word. And to value the teaching of the Word. We need to value truth over feeling. Truth over emotion. … Brothers and sisters in the faith all around the world, pastors, teachers, worship leaders, influencers…I implore you, please please in your search for relevancy for the gospel, let us NOT find creative ways to shape Gods word into the image of our culture by stifling inconvenient truths. But rather let us hold on even tighter to the anchor of the living Word of God. For He changes NOT. “The grass withers and the flowers fade away, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8)”
Yes, Christians have to deal with hard questions about suffering in the lives of innocent people, the reality of hell for those who reject God’s free gift of salvation, scientists who (falsely) claim science conflicts with the Bible and the issue of same-sex marriage. There are plenty of good web sites to help you understand these things. Or you can email me (jerry@schmoyer.net) and I’ll gladly talk about them with you. (more about this in the next 2 blogs)
Hebrews 11:1-3 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
How do you handle your doubts? Do you ignore them, go by how you feel at the moment or turn to the truth of God’s Word instead?