THINGS THAT CHRISTIANS CAN'T TALK ABOUT, Part 1 - Doubt

 THINGS THAT CHRISTIANS CAN'T TALK ABOUT, Part 1 - Doubt

There are several things that Christian’s can’t talk about — not because Christians are incapable of doing so, nor because they are forbidden from doing so, but because they can’t bring themselves to talk about it. Perhaps this is because when a person is redeemed from their old way of life, all his or her negative aspects are expected to be done away with as result. But this is not everyone’s experience. Sometimes, life gets messy, messed-up, and quite frankly – massively disappointing for some. Thus, believers who are supposed to ‘have it all figured out’, feel they can’t talk about: their doubts, their depression, their fear of death, and their marriages that are at risk of divorce. Their reluctance to do so could be because they might be thought of by other Christians as “weak”. But sadly, this reluctance to talk about their struggles with someone they trust only tends to compound their struggles. As a pastor it troubles me to see believers struggle like this. So, I would like to pastorally share some thoughts about this taboo topic of doubt in what will be part 1 in this short series of pastor’s desk articles of four taboo topics that Christians can’t talk about.

 

DEFINING FAITH

“I’ve been having lots of doubts lately.”
“You just need more faith!”

Unfortunately this kind of problem<>solution conversation happens way too often. It reveals two bigger problems. Firstly, it fails to appreciate that there are different kinds of doubt; and, secondly, it seems to misunderstand what faith is and the role it plays in dealing with doubt. Consider how this conversation might have gone – 

“I’ve been having lots of doubts lately.”
“How so?”
“I keep praying and God doesn’t seem to be answering my prayers.”
”Anything else?”
“Well yes. It’s got me wondering whether I’m really saved or not. After all, if I was really saved then God would answer all my prayers, wouldn’t He!”
“How do you know that God is not answering your prayers?”
“Because what I’ve been praying for hasn’t happened yet.”
“I see. Sometimes even those people in the Bible went through what you’ve been going through – with unanswered prayers and doubts about whether God really loved them – and I think that what you’ve been experiencing is pretty normal for most believers. Do you remember what happened to John the Baptist after he baptised Jesus when he saw the Holy Spirit descend upon Jesus and then heard the booming voice of the Father from heaven?”
“Yes. He was later locked up in jail and then sent messengers to Jesus asking if He was really the Messiah.”
“That’s right. His prayers had not been answered and he was perhaps wondering whether God loved him anymore.”

Not every admission of doubt should be treated with a dismissal such as “You need more faith!” Let’s look at the two problems this kind of dismissal reveals.

1. THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF DOUBT

¶ Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him,
“Are You the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?”  And Jesus answered them,
“Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.
And blessed is the one who is not offended by Me.”
¶ As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John:
“What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing?
Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. What then did you go out to see? A prophet?
Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written,
“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’
¶ Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist.
Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Matthew 11:2-11

John the Baptist’s doubt was circumstantial (his circumstances where negative). He was imprisoned and was probably despondent. But even at that low point, he remedied his doubt by asking for reasons to keep believing. Jesus did not condemn him for having doubts. In fact, he paid John the Baptiser the highest compliment (Matt. 11:11). Some doubts need a pastoral response that provides reassurance.

2. THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF FAITH

Some people regard faith as ‘believing things that cannot be proven’. There are, of course, some things that I believe for which I cannot prove are true. For example, I believe in the proposition that: my wife loves me. I feel that I have good reasons for believing this is true. But I can’t support my faith in this proposition with mathematics or a piece of objective evidence. All I have to rest my faith on the belief that my wife loves me is my thirty-seven-year friendship with Kim in which I have observed her self-sacrificing for my happiness and welfare; and, her daily testimony when she tells me, “I love you.” Faith can be based on what we have experienced when it aligns with supporting evidence.

I have faith about some things that I have never seen. I have never physically seen Jerusalem. But I have faith that it exists. Of course I have seen photographs and film footage of it, but there is a risk I am prepared to take in the work of photographers and journalists that they are being truthful. Added to this visual evidence, I also have the eye-witness testimonies of people in whom I trust who have actually been to Jerusalem. Faith can be grounded in the eye-witness testimonies of those who are trustworthy.

Therefore, genuine faith is grounded not just in personal experiences but in experiences that are supported by the observable and consistent evidence of reliable witnesses – including yourself. This means that faith is “trusting the evidence”. This is why Jesus rebuked Thomas the apostle for his refusal to believe the testimony of those he knew could be trusted-

¶ Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them,
“Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails,
and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
¶ Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them.
Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said,
“Peace be with you.” 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.”
Thomas answered Him, “My Lord and my God!”  Jesus said to him,
“Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 20:25-29

 

DEFINING ‘DOUBT’

John the Baptist’s doubt was a cry for reassurance. Thomas’s doubt was a rejection of those whom he had known were trustworthy. But there is also false doubt where someone ceases to have faith – not because there are no longer good reasons to believe or good reasons to disbelieve, but because a person no longer wants it to be true. Paul refers to two of his former colleagues who “rejected and shipwrecked” their faith because they became more attracted to the enticement of what may have been sexual sin-

holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith,
among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
First Timothy 1:19-20

Yet, there is a kind of genuine doubt that comes from a lack of awareness of appropriate evidence. This kind of doubt requires evidences and good reasons for believing (1Peter 3:15-16).

Then there is a kind of doubt that is actually a spiritual attack which Paul describes as “the flaming darts of the evil one” in Ephesians 6:16 where the enemy lures the child of God away from the source of their spiritual strength – 

In all circumstances take up the shield of faith,
with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
Ephesians 6:16

This kind of doubt requires being reminded of what God’s Word says. This is why the enemy seeks to keep the child of God from reading the Bible, hearing and experiencing the preaching of God’s Word with God’s people, and sharing with other believers in their small group.

Every believer is going to be subject to doubts. Some genuine doubts might sincerely question God, His Word, and His love. Some other doubts may be masking a battle with temptation to gratify sinful desires. But there is a healthy way to deal with both of these kinds of doubts.

 

DEALING WITH DOUBT

Doubt is normal. Questions that arise from having doubts nearly always have a reasonable answer. Hopefully by now you have heard me say that if you are battling with, or not battling with, your doubts, you should talk with a fellow believer in whom you trust. If you are run-down and battling with illness or injury in which you are physically vulnerable, then let you small group know about it so that they can pray for and with you. The other week I spoke with someone in this situation and they shared just how difficult it was to read their bible each day and to pray. As I spoke with them over the phone and did two things. I shared with them what I had read in my Bible that day and how it had effected me. Then I asked If I could pray for them and did so. Sometimes when we are run-down we need the strength of another believer to have the grace to continue to stand (1 Peter 4:10). This is why our small groups, and interactions with our brothers and sisters in Christ each Sunday after our worship service is so invaluable.

Sharing your troubling doubts with another believer in whom you trust is not something you should feel you can’t talk about. And if you are someone who does have someone share the battle they are having doubts, then remember the exchange between John the Baptist’s messengers and Jesus, and how Christ had responded to them, and be gentle.  

¶ As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.
Romans 14:1

As I approach the sixth decade of following Christ and growing in my understanding of God’s Word, I am now more convinced than ever before that for every intellectual objection to GOD and His Word there is a reasonable answer supporting our belief in the God of the Bible and Bible itself. If you have any doubts about this, let’s have a talk.

Pastor at Large,

Andrew

Let me know what you think below in the comment section and feel free to share this someone who might benefit from this Pastor’s Desk.

READ PART 2, DEALING WITH DEPRESSION

ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

Pray then like this:“Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be Your Name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Matthew 6:9-10

What would the earth look like if the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples to pray was answered? What would a world where GOD’s will was the only will that was enacted, look like? The answer is the same for both questions: it would look like Heaven. John Lennon was wrong to encourage people to imagine there is no heaven. Imagining there is no Heaven comforts no-one. Imagining there is no Heaven robs people of a vision of what our earth could be. Imagining there is no Heaven denies people of a foundational reality of our universe and thus leaves them vulnerable to other and all sorts of nonsense. No John Lennon, we must imagine what Heaven is like and pray what Jesus—the Lord of Heaven and Earth, the Chief Commander of the forces of Heaven, the One who could command 12-legions of Heaven’s mightiest angels to obliterate anyone who dared to defy Him (but chose not to)—commanded us to pray: Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven! I want to challenge you to reimagine Heaven (not reinvent or reconstruct it), so that we might see what Christ wanted us to pray for and work toward being an answer to this sacred prayer.

Imagine Heaven. It is described as the City of God (Psalm 46:4). Even in times of adversity and hardship in the days before the Lord of Glory was veiled in flesh, the righteous ancients of the Old Testament times were strengthen and delighted by their holy imagination of Heaven and their longing for the City of God.

Glorious things of you are spoken,
O city of God.
Selah.
Psalm 87:3

We see in the Word of God that Heaven reflects the GOD who inhabits it. Its beauty, its magnificence, and its perfection reflect its Builder and Designer. This grand vision of the Heavenly City inspired the imagination of people such as Abraham and strengthened him and others to obey GOD and to seek that City as they set out to lay claim to GOD’s Promised Land for their descendants:

For he [Abraham] was looking forward to the City that has foundations,
whose Designer and Builder is God.
Hebrews 11:10

Many other righteous people who walked in obedience to God also saw that their ultimate City was not to be found on earth but their vision of the Heavenly City was to inspire them to make a difference on earth.

But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.
Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God,
for He has prepared for them a city.
Hebrews 11:16

And little wonder, for in the much longed for City of God there would be: life-giving rivers of eternal refreshment; fruit trees that would never wither whose fruit would always be ripe and delicious; streets paved in gold; and, a radiant light that would never grow dim (Rev. 22:1-2).

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain,
and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God,
having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel,
like a jasper, clear as crystal….¶ And I saw no temple in the city,
for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it,
for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.
Revelation 21:10-11, 22-23

But it wasn’t just the buildings, rivers, the gardens, or radiant light of GOD’s glory that would have thrilled the ancient worshipers of GOD with such excitement about Heaven, it was also what wasn’t there! The City of God, will be filled with innumerable people (yet not over-crowded, or even crowded) but almost unimaginably populated — with people from every tribe, nation, and tongue who would never again experience sin, guilt, shame, regret, pain, sickness, deprivation, or shunning (Rev. 7:9)! Heaven is not just the architectural pinnacle of beauty and perfection, it is also an emotional and physical source of ultimate human satisfaction. We will never be idle in the Heavenly City! We could never be bored or wearied in that glorious City. We will participate in its furtherance and be ever glad to do so.

Imagine how a clearer vision of this City of God could transform our vision for the cities, towns, and communities within our State! Imagine how a clearer vision of Heaven might transform our view of how many more people could harmoniously and productively fill our cities and towns and contribute to them with increased beauty and goodness and innovations. Imagine our island state growing – economically, emotionally, environmentally, energetically, where over three million grateful people call this their home and find satisfaction in contributing to its furtherance! Imagine churches across this Isle filled with grateful people – not just on Sundays (but especially on Sundays) – but each day of the week with activities and connections that add value to more people and their communities. This can be our divine inheritance to the prayers of those who have gone before us who have faithfully prayed, Thy will be done on earth as it in Heaven!

Thus, when we pray for GOD’s will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven it will also be evident when we care deeply about each other to the extent that we are open and inviting and hospitable — just like our GOD who inhabits the Heavenly City. It will be a place where people do not intentionally harm others. It will be a place where all people honour and glorify GOD. It will mean buildings that are beautiful. It will mean that people live knowing that their life and their work has meaning and purpose. It will be a place where we value healthy living and no longer need the biggest buildings in our cities to be hospitals (which are currently grand monuments to our sickness not our health!) or have acres and acres of prisons to lock away law-breakers. This is what we are praying for when we pray Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven!

In the Old Testament’s account of God’s Story of Redemption of mankind, a foundational component of that story is Israel’s conquest of their Promised Land and serves as example for us in the era of Christ’s victory (1Cor. 10:6). Prior to Israel launching its campaign, Moses sent a representative from each of the twelve tribes of Israel across the Jordan River into the Promised Land as spies to bring back faith-building reports to the rest of the Hebrews to bolster them for their conquest.

¶ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan,
which I am giving to the people of Israel. From each tribe of their fathers you shall
send a man, every one a chief among them.” So Moses sent them from the wilderness
of Paran, according to the command of the LORD, all of them men who were heads of the people of Israel.
Numbers 13:1-3

However, far from bringing back a faith-bolstering reports of what lay before them in the Promised Land, ten of the spies expressed great fear and doubt about being able to do what GOD promised and commanded –

¶ At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land.
And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of
the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh.
They brought back word to them and to all the congregation,
and showed them the fruit of the land. And they told him,
“We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey,
and this is its fruit. However, the people who dwell in the land are strong,
and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there.
The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites,
and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea,
and along the Jordan.” Then the men who had gone up with him said,
“We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.”
So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out,
saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants,
and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak,
who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”
Number 13:25-29, 31-33

This account of those spies being intimidated by the various nations of giants (the Anakim and Nephilim) stands as a ‘shadow’ and illustration of how the forces of evil seek to intimidate and deceive the people of God from doing what God has promised and commanded. These original forces evil sought to induce great fear and doubt in GOD’s people – deceiving them into thinking that even with GOD’s help they were still unable to defeat these giants. The ten returning fearful spies said, “They made us feel we were small…They made us feel that we could not do what GOD had said that He would help us to do…They made us feel that it (our proposed conquest of them) was impossible.” And the same lies and deceptions are used today to intimidate GOD’s people with dark thoughts like Don’t even bother praying to GOD for His will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven!  You’re too small to make it happen! Even though GOD told you He would help you do it – He was lying to you! And besides, the task of transforming your city and towns to reflect GOD’s beauty, truth, and goodness is far too hard and expensive for you – in fact it might as well be impossible!”

But it is not. And even two of the twelve spies who returned, Joshua and Caleb, knew that it could be done and was not impossible because GOD was bigger than these giants and more powerful than any demonic aid they could have ever mustered.

¶ But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said,
“Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.”
Numbers 13:30

And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh,
who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes
and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel,
“The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land.
If the LORD delights in us, He will bring us into this land and give it to us,
a land that flows with milk and honey.
Numbers 14:6-8

The forces of darkness have always sought to intimidate GOD’s people and make them doubt GOD’s empowering for the tasks He has called His people to carry out. Can we see the will of God done in Launceston, Tasmania, as it is done in Heaven? The Enemy of all that is true and good says: No! The Ultimate Source of Truth and Goodness says: Pray that it be so! Ancient Israel was hindered from fully possessing their Promised Land which GOD had intended to be a reflection of His Heavenly City because they succumbed to fear, lies, and doubt, about who GOD really was. We must not be so quick to also believe these deceptions of the Evil one:

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires.
He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth,
because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character,
for he is a liar and the father of lies.
[Jesus speaking to the unfaithful Jewish religious leaders] John 8:44

A local church is an embassy of Heaven. The community of believers within a geographic community where GOD has invested His Spirit, presence, gifts, and ministers, whom He has skilled and enabled with certain experiences and abilities that enables them to work as a body (1Cor. 12:12). A local church holds back the spiritual forces of evil and darkness (Eph. 3:10). A local church is GOD’s presence in a city/town/region where broken lives experience a foretaste of Heaven — where there will be no estrangement, no misery, no harm, no despair and no malady — and while, on this side of Heaven, we are subject to such frustrations as estrangements, miseries, harms, despair, and maladies — the power of God can breakthrough and counter such things on earth when a church ministers GOD’s grace to each other (1Peter 4:10).

And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.
You received without paying; give without pay.
Matthew 10:7-8

Former Mayor of Launceston welcomes delegates from Ikedo, Japan to Launceston, and reinforced our sister-city relationship with them. #Pray for Ikedo

Each Sunday when a local church gathers it flexes its spiritual muscles by casting out demons, healing the sick, summoning the presence and love of GOD to be revealed to the wayward through the preaching of His Word (Mark 16:16-18). 

A while ago, I heard a Christian leader who shared how he was looking forward to taking a well-deserved and overdue break with his family to a beautiful tropical location. He was looking forward to spending time away from the hustle and bustle of his usual neighbourhood and soaking in the tranquility for some rest and relaxation. The travel agent had assured him that their destination was just the right place. The way the agent described it made it sound like paradise. When they arrived there they immediately saw what the travel agent had described – beautiful tropical forests, a secluded holiday house, a view of the beach surrounded by magnificent mountain-scapes. As they settled into their holiday accommodation he could feel his blood pressure lowering and a peace washing over him. His wife commented with delight about the wonderfully unfamiliar sounds of the local wildlife, especially the magnificently coloured native birds. He checked his phone out of habit and saw that there was phone signal. “Perfect!” he thought to himself, “No interruptions. I can now switch off from the world.” But then he heard other noises amidst the sounds of the wildlife that he and his wife were enjoying. It was the growing sound of people in a nearby village that they had not noticed until now. His heart sank. These people were ruining their holiday in this tropical wonderland of GOD’s creation! he thought to himself. Whether it was GOD or whether it was just his subconscious recollection of GOD’s Word that came to his mind, he wasn’t sure, but he heard, “These noisy people are My creation! They are not impairing this wonderland – they are My reason that this place is truly a wonderland!” Far from seeing these people as a blight on this landscape and “ruining his holiday”, he came to see things from Heaven’s perspective: people are what truly make a place! GOD loves people.

A vision of Heaven can inspire us to build better buildings, create better roads, integrate more trees and plants into our cities, plant more magnificent and well designed gardens, foster greater care for our wildlife, cultivate more harmony among our various and diverse citizens, innovate ways to enjoy our natural wonders (especially our magnificent Tamar River), improve our communication within our city, strengthen our sisterhood connections with Ikeda (Japan) / Napa (USA) / Taiyuan and Putian (China), promote healthy relationships and stronger families (which make a significant dent in the “current housing crisis”), build businesses that contribute to the economic and social wealth of our State, encourage beauty and creativity in the arts – especially the visual, literary, filmic, theatrical and poetic, and encourage virtuous learning in what the ancients saw as resulting in good humans (which is why the study of philosophy and classics used to be called humanities).

 I am not the first to promote a re-visioning of Heaven, the City of God, to serve as a template for how GOD’s will could be implemented in the earth, thus fulfilling the model prayer of our Lord: one earth as it is in Heaven. My ideas expressed in this humble weekly Pastor’s Desk are far from original. On August 27th  A.D. 410, the Visigoths entered Rome and in just three days wreaked havoc — burning the city, slaying thousands, raping women, enslaving multitudes, and doing what had not been done in 800 years. The pagan priests of Jupiter, Venus, Minerva, and over two hundred other Roman false gods protested that their false gods were smiting Rome because large numbers of Romans had turned from worship of demons to the One True God who is eternally Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In A.D. 426 Bishop Augustine of Hippo (North Africa), after ten years of writing it, finally finished his now classic work, The City of God, in which he responds to these pagan claims that it was the Christians were to blame for the sacking of Rome. He pointed out that in fact, Rome had actually suffered horribly from such similar tragic events despite their exclusive worship of their demon gods – Jupiter, Hercules, etc. He then cast a vision for how any city or society could be reformed as a reflection of the “celestial city” – the City of God.

But neither was Augustine original in this idea. The writer to the Hebrews told the disillusioned Jews, whose capital would soon be destroyed by the Romans, that they too need to re-vision Heaven – the City of God.  

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,
Hebrews 12:22

For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.
Hebrews 13:14

And while we each wait during our earthly sojourn for our arrival at our True Home, we are ever mindful of our Lord’s commanded prayer and its hopeful answer which we know will find its final fulfilment only in the Heavenly City of God. In the meantime, we strive to be a part of the answer for the prayer that the Church has prayed for two thousand years. Even so, we can be assured that even our lifetime it is possible that the One said that He was making (not just will make) “all things new” is indeed trustworthy and true.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.
He will dwell with them, and they will be His people,
and God Himself will be with them as their God.
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,
and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning,
nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
¶ And He who was seated on the throne said,
“Behold, I am making all things new.”
Also He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Revelation 21:3-5

May the grace of the Lord be with us all and may God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Your Pastor,

Andrew

Let me know what you think below in the comment section and feel free to share this someone who might benefit from this Pastor’s Desk.