Why People Doubt?
Posted by: richman in harold sala, tags: inspirational, motivational, spiritualWhen Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ”Who do people say the Son of Man is? …but what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Matthew 16:13,15
The late Dr. Walter Judd, who served as a U.S. Congressman for sixteen years, tells that his daughter came home from college one day and said, “Dad, I do not want to hurt you and Mother, but I cannot believe some of the things you have taught us, because it cannot be proven that the things the Bible says are true.”
Dr. Judd replied, “Well, can it be proved that they are not true? If you cannot have a belief without proof, on what proof do you base your disbelief? Let’s make a bargain. Do not suddenly doubt all your beliefs, just doubt half of them. And do not believe all of your doubts, just believe half of them while we work this out.”
“And let me make another suggestion,” he added. “You know your dad is an abdominal surgeon. If you have trouble with your insides, do you go to an ear doctor? A dandruff doctor? A toe doctor? A joint doctor? No, you go to an abdominal doctor. If you have heart trouble, you go to a heart specialist. Now if you want to know about religion, to whom do you go? People who have not tried it? Or people who have? Who is likely to know most about what happens in prayer? Those who scorn prayer or those who pray?”
“The Bible,” said Judd, “is like the textbook you get when you go into the chemistry laboratory. The chemistry textbook says to follow certain specific directions to get certain results. Do you know in advance that you will get those results? No. You start out only in the faith that following the directions will give the results, but when you follow the textbook’s directions faithfully and obtain the predicted results, then you know.”
The Bible is God’s textbook for living it gives to you the formula, the guidelines you need to find eternal life through Jesus Christ. But the Bible is like any other textbook in this sense: You must begin by faith and follow the directions. Jesus did not say at the starting point, “Why do you believe that I am?” But rather He said simply, “Follow Me.”
You may say, “Some of Christ’s instructions are too hard for me.” Christ did say, “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:14). This causes some to say, “Religion cramps my style I believe in broadmindedness.” Broadmindedness and truth operate in two entirely different spheres. They are like two opposite extremes. An automobile piston has to clear no greater than a thousandth of an inch to function at peak performance. It is not a question of broadmindedness.
Christ said simply, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). In two sentences Christ destroyed broadmindedness. Why did He do it? Because He delighted in making you miserable? No, not for a minute! He proved His love for you by coming to earth. He said that the very hairs of your head are numbered. He said that a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without your Heavenly Father knowing it. Christ would have said, “It is not because I want to take life from you to the contrary, I am the way of life. Whoever drinks of the water that I give Him shall never thirst” (see John 4:14).
When the disciples followed Christ, they had questions in their minds, but they followed Him and found answers. God’s spirit spoke to their hearts convincing them that Christ is the very Son of God. What happened to them will happen to you as you come and make His Word your guidelines for living.
Resource reading: Matthew 6:24-34.
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“The preceding material was written by Dr. Harold J. Sala, and is copyrighted. Reproduction for sale or financial profit is prohibited. Permission to reproduce this article was granted by Guidelines, Inc.”
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