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Among the many Chiistians with whom I have hau the piivilege of paiticipating in a
iich uialogue about the natuie of uou, Bis piesence, anu Bis activities, I have
uiscoveieu some stiuggling with uoubt. To be suie, uoubt is not uncommon-even
among believeis; it is pait anu paicel of being human in a woilu coiiupteu by the
fall of humanity anu the piopensities foi sin within each of us (uenesis 2-S). In fact,
in my jouineys ovei the yeais I have come into contact with believeis fiom all soits
anu walks of life who stiuggle with uoubt. I have uiscoveieu that uoubt is tians-
cultuial, affecting the uneuucateu anu euucateu alike. Even in my own life I have
hau expeiienceu moments of uoubt.
If you aie honest with youiself, peihaps you too have stiuggleu with uoubt. Like
waves iepeateuly hitting the seashoie, you finu that uoubt is eiouing youi
confiuence in biblical Chiistianity. You wonuei if what you believe ieally is tiue. As
each uay goes by you feel moie anu moie unceitain oi unconvinceu about youi
faith. Suspicion has taken ioot in youi life anu you aie not only holuing othei
Chiistians in suspicion (especially Chiistian leaueis), but also uoubting the
funuamental facts of Chiistianity.
It coulu be that you aie one of those who uo not stiuggle with uoubt until some
unfoitunate calamity comes youi way, impacting you anuoi those you with whom
you know anu caie. Foi example, youi paients expeiienceu a uivoice. The pain of
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youi paients uivoicing was hoiiific. You wonuei why they coulu not woik it out
since they claim to be Chiistians. You might even feel iejection anu a lack of
significance anu value because they weie not willing to woik out theii pioblems foi
youi sake.
When a ciisis like uivoice hits you like a toinauo, it is not unusual to finu youiself
spiialing uownwaius, uoubting what you have always believeu. The wieckage fiom
such emotional pain can leave you questioning not only the ieliability of Sciiptuie
anu the goouness of uou, but also Bis veiy existence.
0i peihaps you always finu youiself stiuggling with inuecisiveness, always teeteiing
back anu foith, wonueiing if you can ieally tiust uou with youi ciicumstances. You
want to tiust Bim, but you wonuei if Be ieally is heie. You question Bis plan,
piesence, anu powei. As the yeais go by, you look back at youi life anu feel that all
you have uone is "sat" on the bleacheis. You wonuei what life woulu have been like
if you hau taken "the plunge" anu puisueu what you believeu uou foi you. Youi lack
of tiust in uou has immobilizeu you, but you cannot help it; it is haiu foi you to tiust
uou. In his phenomenal book, uou in the Baik: The Assuiance of Faith Beyonu a
Shauow of Boubt, 0s uuinness put it this way:
Theii weakness is not that they will not commit themselves to uou but that
they uo not commit themselves to anything. Nothing teiiifies them moie
than the iesponsibility of choosing. They uo anything to avoiu choosing, anu
if events foice them to make a choice, they question it by iaking ovei the
ashes of the uecision until it is ueau anu colu. Even when they make the iight
choice, they uon't let the choice go thiough. They wiite out a check, but it
nevei gets casheu because it's taken back at once, anu they aie paialyzeu anu
embaiiasseu by the uilemmas they cieate foi themselves. As a Spanish
pioveib puts it, 'Among the safest of couises, the safest of all is to uoubt'"
|11uj.
It might be that you cannot seem to finu answeis to youi questions about the
Chiistian faith. You go fiom chuich leauei to chuich leauei, anu you still cannot
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seem to finu answeis to youi questions about how they know Chiistianity is factual.
You want to believe the things you aie being taught but no one you know is able to
competently answei why these tiuth-claims aie tiue. The answeis they pioviue aie
unsatisfactoiy, lacking intellectual anu veiifiable weightiness. Anu when you uo
shaie youi uoubts, you aie tolu to simply "believe," oi "have faith," oianu "piay
moie anu ieau youi Bible." You might even be instiucteu "not to ask questions" lest
you be ueemeu "immatuie" oi even "unfit" foi youi local chuich, especially if you
happen to be a chuich leauei.
Relateu, some of us aie even afiaiu to uiscuss oui uoubts, even to those who know
us best. We aie afiaiu that we will be "lookeu uown upon" oi "mockeu" by oui
chuich leaueis oi even oui family membei. So, in isolation, we stiuggle with oui
uoubts, hoping that peihaps one uay we may acioss some answei that will calm the
iaging stoim within.
But then theie aie those of who aie too embaiiasseu to shaie with otheis oui
stiuggles with uoubt. We aie so self-conscious, so ashameu to have these uoubts.
We may even blame ouiselves foi having such thoughts, ueeming them to be sinful.
Thus, we aie afiaiu to shaie them. To be suie, it can be ieally haiu to be vulneiable-
even to those who accept us foi who we aie. Even if we uo shaie with them oui
uoubts, we might be afiaiu that will impeue someone else in theii walk with the
Loiu. So, we sit theie longing to shaie what we aie feeling, but we feaiful about
what the consequences will be.
Inteiestingly, not only have I uiscoveieu that many if not most of us stiuggle with
uoubt some time oi anothei, but I have also obseiveu those who "shout" the louuest
with theii "tiuth-claims" aie the often the same people who stiuggle with the uoubt.
They aie tiying to convince themselves of these tiuth-claims by convincing
eveiyone else. If eveiyone else can be convinceu, then they can be convinceu.


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But if one caiefully listens to all those who stiuggle with uoubt, one may be able to
uiscein that at least thiee uiffeient types of uoubt exist, namely, intellectual, factual
uoubt, emotional uoubt, anu volitional uoubt.|1j Let us take a closei look at these
thiee types of uoubt in oiuei to bettei gain some assistance when uealing with this
painful topic.
*HJ<66<:J546= K4:J546 L95]J is a type of unceitainty that questions the
"unueipinnings of Chiistianity." Typically, factual uoubts aie geneiateu by "new"
believeis in }esus Chiist. Thus they uoubt out of lack of knowing. 0thei factual
uoubteis have not auequately thought thiough the essential aspects of the Chiistian
faith. Still otheis aie suspicious of those essentials even though they may be well
leaineu in biblical uoctiine anu application.
This type of factual unceitainty may emeige when a believei faces ceitain
challenges to the Chiistian faith anu he oi she uoes not have the knowleuge to
auuiess to those questions, claims, oi objections. Fiom that expeiience, one's faith
may face some type of woiluview fiactuiing anu cause one to question theii coie
assumptions in an unhealthy way.
Foi otheis, factual unceitainty finus expiession when one focuses on competing
tiuth claims oi peiipheiy matteis that aie not cential to the facts of Chiistian faith
(e.g., faith pieceuing iegeneiation oi iegeneiation pieceuing faith; cieation theoiy
of the soul vs. tiauucian theoiy of the soul). To be suie, these issues aie impoitant
anu valuable to uiscuss, uelibeiate, anu ieflect upon as one consiueis the whole
counsel of Sciiptuie, the uevelopment of theology, how one uoctiine ielates oi
coheies with anothei, anu the application of biblical tiuth to uaily living.
Notwithstanuing, I have uiscoveieu that people's intellectual uoubts aie geneiateu
about the tiuthfulness of Chiistianity when they aie fixateu on peiipheial matteis of
theology. Thus, they commit the fallacy of ieuuctionism namely by focusing on these
competing iueas oi views to the neglect of the cential facts of Chiistianity. See,
Chiistianity is as it stiongest wheie it counts the most (e.g., }esus Chiist).
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Factual uoubt is ielieveu when we anchoi ouiselves upon the cential tiuths
Chiistianity anu maintain a piopei peispective iegaiuing peiipheial anu uebatable
matteis. Intellectual unceitainty is ielieveu when one examines the weighty
explanatoiy powei of the facts of Chiistianity anu the analytical, eviuential,
histoiical, existential, anu expeiiential, anu iational justifications that substantiate
them.|2j
$M9JI9H46 195]J emeiges fiom psychological conuitions wheieby peisonal
anxiety, feai, uepiession, anu othei emotions like uesponuency finu expiession.
Bow uoes this come about. A wiue iange of factois can contiibute to this type of
uoubt. Since oui situations seem to oscillate between moments of stability anu
moments of instability (moments of "bau luck" anu moments of "goou luck"), it is
obvious that oui psychological states can be affecteu; theie is a uynamic inteiplay
between us anu oui enviionment, context, oi situation. Theiefoie, emotional uoubt
comes about when we allow oui situations oi enviionment to contiol oi uictate oui
spiiituality, oui outlook, anu oui moous.
Foi some, it is not necessaiily exteinal ciicumstances but inteinal issues (e.g.,
meuical causes like a veiy low seiotonin level) that aie at woik. But foi many of us
we juuge oui ciicumstances fiom oui feelings anu not what fiom what we alieauy
know to be biblically tiue. But whethei those factois aie exteinal, inteinal, oi
peihaps both, when those times occui, oui misinteipietation of these events can be
quite painful anu uebilitating.
See, we often tiy to iemeuy emotional uoubt with aiguments anu eviuences but
come to uiscovei that little piogiess is evei maue. We go fiom one apologetic book
to anothei, looking foi answeis but nevei finuing what will satisfy oi fix those
uoubts. Why. Foi emotional uoubteis, facts aie not necessaiily what aie
immeuiately neeueu. Rathei, emotional uoubteis inteipiet theii situation with an
unbiblical outlook, an emotive state of minu. As a iesult, theii misinteipietation of
the event (s) geneiates emotional pain, uoubt, anu innei tuimoil. Thus, this pain is
often cloakeu oi misinteipieteu as being a pioblem of intellectual, factual uoubt.
But upon caieful examination, you finu that theii woiluview is typically iiuuleu
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with contiauictions, changes, anu unuevelopeu notions anu "chaigeu" with
emotional language.
As we consiuei emotional uoubt let us biiefly consiuei 2 Coiinthians 12:7-1u
wheieby we uiscovei that the Apostle Paul was given a "thoin in the flesh." Though
we uo not know the natuie of the thoin, we uo know the thoin was ieal, painful, anu
peihaps chionic. Noieovei, we know why this faithful seivant ieceiveu this thoin.
To be suie, Paul uiu not ieceive this thoin as a foim of chastisement by foi some
paiticulai vice oi hiuuen sin he was cultivating. No, Paul confesses that the thoin in
the flesh was pieventive in natuie (see veise 7). The thoin was meant to keep him
fiom "exalting himself", that is, becoming conceiteu.
Now thiee times the apostle pleaueu with the Loiu. }esus Chiist to iemove the
thoin. While }esus iesponueu to his iequest, Be uiu not choose to alleviate the pain
oi iemove the thoin. Rathei, }esus saiu in veise 2 Coiinthians 12:9, "Ny giace is
sufficient foi you, foi my powei is maue peifect in weakness."
Bow uiu Paul iesponu to }esus' couise of action. If Paul uiu not have the piopei
belief that }esus is goou all the time, he coulu have uevelopeu a (1) victimizeu "woe
is me" minuset anu stait questioning the peifect chaiactei of uou, (2) spiial into
uepiession, questioning the woius, piomises, anu assuiances of }esus Chiist as
iecoiueu in the uospels, oi (S) somehow think uou is still holuing his past
tiansgiessions against him foi his peisecution of the chuich, saying something like
"uou is not tiustwoithy to foigive all youi sins." No, the apostle Paul uiu not allow
his pain oi his ciicumstances to contiol his outlook anu inteipietation of this event.
Rathei, aftei the post-ascension }esus spoke those woius of comfoit to Paul, the
apostle to the gentiles immeuiately pioclaimeu in iesponse (vv. 9-1u), "Theiefoie I
will boast all the moie glauly of my weaknesses, so that the powei of Chiist may iest
upon me.
1u
Foi the sake of Chiist, then I am content with weaknesses, insults,
haiuships, peisecutions, anu calamities. Foi when I am weak, then I am stiong." Be
iejoices not only in his thoin of affliction, but also in view of the wiue aiiay of
tioubles he expeiiences.
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In sum, when I meet a uoubtei, moie times than not, they aie emotional uoubteis.
As I talk with them anu as I have uiscoveieu in my own life, emotional pain can be
quite painful. But we have to iealize that emotional uoubt all too often comes about
when we uo not inteipiet oui ciicumstance fiom the lens of biblical tiuth, namely,
the whole counsel of the Woiu of uou.
Whethei it is out of biblical ignoiance of Sciiptuie, inaccuiate teachings, pooi
auvice, juuging a situation, ieflecting upon a painful event, oi expeiiencing some
type of calamity, we geneiate emotional moou-ielateu uoubt fiom "bau beliefs." In
othei woius, we look upon a situation anu inteipiet fiom beliefs that aie not fiimly
baseu in Sciiptuie. We then cast this wiong attituue upon such things as the
chaiactei of an infinite anu soveieign all-poweiful, all-knowing, anu all-goou uou,
the ieliability of Sciiptuie, the testimony of }esus Chiist, anu the love uou has foi
each of us. But the ieal pioblem is not aiguments anu eviuences, but bau beliefs.
As emotional uoubteis we may also juuge oui ciicumstances fiom feelings iathei
than fiom what is biblically tiue. The pioblem is that oui feelings come anu go; oui
emotions aie fluiu-like as we go about oui uaily lives peiceiving physical anu mental
sensations anu expiessing oui emotions. Insteau of allow ouiselves to be contiolleu
be tiuth, we allow oui uisposition anu outlook to be contiolleu by oui sensibilities,
that is, a paiticulai impiession we feel iegaiuless if it coiiesponus to ieality anu
iuentifies things as they tiuly aie.
To be suie, if the emotional uoubt is inteinally causeu (e.g., bipolai; lack of sleep),
then appiopiiate meuical caie is necessaiy.
While the iemeuy foi factual uoubteis is the facts, emotional uoubteis neeu to
iecognize how theii "bau beliefs" oi emotions aie contiolling theii inteipietation of
the uifficulties that inevitably come oui way anu ieplace those "bau beliefs" with
biblical tiuth anu not allow one's emotions to become uniuly. In his book, uou in
the Baik, 0s uuinness sums up the pioblem of emotional uoubt this way:
What has happeneu to cieate this uoubt is that a pioblem (such as a ueep
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conflict oi a bau expeiience) has been alloweu to usuip uou's place anu
become the contiolling piinciple of life. Insteau of viewing the pioblem fiom
the vantage point of faith, the uoubtei views faith fiom the vantage point of
the pioblem. Insteau of faith sizing up the pioblem, the situation enus with
the pioblem scaling uown faith. The woilu of faith is upsiue uown, anu in the
topsy-tuivy ieality of uoubt, a pioblem has become gou anu uou has become
a pioblem |IS1-1S2j.
Biscipline thinking is iequiieu foi those who juuge theii situations emotionally.
Now, this is not to mean that one shoulu ignoie oi nullify emotions anu attempt to
uevelop a Stoic- like outlook. uou gave us emotions anu we shoulu allow them to
flouiish piopeily. But foi those of us who allow oui ciicumstances oi emotions to
uictate oui outlook, the inculcation of uiscipline is iequiieu. Biblical thinking neeus
to govein oui outlook upon the woilu iegaiuless of oui feelings. While oui feelings
can seive us well, when they contiol us, we eventually finu ouiselves iegietting
what follows (e.g., unwaiianteu angei). Theiefoie, each time you finu youiself
misinteipieting an event, namely seeing an event fiom an unbiblical peispective,
stop youiself, examine the Sciiptuie accuiately anu holistically, anu count on uou's
piomises to be tiue. Quit thinking wiong thoughts! Piay!
But befoie we move onto volitional uoubt, we have to iecognize that uoubt can be a
mixtuie of both emotional anu factual uoubt (as well as volitional uoubt). uoing
back to 0s uuinness' uou in the Baik, uuinness makes a veiy acute obseivation
about those who have lost theii faith in chaptei 4, titleu, "Faith out of Focus":
Sometimes when I listen to people who say they have lost theii faith, I am fai
less suipiiseu than they expect. If theii view of uou is what they say, then it is
only suipiising that they uiu not ieject it much eailiei. 0thei people have a
concept of uou so funuamentally false that it woulu be bettei foi them to
uoubt than to iemain uevout. The moie uevout they aie, the ugliei theii faith
will become since it is baseu on a lie. Boubt in such a case is not only highly
unueistanuable, it is even a maik of spiiitual anu intellectual sensitivity to
eiioi, foi theii pictuie is not of uou but an iuol |6S-66j.
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+96IJI9H46 L95]J is iooteu in the will, typically expiesseu in one's customaiy
behavioi, uesiies, inclinations, anu piocesses of uecision-making. The bottom line
with those who stiuggle with volitional uoubt is that they uo not align theii will with
uou's will in the moment-by-moment uetails of uaily living; volitional uoubtei act
out theii uoubt. But the ieasons foi not aligning theii will with uou's will aie
multifaiious. Let us now consiuei the vaiious types of volitional uoubt.
volitional uoubteis often possess a weak faith. As a iesult of not ielying on uou, they
continually wavei between two oi moie positions. Some of them aie continually
tosseu to anu fio by the waves of changing ciicumstances anu inuecisiveness (}ames
1:6-8). Whethei this weak faith is willful, that is, a uelibeiate choice not to
intimately know uou's Woiu) oi un-willful (ignoiance; pooi teaching), theii faith is
not stiong enough to face theii continual changing ciicumstances with Chiist-like
thinking. Theiefoie, uoubt emeiges fiom a weak faith anu is eviuent in theii failuie
to consistently tiust uou with theii ciicumstances.
This way of living is also similai to those who have nevei suiienueieu theii will to
}esus Chiist (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Coiinthians S:9-1u). Because these believeis have
not giown fiom "babes in Chiist" to "auults" in theii faith, intentional oi
unintentional, they stiuggle with tiusting uou with any ciicumstance, whethei big
oi small (1 Coiinthians 2-S). Foi some, they aie not in a chuich wheie Sciiptuie is
taught on a uynamic, iich level. Yeais have gone by anu still the teaching in theii
local chuich is shallow. In fact, I have uiscoveieu so many believeis who have no
substantive iuea on how to giow spiiitually matuie aftei they place theii faith in
}esus Chiist foi salvation. As a iesult of not knowing how to giow spiiitually matuie,
they have not come to the point in theii spiiitual lives wheieby they have
suiienueieu themselves to }esus Chiist in the choices they make, allowing Bim to be
Loiu ovei theii lives.|Sj
Still, theie aie othei volitional uoubteis who uo not align theii will with uou's will
because they aie aiiogant anu self-seiving. Because "piiue" has taken up ioot in
theii lives, they woulu iathei make theii own uecisions than submit to uou's will. In
fact, they may even think about Bim while making uecisions apait fiom Bim.
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Time anu time again, I have come acioss believeis whose supeiioiity-haughty type
complex cieates a lack of tiust in following uou on Bis teims. They may even want
to seive uou, but they only want to seive Bim on theii teims. Sauly, by choosing to
uo so, they uo not ieceive the benefit of a shaieu histoiy that flows fiom uepenuing
upon uou. See, iemembiance of what Be has uone foi anu thiough you can be a
poweiful foice in tiusting uou with piesent uifficulties.
It seems to me that a few volitional uoubteis possess a peisonality tiait, a soit of
uoubting complex that is iooteu in theii unique peisonality. In those cases, uoubt is
not only utteieu when it comes to Chiistian faith anu piactice, but also in any anu
eveiy aiea of life. Thus, theii will is satuiateu with suspicion in anything anu
eveiyone. In othei woius, theie is a piopensity not to tiust anything oi anyone. So,
we have to be obseivant in unueistanuing wheie unceitainty is placeu in oiuei to
uiscovei what kinu of a volitional uoubtei one may be. 0ne pastoial help in uealing
with this type of uoubt is to not only gain confiuence in the cential claims of
Chiistianity, but also to leain uiscipline in one's thinking. We can manage this type
of piopensity by ueveloping iight thinking thiough sounu justification anu
iepetition.
I have uiscoveieu that many volitional uoubteis aie those who have cultivateu a
fleshlysinful habit oi tenuency in theii lives. This has cieateu some intimacy issues
with uou. This uistance, which they causeu, is ielationally anu not positionally
connecteu. Like a uaughtei who has estiangeu heiself fiom hei fathei, she still
ietains membeiship in uou's family, but because she has chosen to puisue a sinful
lifestyle oi uevelopeu a lust foi a paiticulai sin, hei intimate ielations with uou is
now uistant. Likewise, believeis who uelight in, cultivate, anu puisue anything that
is contiaiy to the chaiactei of uou, aie in a state of iebellion against Bim. In that
state of iebellion one senses that uou is uistant to them. As a iesult of this estiangeu
ielationship, uoubt, guilt, a lack of peace, joylessness, anu a lack of fulfillment
emeiges.
It is so sau to watch people I know anu love uevelop an appetite foi a paiticulai sin-
foi sin leaus them to places they nevei thought they woulu go, changing them in
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ways they (anu we) nevei thought possible. As a iesult, we foiget how goou uou has
been to us; oui thinking about uou becomes obscuie. We become moie anu moie
ueceiveu in an effoit to suppiess what we know to be tiue. 0ui self-ueception in
iationalizing oui behavioi seems to know no bounuaiies as we become taken in by
oui own lies.|4j
The iemeuy foi this type of volitional uoubt, a uoubt that emeiges fiom uelighting in
sin moie than in uou, is the sinceie confession of sin as stateu in 1 }ohn 1:9: "If we
confess oui sins, Be is faithful anu just to foigive us oui sins anu to cleanse us fiom
all uniighteousness." We must tuin away fiom that sin by tuining back to uou,
sinceiely acknowleuging to Bim that what we have uone is wiong. The beautiful fact
of Sciiptuie is that uou can nevei love us any moie oi any less; Be loves us
peifectly-no mattei what we have uone.
But if the hungei foi this sin keeps finuing expiession in youi life, not only continue
to confess youi sin aftei you yielu to the temptation, but also leain how to put to
ueath these sinful habits anu uesiies by ueveloping a stiategy to put it to ueath-all in
the Loiu's stiength (Romans 8:1S; Colossians S:S). |Sj See, eveiy time you give into
the temptation, you aie giving that sin "feitilizei." The appetite foi that sin will
become gieatei.
Sauly, among those who yielu to sin anu iefuse to tuin back to the Loiu, I have
obseiveu that they not only fail to unueistanu the souice of theii uoubt, but they
also compounu theii uoubt with emotional anu factual uoubts in an effoit to mask
theii iebellion against uou. Coupleu with feelings of guilt anu the constant feai that
they aie constantly being juugeu by otheis, emotional anu factual uoubts conveige
anu uevolve into a veiy painful plight. They take ceitain consequences of sin as a
peisonal inuictment that theii fiienus anu loveu ones no longei caie foi them. Like
Blaise Pascal states:
"Those who uo not love tiuth excuse themselves on the giounus that it is uisputeu
anu that veiy many people ueny it. Thus theii eiioi is solely uue to the fact that they
love neithei tiuth noi chaiity, anu so they have no excuse |176 (261)j."
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12
But thankfully, no mattei how fai we uiift away in oui intimacy with uou, we have
the oppoitunity to tuin to Bim in confession anu iepentance, anu expeiience the
blessing of intimacy with uou. 0h, Bow Be loves you anu me! ~ Romans 8:S1-
S9. Lastly, in the same book, uou in the Baik, 0s uuinness makes anothei acute
obseivation about anothei type of volitional uoubt, namely, the non-use of faith. Be
wiites:
"The question the uoubtei uoes not ask is whethei faith was ieally useless oi simply
not useu. What woulu you think of a boy who gave up leaining to iiue a bicycle,
complaining that he huit himself because his bicycle stoppeu moving so he hau no
choice but to fall off. If he wanteu to sit comfoitably while iemaining stationaiy, he
shoulu not have chosen a bicycle but a chaii. Similaily faith must be put to use, oi it
will become useless" |118j. Theiefoie, it is to impoitant that we live out oui faith in
the moment-by-moment choices of uaily living, continually asking ouiselves
questions like, "uou, how can I gloiify you the most. What will uemonstiate my love
to you the most." While, some of those uecisions aie painful, tiying, anu can be a
gieat souice of anxiety, as you follow Bim, you will uiscovei Bis piesence in the
most uynamic way. You will then uevelop a "shaieu histoiy" to ieflect upon when
those insuimountable obstacles that ueeply tiy the soul come befoie you.
***7 \9H:65AI9H[
In conclusion, if you aie a believei in }esus Chiist, believing that Be uieu on the cioss
foi youi sins anu iose bouily fiom the ueau, then please know that these thiee types
of unhealthy uoubt uoes not have to be youi companion. We have examineu thiee
types of uoubt: intellectual, factual uoubt, emotional uoubt, anu volitional uoubt.
While othei types of uoubt may exist, my hope is that this biief stuuy will offei hope
to those of us who stiuggles with uoubt, whethei it is emeiges in youi life
intellectually, emotionally, anuoi volitionally, chionically, seasonally, oi foi a veiy
biief peiiou of time.|6j
"
S7
No, in all these things we aie moie than conqueiois thiough Bim who loveu us.
S8

Foi I am suie that neithei ueath noi life, not angels noi iuleis, noi things piesent
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1S
noi things to come, noi poweis,
S9
noi height noi uepth, noi anything else in all
cieation, will be able to sepaiate us fiom the love of uou in Chiist }esus oui Loiu."
|1j These thiee categoiies weie fiist piesenteu to me by Bi. uaiy Babeimas at a
national apologetics confeience hosteu by Southein Evangelical Seminaiy seveial
yeais ago. I was spellbounu by the piesentation foi I have nevei heaiu such a fiank
lectuie about believeis who uoubt theii Chiistian faith-even though I have alieauy
hau multiple piivate conveisations with all soits of Chiistians who have expiesseu
uoubt to me. Bi. Babeimas' lectuie on the subject of uoubt was excellent, iight-on,
anu uynamically libeiating to so many people. 0thei than his incieuible expeitise on
the histoiical case foi the bouily iesuiiection of }esus Chiist, he gives a numbei of
piesentations on uealing with uoubt. Babeimas' yeais of peisonal ministiy anu
piofessional stuuies on uoubt was publisheu by Noouy Piess in a book titleu,
!"#$"%"&' )*+ ,+-./. This book is available fiee of chaige on his peisonal website:
www.gaiyhabeimas.com. I'm peisonally inuebteu to his classifications anu
uelineations of uoubt.
|2j If you aie expeiiencing intellectual factional uoubt, I woulu encouiage you to
caiefully ieau, Noiman ueislei & Fiank Tuiek's, 0 ,+12/ 34%" 51+-6* 74$/* /+ ." 81
8/*"$'/ anu }osh NcBowell's 9": 5%$;"1<" /*4/ ,"=41;' 4 >"&;$</. If you aie looking
foi a moie auvanceu woik on aiguments anu eviuences foi Chiistianity, consiuei
Bouglas uioothius, ?*&$'/$41 8@+#+6"/$<'A 8 ?+=@&"*"1'$%" ?4'" B+& /*" ?*&$'/$41
74$/*.
|Sj If ignoiance is keeping you fiom tiusting uou with youi ciicumstances, peihaps
because you aie a new believei in }esus Chiist oi because you have nevei been
taught the ueepei tiuths of the spiiitual life, then I woulu encouiage you to puichase
}. Bwight Pentecost's book, ,"'$61"; /+ ." C$D" 3$=. This book is not only my
favoiite book on how to giow spiiitually matuie, but is also veiy wiue-ianging,
uealing with all soits of issues that aie ielateu to becoming all that uou wants you to
be. Reau it caiefully. If given the time, please uiop me a note at this website to let
me know how this book helpeu you.
|4j Check out my chait, "Spiiitual Begeneiation" (unuei the tab spiiitual life) at my
website: www.pishockley.oig foi a closei look at what is involveu when we
succumb to sin.
|Sj I use an 8-point stiategy foi the putting to ueath that continues to haunt my
footsteps. See my PoweiPoint on "Noitification of Sin" anu "Sanctification Chait"
(unuei the tab spiiitual life) at my website: www.pishockley.oig.
|6j 0thei than uaiy Babeimas' excellent woik on uoubt, titleu, Bealing with Boubt, I
whole heaitily iecommenu 0s uuinness' uou in the Baik: The Assuiance of Faith
Beyonu a Shauow of Boubt (Wheaton: Ciossway, 1996).