Why the Believer Doubts, Part 1

He is asking Jesus, whom he believes in and out at the same time to resolve his doubt and he knows that Jesus is the only one who can resolve that down so he's really struggling against the weakness in the flesh is struggling against the temptation.

Perhaps you can't understand why God would allow your child to get the city to be destroyed by a flood, and you started to wonder if God is really there. What causes that uncertainty, particularly in a Christian's life and how should you respond to it.

Consider that today on grace to you. John MacArthur's going to show you that even John the Baptist. Perhaps the greatest preacher of all time had doubts about Jesus, you will see the Lord put John's doubts to rest in the study recall when believers doubt now here's John MacArthur with the lesson. Luke seven verses 18 to 23 and the disciples of John reported to him about all these things and summoning two of his disciples. John sent them to the Lord saying are you the expected one or do we look for someone else. Remember John has been in prison for months and months he hasn't seen anything or heard anything and he's beginning to doubt does he believe Jesus is the coming one.

Sure, he believed he believed no question but doubt was growing on the edges of his faith just wasn't going the way to go.

So some of his loyal disciples who were up in Capernaum, sends them to the Lord saying there's the question, are you the expected one or do we look for someone else. Just a little note Luke is now starting to identify Jesus as Lord. There's no question in his mind back in verse 13 he called him Lord. Here again, he calls him Lord and that is a settled issue now Jesus is Lord and that's what Luke calls so John sends them back 80 miles to where Jesus's ministry in Galilee and says you ask are you the expected one or do we look for someone else.

Are you the hot air, and thus are you the coming one. Are you the expected one that's a technical term for Messiah that's used in the New Testament, many places Matthew 311, Mark 17 Mark 11 nine Luke 316, 13, 35, 1938 John 127. That's a common New Testament expression based is a set on Psalm 40 in Psalm 118 and at that point where we are now coming face-to-face with John's doubts. What created those debts.

What caused him to doubt what he believed. Why is he saying, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. Why would he ever say or do we look for someone else. Why would he ever say that me with the father speaking out of heaven. This is my beloved son, with the spirit descending with Jesus affirming why would you even ask that well doubt had crept in that had destroyed his faith.

It's a tremendously interesting point you need to understand this, that his faith is proven by the way he reacts to his doubt if he had no trust in Jesus, he wouldn't go to Jesus to ask Jesus to dispel his doubt.

That to me is so interested. He is asking Jesus, whom he believes in and out at the same time to resolve his doubt and he knows that Jesus is the only one who can resolve that doubt. So he's really struggling against the weakness in the flashy struggling against the temptation they did what you out what you always need to do without you go directly to the Lord to somebody else or to nobody. The worst thing you can do with your doubt is keep it to yourself. He saying I've got some doubts and I need to get an answer in the way to get the answers to go directly to the Lord in that sense you process faith if he had no faith in Jesus. He would never ask Jesus to be the one to resolve his doubts still that way if you want to get your doubt result go to the word of God, not to any other place and remember. In John's case.

The picture wasn't clear. Jesus had died. He had done his saving work. He hadn't risen from the dead. He hadn't established his kingdom. He hadn't assaulted the Jewish apostate leaders. He hadn't knocked off the Romans and established a welfare state, etc. kingdom and John doesn't know there's a big gap between the first coming, in which Jesus demonstrates compassion and mercy and kindness in the second coming, in which he demonstrates fury and wrath and judgment.

Fire is likely prophets that Peter wrote about in first Peter 110 and 11. He said the prophets of old speaking about Christ, wrote, and after they wrote. They looked at what they wrote to try to figure out what it meant because until you see the fulfillment something that is a prediction is not clear why we struggle with prophetic passages deal with the end of the aged book of Revelation book of Daniel, the Olivet discourse because we can't understand all of the realities of a future time. That hasn't happened.

And so here John is a prophet who predicted the Messiah who said he's here but he hasn't seen all the unfolding of everything the prophet said about Messiah, so he has question now at this point I want to stop or talk about that John doubted and the reason he doubted was because some things weren't clear to him. Some things didn't seem complete as I think about that. I think it's important to understand that we have doubts as well and there are reasons why we have to number one reason personal tragedy personal tragedy, doubt Concerta be broken out into these factors we think about John.

He is in a stinking dungeon in their months probably going on here, humanly speaking now this is his reward for a life of faithfulness. He is a thread went from death and that's what he gets for being the forerunner of the Messiah, the most exalted prophets of all profits. He had been bold bold before the most powerful sinner in his world. Oedipus and as a result of his faithfulness and his courage and his boldness he sitting in his dungeon in the desert is personal tragedy didn't seem consistent with his faithfulness. Where was the blessing is supposed to come to faithfulness and his personal tragedy didn't seem consistent with the Messiah's power couldn't the Messiah do something about it. In fact, Jesus had never even been to visit him and it didn't seem consistent with the purpose of God, Messiah is going to come and this is going to happen to the bad people, not the prophet. The bad people are going to receive the fire not saints it was bad enough, John was it was a man of the desert's clothing. Camel's hair and ate locusts and wild honey and lived outside yet a life that was completely open to me. Breathe the clean air felt the wind in his face. The vault of heaven was the roof over his head. Maybe never lived in a house now is confinement for narrow walls and we just that part of it, but to determine this horrible physical situation is somehow the result of my faithfulness just didn't seem to make six couldn't connect the dots and after up to 18 months of public ministry freedom to preach tremendous response massive crowds, people repenting and being baptized. Now all of a sudden he slammed in this deep dark wretched dungeon.

So this is what loyalty to Christ.

Get you he was, after all, the truest of saints. He was the great holy, faithful, selfless, loyal, bold prophet of God who did exactly what God told him to do.

Told him to do a mean there's nothing in the record of John the Baptist that indicates he ever did anything but exactly what was told there's no moment of faithlessness or disobedience. This is a virtuous man. This is this is a model man model preacher. He been filled with the Holy Spirit since his mother's womb did taken a Nazirite vow and that is the valid abstinence that is the supreme vowel of dedication that you could ever take to show his singular devotion to God. He had committed himself to the highest level of spiritual commitment. This is reward. She doubt comes from our inability to deal with negative circumstances when we perceive ourselves as being faithful people know that doesn't happen to people who are not faithful if you're Christian and your new living in the shallows and you're playing around with sin in your dishonoring God and your disobedient when things go bad, you know why they go back right you sale us exactly what should be getting you know there's one believer in the New Testament that illustrates it profoundly. He'd only been a believer for a few seconds few minutes, maybe it's is hanging on the cross. Remember, he says to Jesus, remember me when you go to your king is the debut of me in paradise. Remember what that thief said when the other thief was taunting Jesus said this, we are getting exactly what we deserve. If the he wasn't saying, Lord, I'm a believer. Why is this happening. Hey, he had no expectations. He had no life of faithfulness to parade before God.

People who are very much aware of their sin and weakness and life goes bad that unusually create doubt they see that is pretty consistent. The people who may struggle with this are the people who live these very sacrificial and devout lives in all of a sudden they can't see how the circumstances connect with what they been doing in terms of their faith now is John the Baptist didn't get it why my here why is in the Messiah, and set me free. I mean, doesn't it say in Isaiah 61 that when he comes, he will set the prisoners free isn't the same to come out of prison and the ungodly will go in what's wrong with this picture are doubts, when we've convinced ourselves that we belong to the Lord were loyal were faithful. We lived in served him Mandy to take special care of us and this is not special care if everything doesn't go the way it should begin to wonder if he cares or if he's really our Savior we fail in our selfishness and our ignorance see the whole picture.

The whole plan we have to understand all of our circumstances, no matter how negative they might be, are subject to the ultimate divine purpose of God's kingdom so difficult circumstances personal tragedy causes people to doubt death of the child to faithful Christian parents.

The loss of a life partner through death, through desertion, immorality, loss of job loss of a treasured friend, cancer, heart attack, you name it. Car accident but but I've been faithful. I been faithful in the flesh then takes those kinds of things and uses it as a wedge to drive doubt between us and Christ. John was struggling with that but he did the right thing went directly to the Lord. He had begun to stumble and he saying to the Lord what the man in Mark said help me Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief. I don't want this help me help me. There's a second thing that causes doubt, not only personal tragedy but popular influences popular influences. John was in part a victim of the current misconceptions about the Messiah was a clear picture of the Messiah in the Old Testament very clear, but the was the suffering of Messiah, such as in Isaiah 53 the sin bearing work of Messiah. Those things were sort of pushed aside and the Jewish community had created an image of Messiah what he would be what he would do. And John had been just as the disciples were influenced by the in fact it's true that one of the reasons why the centurion had such great faith is because his understanding of Jesus Christ was not the Jewish understanding. It was not in that society. He was, not in that culture. So he wasn't victimized by this popular image of what the Messiah should be and so we had a faith that was superior to the faith of those who were Jews. Even the apostles who struggled with doubt and the doubt was not related to the Scriptures, but it was related to the popular tradition Messiah wasn't doing what everybody thought he would do, which was knockoff the Romans right.

First, there would be a military movement on the size partner, which he would massacre the Romans. It would set Israel free from Roman occupation.

Then there would be the great Society would come in Abraham's blessing would flood the land it would be a welfare state, free food for everybody else. Wealth prosperity.

The whole business.

All the wicked people would be thrown out all of the apostate people would be judged by God and in the day of the Lord kind of Holocaust and the glory of the kingdom would fill the earth and and everybody would come to Israel in the desert would blossom like a rose in the there would be a river open from Jerusalem flowing east and the lion would lie down with the lamb and everything the prophet said about the glories of the kingdom would come to pass and David greater son would sit on the throne and he would reign and rule and all nations would be subject to them in Israel would be the glory of God on earth that all figured out that but it was because of these popular conceptions that they had so much doubt Jesus didn't do that they can figure out what is the knockoff the Romans.

Why is he being constantly victimized by these Jewish leaders, but there was another interesting theory going on that time there had developed an idea that before Messiah. There would be a string of prophets who truck first would come. Elijah and that is the way the Old Testament ends. Remember that lie just a couple, and then would come. Jeremiah and he would be vindicated. So there would be Elijah German and in profit and profit be in profit seeing profit D and profit E and then the Messiah would come. That was kind of the idea and that's why in Matthew 16 Jesus said to the disciples who do men say that I am remember that and they said, some say you are Elijah. Some say you are Jeremiah or one of the prophets ABCD. In other words they didn't believe he was the Messiah. What they believed he was somewhere along the line of those preliminary to Messiah and then Jesus said, but who do you say I am. And Peter says you are the son of that is reflective of that popular concept. So John is saying look at his question. Are you the expected one or do we look for someone else. Obviously are from God obviously have the paragon obviously you teach the word of God that are you just one in the line prior to the Messiah where that come from any come from the Old Testament that was a traditional popular idea that had developed. Where are you in this line. The sequencer and what about knocking out the Romans and what about the health, wealth and happiness instantly for everybody.

Solve all problems right the world establish the throne and rule about them, even in next one. Just before Jesus ascended into heaven after his resurrection.

The disciples were saying. Are you at this time going to bring the kingdom they still couldn't figure out what it was in the King even after the resurrection. When Jesus appeared to them in Galilee.

Some of them doubted and the reason they doubt it is because they had this popular idea of what Jesus would do and it was even more confusing to them. When Jesus said I'm gonna die and go away and they just were absolutely blown apart when you go away. Where you going up. John 14 going my father's house, prepare a place for we don't know where to be how we ever find how we can find you or you will find me on the way the truth and the life define. Thomas doubted Philip doubted they doubt they all dead scattered and fled the walking on the road to Emmaus after the death of Jesus Christ mumbling and muttering that all is lost, all is lost all his see their expectation for the Messiah would do was just not right.

If you believe the lies are being told today about the health, wealth, prosperity and success gospel you're in trouble. People who preach that literally sentence the hearers to a life of doubt, crippling doubt that dishonors God. There is no promise that your to be healthy. There is no promise you're going to get well that you're going to be healed. There's no promise of you to be rich. There's no promise that your careers can be successful.

There is no such promise in the gospel until you get translated into the next life, then all your diseases will be over. And when you tell people that over and over and over and over. You are programming them to reject the God of the Bible and the gospel of the Bible and to live in a life of confusion, perplexity, and doubt.

It is a terrible thing to do. People Jesus tells us I was about his death eaters is. No no no you're not going to die you know the plan is you want to live the plan as you going to conquer the plan as you go to be the leader of the ruler of the kingdom will Jesus and get you behind me Satan that's Satan's plan, not mine.

Satan tempted Jesus in his temptation. Matthew four look for to do what the people wanted do a spectacular swan dive off the temple tower and be the big great one to make you king may create food, turn the stones to bread and show me to bring a permanent welfare state. I'll give you all the kingdoms of the world what that's what they wanted. They wanted a great one. Someone who could fly literally, food is a false Messiah tried short career. Great flight. Bad landing, but Satan was tempting Jesus to do what the people expected Messiah to do and he wouldn't do it. Make all those ridiculous promises your program people for doubt they buy into that expectation doesn't retire. Evangelical churches are strewn with the wreckage of people who believe that it shattered.

Whatever faith they may have had when you have no legitimate expectations when you bought into a false system.

And God doesn't deliver on those promises.

You have a problem with faith. Better not sit under that can teach it will sentence you to a life of serious debilitating discouraging doubt that will rob you of your joy and your usefulness in a week. We face is all time today. Well, if there's really a crisis and he cares was the world so messed up well with her if the Lord really loves people why it why do children die and people starving disease happen in war and death. And why do planes crashed into buildings and what is a Jesus stop all of this and why doesn't he stop the people are teaching Eric. He doesn't like it. What is the stuff of false religion, shut them down. All Scripture doesn't tell us he's going to do that might be your idea what he ought to do. Pleasant Scriptures says he will mentor going to get worse and worse lies and deceptions going to fill the earth people to say here's Christ there is Christ, false religion going to be rampant all over the world until the end of time God has a purpose, prophet Habakkuk, and or sought Israel and in such terrible spiritual disarrayed. He said how long the Lord how long you gonna bring revival to go to bring revival Lord, how long you wait Helen going away to been transferred for so long and the Lord answered his prayer by saying I'm not going to bring revival to bring destruction and numbness in the Chaldean sewer of bitter and hasty nation wicked evil pagan nation to destroy usually have bigger problems not only why doesn't God know, bless his people. That's one big problem that the second promises even worse. How can God use a wretched pagan Gentile nation to punish his people and he's struggling Habakkuk until he backs up and gets on a firm foundation, not on circumstances but on the character of his God, and finally in the last chapter's prophecies that have everything in the world goes haywire the very thing you can count on is in reverse.

If all the things are normal collapse. I'll still trust my God doubts arise because people have wrong expectations. They have a view of the plan that isn't God's plan that all John had been victimized by popular viewpoint was. We can honestly pray Lord we believe help our unbelief help us where our faith is freed on the edges help us where we struggle to believe because of personal tragedy or because of popular misconceptions. Help us Lord to trust you. Help us to be honest enough to go to you and that means not sending some servants to where you are on earth, but going to your word and finding clear understanding of your nature and your plan. Deliver us from doubt. So debilitate us it so steals our joy in our happiness and robs us of the passion of service to you and it cripples our worship deliver us from doubt, may we not be double minded, unstable wavering tossed like the seat is James says doubting people are who then receive no good thing from you and we pray that we might learn from this marvelous account of the greatest of men who struggled with the most human of problems and help us Lord to see doubt as a temptation is an illegitimate invasion into our lives and to deal with it by going directly to you asking you to give us the truth dispels the doubt. Christ's name this is grace to you with John MacArthur. Thanks for being with us today.

John help you prepare for doubts that sooner or later you will probably have its part of his current study here on grace to you titled when believers doubt now. This issue of believers doubt. I know you said before, John is not uncommon. In fact it's normal for a Christian to have momentary doubts, especially about doubting my own salvation. Or sometimes questioning whether the promises of Scripture are going to come true. But how do you know whether those doubts are basically benign. Or maybe they indicate a grave problem that maybe you're not really say 12.

There are several possibilities when you have doubts.

One is just part of being human and fallible and sinful and you're still fighting the flesh and so that so that's of the mind of the flesh, raising its ugly head. That's one possibility to that you're doubting because there's a pattern of sin in your life and assurances a gift of the Holy Spirit to an obedient believer. So in that sense that they could could indicate a grave problem. He could indicate that there is sin in your life, and this continual sin is causing the spirit of God to withhold that assurance and then of Odyssey.

The third possibility is you're not a Christian and that's why you're doubting because you're not really saved and I and I would say you you could mark those three by the duration of them. The first one is a fleeting moment's thought that maybe maybe I'm not saved, and it doesn't last. The second will last as long as you remain in that pattern of sin.

But if your true believer.

The time is going to come when the conviction of the Holy Spirit moves on your heart and you you confess and repent, and you move in the right direction and that goes away. But if it never changes.

If this is the pattern of your life to doubt your salvation. There is a real possibility that you are not truly saved.

I have to add one other possibility that you been taught so wrongly about salvation that you can't overcome your mental picture of what salvation is, if you were taught that you could lose your salvation and and then when you sin you lose it and you have to get it back. Perpetual doubt comes at that point so bad theology would would be the fourth thing that could sustain doubt. So you've got to understand salvation correctly. You've got to let those fleeting moments aware of the doubt comes in your mind pass and thank you Lord for your salvation and offer praise and worship to him. You've got to confess sin in your life so that you end a prolonged time of doubt and if it's constant and unending. You need to cry out to the Lord to genuinely save you we we want to help you with that. That's important to us. So we have a booklet called a believers assurance. A practical guide to victory over doubt free to anyone who asks. So just ask if you struggle with fear or doubt if you wonder where you will spend eternity. This booklet will help you to get your copy of a believers assurance just ask for it will send it to you free of charge. Contact us today. You can email your request to letters@tty.org or call us at 855 grace or go to our website TTY.org again, this booklet is a great resource if you've ever wondered, am I really say booklet will help you answer that question and will give you confidence in Christ's saving work to get a copy at no cost to you. Call 855. By our website TTY.org and while you're at the website. Don't forget about the study Bible app preloaded with the English standard.

New American Standard and King James versions of Scripture and for a reasonable price. You can unlock the footnotes from the MacArthur study Bible. These 25,000 footnotes plus charts and introductions to every book can help you study Scripture more effectively than ever before. Just go to TTY.org and download the app now for John MacArthur and the entire grace to you staff. I'm your host Phil Johnson encouraging you to be here tomorrow when John continues his look at how to fight doubt and trust God's word in any circumstance. It's another 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on grace to you