Distinguishing between Doubting and Disbelief

Source: John 20:24-29; Mark 9:24; Matthew 28:17

“Do I actually believe this stuff? Or am I saying it because that’s what ‘they’ taught me to say?” I found myself asking in my head. It wasn’t a passing thought, but a definite crisis of the faith. “Is this really what I believe or not?”

These thoughts are just a few that were banging around in my head while I was teaching youth group several years ago. “How could I doubt my faith? I’m a seminary trained youth pastor after all! I’ve been on missions trips, I’ve read the whole Bible, I can’t doubt!” I declared in my head.

But there was no denying it. I walked off the stage that night troubled in spirit and mind. I put on a pleasant act for all to see, and had a great time after youth group. But when everyone was gone and I was left alone with my thoughts, I found that I could be honest again.

Was I doubting? Yes, indeed I was.

Was this a bad thing? I told myself it was, but the reality was that it was the best thing that could have happened to me. I learned a lesson about myself and about God through the process.

Doubting your faith is an opportunity to figure out what is really going on in your heart and in your head. Doubting is not fun or pleasant, rather it is unsettling. But it is also revealing if you encounter it correctly.

The problem with doubting is there are a lot of misconceptions about doubt and very little training on it. When I went through my crisis of faith all those years ago, I was ashamed and didn’t want to tell anyone about it. I pretended for a long time that I didn’t doubt. After all, a speaker once came to my school and said if you “doubted your faith you are not really a Christian.” What? I found that to be the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard…or at least near the top of the list.

In tonight’s passage, I want to address the misconception that doubt is a sign of disbelief. Some fear doubt because they think it is admitting they don’t believe anymore. Often times this view is picked up by an unfortunate treatment of John 20:24-29, you know the “Doubting Thomas’ passage. In my studies, I’ve come to the conclusion that we shouldn’t call him “doubting Thomas” but “disbelieving Thomas,” because there is a clear distinction between disbelief and doubt.

When we look into the passage we have to ask ourselves, what did Thomas believe? What do we know about Thomas?

Thomas was one of the disciples of Christ. He spent the better part of 3 years with Jesus. He was brave and bold, “let us go with him also, that we may die with him” (John 11:16).

Thomas believed that Jesus lived, taught them a lot of things, performed miracles, was falsely arrested, abused and crucified and died. He saw it. He believed it. He didn’t doubt that Jesus was dead. He didn’t believe that Jesus rose from the dead. In order to doubt it, he had to believe it.

Do you see the difference? Thomas didn’t doubt his faith, because he hadn’t placed his faith in the resurrection.

In Matthew 28:17 we see that many of the disciples “saw” the resurrected Lord and worshipped Him, but “some doubted.” They “saw”, “worshipped” and “doubted.” There was an element of faith, but they questioned their own eyes. That’s doubt, not disbelief.

Over the next couple of weeks we are going to examine the topic of doubts. Why? Because traditionally, churches and believers do not deal well with doubt. Too often we dismiss it as a passing phase. Students become embarrassed about doubting and sometimes never talk about it.

Sticky Faith research shows that 70% of youth group students doubt their faith and never talk about it!! I want to change that. I want Loft to be a place where we can engage doubts and discover the truth of God’s love!

Another misconception is that we can deal with doubts by listing Bible verses or stating a quick apologetic. That’s not we are going to do in this series. For many of the students know the Bible and know the apologetic, but they need to discover and feel their way through what St. John of the Cross called, “The Dark Night of the Soul.” There are not pat answers here. Instead we are going to open the floor to discussion and help lead and guide through these questions.

The first question you have to answer is this: “are you doubting your faith or is it that you don’t believe at all?”

Thomas didn’t believe, BUT Jesus appeared to him bodily. Not only did Jesus appear bodily, but he made Thomas live up to his bold proclamation and touch his hand and his side. This led to Thomas’ declaration, “My LORD and my God!”

Thomas saw and believed. His life was transformed. He became a witness for the risen Lord and tradition tells us he took the Gospel all the way to India.

But we find great hope in Jesus’ response to Thomas. “You believe because you see, blessed are those who never see and yet believe.”

Jesus’ response recognizes the potential for doubt and the necessity of faith. Jesus doesn’t choose to appear to everyone that disbelieves the way Thomas did, that was a one-time special case. But those of us who believe can persuade those who struggle to believe by compassionately sharing what we know to be true.

Doubt and disbelief, often confused, but very different. Doubting is not a sin, but can lead to sin. The question is what are you going to do about your doubt? If you allow your doubts to take over your faith, then you may give up on the faith. But if you see doubt as an opportunity to understand your faith, you will find that you are stronger because of your doubts.

I faced that as a youth pastor. Did I believe that stuff? You bet I did. It wasn’t just what I was trained to say. It wasn’t just what my parents passed on to me. It is what I believe! I know that and am confident in it.

Look to the Word of God as your guide. Be willing to talk to others who can help you process your doubts. You are not alone in doubting, so don’t try to navigate it alone. Let’s live up to Jude’s counsel and “be merciful to those who doubt” (Jude 22).

When Prayer is Your Fault

Source: Daniel 6; Philippians 1:6; 2:15

It’s been a real joy to study the book of Daniel again! It has so much for you and me to learn. From favorite Sunday School stories, to major teenage decisions and to the importance of consistent faith throughout life. Even as I read through Daniel and the Lion’s Den story, I am amazed at how much more there is for me to learn from such a familiar story.

Almost everyone is familiar with the Lion’s Den part of the story, so I may say little about that today. I want to look to Daniel to help us practically apply the nonconformist lifestyle. Read through chapter 6 and ask yourself what it tells you about Daniel’s character. Take a moment and list everything you find.

He Was Trustworthy

Let’s consider the fact that Daniel is now serving under the fourth ruler (Nebuchadnezzar, Nabunidas, Belshazzar and now Darius). Not only is Darius a new king, but he is from an new empire. Daniel was in a position of influence under all these kings. Now under the new regime, we find that he has already been elevated to one of the three highest positions and soon to be in the number one spot.

What does it say about a man’s character that the leaders of the land trust him, recognize his counsel and faithfulness and elevate him to positions of power? Ancient Near Eastern kings were a superstitious and paranoid bunch, so when they found a loyal advisor, it was like finding a pot of gold.

He Was Positive

Daniel had an awesome attitude. He was described as having an “excellent spirit.” He was positive and fun to be around. I think this is important because he served a pagan king in an overtly pagan culture. Daniel is a prime example of a nonconformist, yet the king enjoyed having him around. This tells me something about being a Christian nonconformist in a secular world that is increasingly anti-biblical values.

To be a nonconformist does not mean being a contrarian. What I mean as a contrarian is, “Someone who automatically tends to take the opposite point of view from the person to whom they're speaking, or to disagree with society at large out of a sort of knee-jerk reflex.”

Nobody likes that person who is always disagreeable, pointing out all the problems in things and is always negative. Daniel has instructed us from chapter 1, when he was a teenager, to chapter 6 as an old man, on how to be a nonconformist in a polite and civil manner. He clearly disagrees with the king, and yet is always invited back.

How do you stand up for Christ? As someone said, “are you persecuted because you are a Christian, or because you are a big jerk?”

There is a lot to stand against in our culture, but it takes a grace filled, humble nonconformist to be friendly while standing for Jesus.

He Was Pure

We also see that the other leaders where jealous and so they put out a full fledge investigation into Daniel’s life to find faults with him. Think about any person in politics today, the average man on the street believes that if you investigate any politician you will find dirt on them. One of my friends thinks that any potential presidential candidate has had to make a big compromise somewhere to be even considered. I know that’s a conspiracy theory, but think of what it implies, people distrust politicians.

Daniel was an advisor to the king, and he had a career in politics. These high officials sent in the Medio-Persian equivalent of the FBI and CIA to find dirt on Daniel. Guess what they found?

Nothing!

What if a private investigator began to examine your life today? They had access to your home, your school, your family and friends. They could hack your phone, your computer and video games. All they want to find is your weaknesses, the dirt in your life. What would they find?

For Daniel, they found his faith. Yep, that’s the worst thing they could come up with. He was a man dedicated to his God and he liked to pray!

Oh to be men and women like Daniel, that our biggest fault is our prayer life!

He Was Consistent

When the decree came down that prayer to anyone but the king was illegal, Daniel went back to his house and prayed. He had a prayer spot, where he went three times a day and prayed. It was his habit, his pattern. The officials knew it was his spot and laid in wait for him.

Later we see the king describe Daniel twice with the words, “the God whom you serve continually.” Wow! Another great testimony about his consistent walk with God.

If I were to show up to your school, workplace or home and began to ask people about your faith, how would they respond? Do they know if you are a Christian? Does your life demonstrate belief in God? Would they describe you as someone who serves your God continually?

What about your social media presence? If I were to look through your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, etc. what impression would I have of your life? Is it consistent with your faith?

He Was Relational

Daniel knew how to make and develop friendships. Darius was distressed when he realized he was fooled into condemning Daniel.

Not to be redundant, but consider the fact that Daniel is a 85 year old Hebrew who is dedicated to his God and is good friends with the pagan king Darius. So much so, that Darius sought to find a loop hole in the law to save Daniel. Darius lost sleep and lost his appetite while Daniel was in the Lion’s Den. He rushed to the den as soon as it was morning to see if Daniel was spared. He loved Daniel.

What’s the most important thing, to be right or to see someone’s humanity and seek to build the relationship? We need to see everything through a relational lens. Jesus said that “all the law and the profits hang on” the two greatest commandments: to love God first and to love our neighbor as ourselves.  You could point out everyone’s faults all the time and have no friends, but a nonconformist is one who lives out the truth while building relationships by seeking the welfare of others.

Let me illustrate this with a true story, but I’ll change names and a few details to protect identities.

Fred had said something extremely hurtful in a public place. Lucy was deeply grieved and wanted to confront him and thought a letter would be best. So, Lucy wrote a long letter describing her point of view. Before sending the letter, Lucy asked me what I thought of it.

After reading it, I asked Lucy what her intentions were for the letter, did you want to cut the person out of your life or do you want to begin a conversation that can lead to reconciling the friendship? Lucy said she really wanted to keep the friendship.

I told Lucy that this letter would drive a wedge that may never be removed. Then I asked Lucy if she would mind if I edited the letter to capture more of the spirit she desired to have. We worked through the letter together and crafted one that valued Fred as a person, valued the relationship, and gently discussed the issue.

Long story short, it began a healthy dialogue and the friendship has been restored. Why? Because the letter changed from just being right, to valuing the relationship in pursuit of the truth.

He Was Blameless

Of course, we know the rest of the story. God spared Daniel’s life because he was found to be blameless before God and before the king. God vindicated Daniel and the king restored him to his position where he faithfully served until he died.

We have learned a lot from Daniel on how to be a nonconformist. It’s not easy. It’s an everyday commitment. It takes practice and you will fail at times. But God is faithful and He will continually work in and through you until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).

A nonconformist loves God above all things. She cares deeply about her friends who are like minded and encourage her to follow God. He lives a pure life that communicates the truth of who God is in his life as a testimony to the world. Will you be a nonconformist?

Confronting Pride

Lesson 4

Source: Daniel 4-5; Proverbs 16:18; James 4:1-10

Living a nonconformist lifestyle is hard, like really hard. Why? We all have this desire to fit in, to be accepted and to go along with the crowd. Our hunger for “community” is so overwhelming at times that we will do whatever it takes to “belong.” The Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard points to illustration of the crowd yelling, “crucify Him,” as evidence of the false courage and stupidity of the crowd. He points out how the crowd leads us to “untruth.”

Why do we naturally gravitate to the crowd? Because we can hide in the crowd. We won’t be seen for who we really are, yet our deepest longing in our heart is to be known. Ever since our first parents ate the forbidden fruit, they set a pattern of hiding from God. Every one of us has perpetuated that pattern by joining the crowd.  In the crowd, we pretend that God and others cannot see our sinfulness and our inadequacies. Yet, the being part of the crowd is the biggest evidence of our deep shame.

That’s why God calls us to be nonconformists according to Romans 12:1-2. A nonconformist is one whom God has given the grace to see that Christ is more important than the crowd. That by following Christ, they will receive a deeper satisfaction then the crowd could ever offer. There is no need to hide from God when you are in Christ, for Christ has paid your sin debt, He has reconciled you to the Father and given access to the Holy Spirit. As a Christ follower, you know the one true God and are known by Him, and He loves you!

Daniel understood this about God, that God knew him and had not forgotten him. Remember, Daniel and his friends were dragged away from their home and taken to a foreign land. They were taught a new language, new philosophies, given new names and surrounded by unbelievers. Right away, Daniel set up a pattern to follow God before the king and his obedience led to God’s protection of Daniel and his friends, and also to the benefit of the entire kingdom.

Daniel has been put to the test to join the crowd time and time again. He does not just face the natural pull toward the crowd, but he encounters the leader of the crowd time and again. Every time he takes a stand for God, he is risking his life. Every time he tells the king something the king wouldn’t want to hear, he is risking the king’s anger. Yet, Daniel continues to trust God with his wellbeing.

This week we see Daniel’s service to two different kings, Nebuchadnezzar and his grandson Belshazzar. In both stories, Daniel is called upon because his commitment to God has created a reputation as one who is filled with “an excellent spirit, knowledge and understanding.” At the root of each story is the king’s pride and we see two very different outcomes.

From the Palace to the Field and Back Again

Chapter 4 opens with Nebuchadnezzar having a dream he wants interpreted. His dream was about a tree that was chopped down, but the stump remained. Not one of his astrologers, enchanters, magicians or wise men could tell him the interpretation. Until Daniel enters the story.

Daniel hears the dream and is troubled by it, because he cares for the king. The king reassures him that no matter the interpretation, Daniel should hold nothing back. The interpretation was that the king was becoming too confident in himself and his own pride was going to lead him to destruction. The king’s sanity and kingdom was going to ripped away from him and he was going to live as an animal for 7 years. Then he was going to find repentance and his sanity and kingdom would be restored.

Daniel finishes with the exhortation for the king to repent now and save himself from this humiliation.

“Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.” (Daniel 4:27)

A year later, Nebuchadnezzar looked out upon his kingdom and boasted about how great he was. Immediately his senses were taken from him and he was removed from his position. He lived the next seven years as a beast of the field.

Until one day, his senses returned and he praised the living God!

“At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” (Daniel 4:34-35)

His senses were restored and he was given back his kingdom.

Nebuchadnezzar has had several encounters with the wisdom and power of God. Some scholars disagree, but I believe he experienced genuine repentance and salvation at the end of chapter 4. Daniel’s consistent nonconformist life left an impression on the king and now we see his confession of God:

“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.” (Daniel 4:37)

The Writing on the Wall

The next story jumps some 20 years in the future. Nebuchadnezzar has died and his son Nabonidus is now king. We don’t see Nabonidus in the book of Daniel, although it is believed the promise of being “third in the kingdom” is a reference to the fact that he was still alive. Nabonidus abdicated his throne for many years and enjoyed the desert oasis of Tayma, leaving his son, Belshazzar, to rule.

Belshazzar forgot about Nebuchadnezzar and his advisor Daniel. He enjoyed the prosperity and power others had worked hard for. He was partying it up and brought out the golden vessels that had been taken from the Temple of God in Israel to drink from them. This utter contempt for the holiness of God was met with a stunning display.

A finger appeared and wrote on the wall for all to see, “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.” The king was scared and called anyone to come and tell him what it means. His mom remembered Daniel was blessed by God and told her son to summons him.

Daniel refused the offer of the prize and reminded Belshazzar of the lessons God taught his grandfather. He rebuked Belshazzar for his pride and arrogance for worshiping all these other gods, but not recognizing the God who holds his breath. He then interpreted the writings, “God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting, and your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

Belshazzar honors Daniel with the gifts and declares him to be third in his kingdom. Yet that very night, Darius the Mede had his forces sneak into the city while Belshazzar had partied, and killed Belshazzar and took Babylon.

The Testimony of the Nonconformist

Think back to chapter 1. How easy would it have been for Daniel to just give in and “enjoy” the pleasures of the world? How tempting was it for him to join the crowd? To go with the world’s pattern?

You know how easy it would be to give in, because each day you face the same questions. Sure, not the same level and in the same manner. But Daniel was just a human like you and me. He was no super human, but he was committed to honoring God above all else and God honored him (James 4:10).

How many of the wise men, astrologers, magicians and Chaldeans have drifted off forgotten in history? What significant story did they leave behind? How many other Hebrew children were taken by the Babylonians and bought into the crowd and missed the opportunity to show the glory of Yahweh?

Daniel’s decision to live as a nonconformist began in chapter 1, but it was lived out each and every day of his life. We see his influence over a king and his kingdom in Nebuchadnezzar, the pagan king turned believer. We see his bold and confident stand before the prideful Belshazzar. Both Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar offered Daniel everything this world could give him, and it wasn’t enough to deter Daniel from his God.

We need to remember that this world offers so much, but it cannot deliver. Consider these lyrics from Caedmon’s Call’s song “This World”:

“This world has nothing for me and this world has everything
All that I could want and nothing that I need”

It’s only in Christ we will find our deepest satisfaction. It’s only in pursuing Him with our lives that we will truly find meaning, purpose and value in our life. As we stand up and stand out for Christ we will see that a nonconformist life is a life that leaves and impact on everyone around us.

Truly, following Jesus changes everything!

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