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).