Cure for Doubt

The cure for doubt depends to some extent on the thing doubted. However, the real problem is not in the object doubted but in the subject who doubts. Therefore, the following steps should be taken by the doubting Christian.

a. Confess the doubt to God as sin. Doubt is basically unbelief in God and His Word and is therefore sin (Rom. 14:23; Heb. 11:6). God has promised to hear our confession of even the darkest unbelief.

b. Study the evidence for the Christian faith. Christians have nothing to fear by looking into the facts from any source of knowledge. The greatest evidence for the validity of Christianity, the resurrection of Christ, is attested by many proofs. Among these are the empty tomb, post-resurrection appearances, and transformed disciples. Since the resurrection is true, it verifies everything the Bible says.

c. Make certain of your salvation. Paul exhorts Christians to examine themselves to make sure they are Christians (2 Cor. 13:5). So did the author of Heb. (Heb. 6:1-9). Untill you are assured of your salvation you will be troubled by enormous doubts.

d. Faithfully study the Word of God. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17). Through study and application of the Bible, our faith is strengthened and matured. Most especially, we must master the doctrines or basic teachings of the Bible if we are to be stable, mature Christians (1 Tim. 4:13, 16; 2 Tim. 3:16; Titus 2:1,10).

e. Pray. The surest way to face doubts when they come is to have an extensive past history of answered prayer. The more a Christian prays with faith, the more that Christian sees God answer prayer. The more a person sees God answer prayer, the stronger that person's faith becomes while the doubt becomes less.