Doubting Christ

By Chidi Ezeobi

God gave us that greatest gift, “his son,” to save humankind, give us faith, encourage us, equip us, and guide us.

In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent his only begotten son into the world that we might live through him. (1 John 4:9)

This is thought-provoking. It’s an invitation to replace doubt with faith. This faith is going to be our weapon. It is belief, the belief we are going to use to believe the Son of God.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 24, 2021
• ISBN: 9781662447020

Book preview

Chapter 1

Introduction

The free gift of God through his son Jesus Christ is hope.

Is this true?

God wants to use his son to save us.

To save mankind, God gave us that greatest gift. "For God so Loved the World That He Gave His Only Begotten Son, That Whoever Believes in Him Should Not Perish But Have Everlasting Life" (John 3:16).

In this, the love of God was manifested toward us. God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him (1 John 4:9).

But God demonstrates his love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 8:9).

While we were still sinners, when we were yet without strength, without merit, when we didn’t deserve it, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly when we were enemies. We were reconciled to God through the death of his son.

In Romans, Apostle Paul confirmed this and assured us that much more, having been reconciled, his life shall save us.

Give Us Faith

F or it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." (Eph. 2:8–9)

Romans 3:27 asks, "Where is boasting then? It is excluded by what law? Of Works? No, but by the Law of Faith."

Further down in the same chapter, it says, "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the Law" (Rom. 3:28).

Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word about Christ. (Rom. 10:17)

According to the Bible, many great men and women were saved by faith because faith is an assurance about what we do not see. So instead of doubt in our minds, my invitation to you is to replace doubt with faith. Remember, we do not see doubt just like faith. But here is the difference between faith and doubt. Faith is assurance while doubt is not. Faith has rewards while doubt does not. Faith has rewards while doubt has none. Faith justifies while doubt does not. Faith saves lives while doubt destroys. Faith is forward while doubt is backward. One will live by faith, while doubt leads to death. It goes on and on. So you see why I suggest you replace your doubt with faith! Yes, if you do, the benefit is enormous.

Thus, faith is going to be our weapon. It is belief. Faith is our belief perseverance. Faith is going to be our confidence because faith is confidence. As we believe and accept it, we’ll understand it.

The scripture says, "By Faith, we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command. So that what is seen was not made out of what was visible."

By faith, Abel brought God a better offering. And by faith, Abel still speaks today, even though he is dead.

By faith, Enoch was taken from this life so that he did not experience death. He could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God, and without faith, it is impossible to please God because anyone who came to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who believe and earnestly seek him.

By faith, Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, built an ark to save his family. By his faith, he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness in keeping with faith.

By faith, Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith, he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country. As did Isaac and Jacob, he lived in tents. They were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. And by faith, even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise.

By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau regarding their future. By faith, Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

By faith, Moses’s parents hid him for three months after he was born because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

By faith, the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land, but then the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned (Heb. 11:3–29).

By faith, all the twelve disciples left what they were doing and followed Jesus. By faith, Mary Magdalene and other women went to check Christ’s grave after his death. By faith, more than five hundred people who saw Jesus after he had risen believed him. By faith, we believe that Jesus is Lord! Amen.

Encourage us:

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. (Rom 15:4)

Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. (1 Cor. 10:11)

Equip us:

All scriptures… Is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16–17)

It says all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness to equip ourselves.

Guide us:

The Bible is an unwavering compass and the truth that guides and directs our steps, always pointing us to true directions. The Bible lights the path for our feet so we know where to step our feet.

The Bible is the GPS (Global Position System) for the Christians and believers who always take the right directions. It points us to God.

If we lose track and diverge in the wrong direction, when we lose focus and lose our sights (which we always do), to refocus, to get back on track, we look at Jesus, who gives us a clearer view and direct direction toward God. That road that leads to the father is the son’s.

Chapter 2

Doubt

Some people said: That simply by doubting we make ourselves feel unhappier.

Doubt Displeases, Faith Pleases.

Conspiracy theory: I sit down in frustration, lay down to take a nap, wake up in the middle of the night, think, and say to myself, Is this not another conspiracy theory? From our government who wants to control everything we do, from where we enter to where we exit, from the air we breathe to the food we eat, from what to believe to what to doubt, from what to seek to what to find, from where we live to where we play. The government wants to control our minds. Is this another conspiracy theory? Who knows?

Is Christ truly the son of God or just another prophet of God? What is the truth about Christ? How many times have you asked yourself who knows the truth? How many times has somebody asked you, Who knows the truth?

Did you know the truth? The Bible claims that if you know the truth, that truth shall set you free. So what is this truth that shall set you free, if you know it? Set you free from what could be conspiracy theory?

Did you have doubts about other things? Did you have doubts about anything in your life? How many things in life are you truly very sure of? How many things were verifiable? How many theories were verifiable? Some things may be easy to verify, while others may be hard. But those things in life that we think are easy to verify or prove may not be easier after all. How does one verify this Jesus Christ thing?

It looks like we doubt more things than we realize in life. Or are we believing more things than we realize? It’s like most people who dig deep to understand more things end up doubting more things in life. On the one hand, knowing too much hurts, one group said. Others said that half knowledge is dangerous. Believe it or not, both groups are somewhat right. But how do we strike a balance between knowing too much and knowing too little? Could it be applied to doubting versus believing Christ?

There are many factors why people doubt or believe in something.

There’s one truth about knowing too much and knowing too little: they both produce doubt. Some people doubt because of their knowledge of something. Others doubt because of lack of experience in the same thing. Others doubt it because of environmental factors—where they’re born, live, and grow up. Some doubt because of people or groups of people around them. Some people doubt because of their customs, traditions, beliefs, and culture. Other people doubt because their rivals believe in that thing.

Others doubt simply because of political differences. Some doubt others because of their sex, origin, the color of their skin, language, etc.

Some folks doubt things because they need scientific proof. Others doubt anything they hear from unfavorable media. Others doubt because doubt is in their DNA. I mean, I can go on and on about why different people doubt different things for various reasons.

I have a friend who doubts things for no reason. This guy challenges things without any reason. Isn’t that funny? I also know of a guy who doubts things only when he is angry.

The things we consider unlikely are things that are uncertain. Uncertainty of our belief becomes an opinion that often interferes with our decision-making. They’re deliberate suspension of our judgment and an inclination not to believe or accept. State of affairs giving rise to uncertainty, playing with our acceptance is doubt.

A close mind as well as an open mind are an invitation to doubt, if you ask me.

What Is Doubt?

To be in doubt; akin to dubious; fear; suspect; to be in doubt about; to lack confidence in; distrust; to consider unlikely; to be uncertain. (Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary: Eleventh Edition)

Uncertainty of belief or opinion that often interferes with decision-making: a deliberate suspension of judgment: a state of affairs giving rise to uncertainty, hesitation, or suspense; a lack of confidence, distrust; an inclination not to believe or accept.

To be in doubt is to be in fear. Is somebody afraid of his best friend? I mean, are you afraid of your true friend that loves you dearly and unconditionally? Or are you afraid of the one you love dearly, truly, and unconditionally? Would anyone fear something that gives life and support to the person?

Can you doubt someone who trusts you? How can one disregard one who regards him or her or lack confidence in one who has confidence in you?

The fact is, with doubt, we cannot achieve anything in life. Innovators don’t become innovators by doubting. Likewise, achievers don’t become achievers by doubting. Great men and women don’t become great by doubting. Steve Jobs didn’t build Apple products by doubting. Bill Gates didn’t build Microsoft by doubting. Elon Musk didn’t assemble Tesla’s electric vehicles by doubt. Jeff Bezos didn’t become a genius by doubting Amazon. Mark Zuckerberg, the young talented brain behind Facebook, is a believer in what he is doing. The Williams sisters, Selena and Venus, never doubted tennis. That’s why they make playing tennis look easy (when it is very hard). So my point is, we cannot achieve anything by doubling the very thing.

After great performances, most of the winners always say, Believe in yourself. Don’t doubt yourself. You can do it. Some of them always say something like what my parents, teacher, or coach tells me: Don’t doubt yourself. You can do it.

There’s a correlation between believing and winning versus doubting and losing games.

I noticed one thing that surprised me when I was writing this book. In the Old Testament, I don’t remember coming across the word doubt. I used the NIV Zondervan Study Bible, but not in one verse could I find doubt, doubting, or doubts.

But in the New Testament, I found them in Matthew, Mark, James, Jude, Luke, and Romans.

I am going to share with you a place in the New Testament where I came across doubt, doubts and doubting.

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. You of little faith, he said, why did you doubt?" (Matt. 14:31)

Jesus replied, "Truly I tell you if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, "go throw yourself into the sea. And it will be done." (Matt. 21:21)

Truly I tell you if anyone says to this mountain, Go, throw yourself into the sea! And does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. (Mark 11:23)

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. (James 1:6)

Be merciful to those who doubt. (Jude 22)

Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands, reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe. (John 21:27)

He said to them, "Why are you troubled and why do your doubts rise in your minds? (Luke 24:38)

But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. (Rom. 14:23)

In the absence of faith or belief that convinces a person on what they can or cannot do or cannot achieve or reach is doubt.

Doubt is I cannot do it. I cannot get there. I cannot reach that goal. Too hard. Too difficult. Don’t believe in that. It’s impossible. Not achievable. Not for me. It’s always being negative.

The thing that stops or discourages us from reaching our goal, focus, and belief is doubt.

Chapter 3

Life Comes with Death

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

—Luke 19:10

For the wages of sin is death, but the Gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

—Romans 6:23

Man, woman, young, old, boy, girl, and every living thing are destined to die. Death is inevitable. This is a harsh reality of life. Life comes with death. Next to life stands death. Life and death go hand in hand. They’re inseparable.

Life and death come from somewhere? The complex question is, where did life and death originate?

According to the Holy Bible, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. God said, Let there be light, and there was light. God saw that the light was good. God, who created the heavens, said, He is God who fashioned and made the earth. God knew and said, He did not create them to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited. God created man in [his own image] to inhabit the earth." The man, God called Adam. God saw that man he created needed a companion. God formed another being from man. He called the woman Eve. This is where life originated.

Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden. There God put the man he had created. The Lord God created all kinds of trees that grow out of the ground. Trees he created were beautiful and were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden was the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A river watering the garden flowed from Eden. From there, it was separated into four headwaters. Now the Lord God commanded the man and said, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." (Here comes death.)

God blessed them (Adam and Eve) and said to them, Be fruitful and increase in number: fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground. Note that God gave man and woman authority over animals.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy. On the seventh day, God rested from all of the work of creation.

In Genesis 1:26, God said, Let us make man in our image. Please take note of us and in our image. Ask yourself who God was referring to when he used the pronoun our. Is God two?

Is God alone? So why would he say, Let us? Who is us?

God, in his creation, introduced a second or even a third person to us.

When us was being used, God was telling me and you that he was not alone at that time. So who is this us that God mentioned? We’ll find out in a later chapter.

The origin of life, the beginning of our lives, came from one man by the name of Adam.

God placed Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden when the serpent appeared. The serpent was craftier than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. The serpent was called the devil or Satan. Note that God introduced another being to us.

These two lives introduced to us (not Adam and Eve) would later become life and death, or rather symbolizes life and death.

One would mislead the world while one would save the world.

This is significant and food for thought, as well as the title of this book, Doubting Christ. Brethren, we need to do some serious thinking here.

Now look at the scene from another angle. God introduced a spiritual living thing in an animal that he had created.

For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

When the woman saw that the tree’s fruit was good for food and pleasing to the eye and desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Folks, that was the destruction of humankind. That incident was the fall of man, the end of the beginning of life.

What happened after was pain and suffering and of course, death. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. So now where’s the serpent?

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord. Can they hide from God?

Does he who formed the eye not see? (Ps. 94:9)

But the Lord called to the man and asked, Where are you?

He answered, I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.

God asked, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?

Adam answered, The woman you put here with me she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it.

God said to Eve, What is this you have done? Eve said, The serpent deceived me, and I ate. (Gen. 3:9–13)

(The serpent reappears.)

So the Lord God said to the serpent, Because you have done this, Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. (Gen. 3:14–15)

Let’s take a step back. When God said he will crush your head and you will strike his heel, did you know who this