But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind (James 1:6).

Why is it so wrong to doubt? There are two kinds of doubt—one that is a fixed position, and the other that is a creative sign of growth. An atheist says that there is no God and is closed to any possibility. A deist says that God exists but has no contact with the world He has created. An agnostic says that he simply does not know. In all three there is a solidified stance. That’s the kind of person James is talking about. They have refused the gift of faith. His apt description fits millions of people today. God wants to give us the gift of faith to know Him and the gift of wisdom to understand His ways.

As we grow in both gifts, there will be constant questions. We can accept those doubts as growing pains and ask God for His wisdom to move beyond our present stage of intellectual growth. He is faithful to answer!

Is it a sin to doubt? Yes, if it is our way of holding God at bay—if we demand that He fit into our presuppositions and our limited experience. Doubt is sin when we refuse to be open to new discoveries. God wants us to be intellectual adventurers. However much we have grown, it’s only a beginning. There’s so much beyond our own theories and rationality. Doubt is partial blindness. But Christ can and will heal the eyes of our minds. The battle with doubt must be waged in a relationship with the Lord. Give Him as much as you know of yourself, and He will become a partner, not an enemy.

Pastor Ken