This study refutes a new book attacking the credibility of the Bible (The Bible for Grown-Ups), denying all Bible history before 900BC and claiming endless errors along with the absence of any spiritual message or consistent morality in the OT period. (We hear of teachers indoctrinating classes with it.)
The Hebrew word translated dissolving means ‘untangling’ or ‘unravelling’. And the word translated doubts is literally ‘knots’, meaning riddles, or difficult statements. So it’s about the untangling of difficulties, or puzzling statements. They may be in the Bible. They may be about yourself. Doubts about your salvation. Doubts about the faith itself. And you may be tempted to keep quiet about them and then to doubt them.
The question arises: is a doubt intellectual? Or is it Satanic? Well, for Christians, it will be both. Because Satan will take advantage of any honest, intellectual doubt. He is always involved in doubts – we have to realise and understand that.
Take the very first doubt in the Bible, in Genesis 3. ‘Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.’
And there comes into question straightaway the reliability of God’s Word. It was denied, but in a very subtle manner – in the form of a lie that came with a layer of truth. ‘Ye shall not surely die.’ No, she would not immediately, literally, physically die. She would die spiritually (and physically, in due course) on account of this. But immediately the devil weakens her grasp of these things. And he weakens our grasp of things, sometimes with a grain of truth. But it isn’t really truth.
The point here is that doubts start with Satan. He is involved. And so when we think we have an intellectual doubt about something, we shouldn’t proceed as though there is no spiritual aspect to this. This is part of the warfare. Yes, you must solve that doubt. You must honour your understanding of the Word of God. You must try to get to the bottom of it and ask for help. But at the same time, make no mistake that Satan is involved in this doubt, and he will use it to bring you away from God and bring you down in some respect. It’s not purely an intellectual manner.
So we must proceed with humility, and care, and caution, knowing that this is dangerous territory, and we honestly try to resolve the doubt. And there are certain rules for this, which the Bible gives.
Related Resources
The Dissolving of Doubts 7
A pastoral overview of the doctrines of grace showing man’s great need of God’s initiative in salvation, the origin of the ‘five points’ and the galvanising effect they should have on witness and prayer for souls. With God sovereign in salvation, we never despair.
The Dissolving of Doubts 5
Refuting samples of claimed discrepancies in the gospels, demonstrating the unreasonableness of unbelief. Also the Matthew/Luke beatitude passages, which provide different perspectives, inspired by the Spirit, to show the full message intended by the Saviour. Plus, a review of Christ’s divinity in Matthew.
The Dissolving of Doubts 4
The nature of inspiration; the interpreting of Scripture; the anointing or transformed view of Scripture that conversion brings; the nature of attacks on Scripture, and a classic example in the virgin birth prophecy of Isaiah 14, showing the absurdity of the attack and the wonder of the passage.
The Dissolving of Doubts 3
The question, ‘Why did God allow sin?’ deeply disturbs many seekers and young believers for it challenges the perfection of God. The full answer – beyond our capacity – awaits eternity, but here are precious clues that reveal a glorious and heart-warming part of God’s eternal wisdom.
The Dissolving of Doubts 2
(ii) — Doubts about salvation: experienced both by young and seasoned believers, their form and our response. Here are five surprising and powerful evidences of salvation presented in 1 John to show troubled souls that they should regard themselves as saved and move forward in faith.
The Dissolving of Doubts
— or the Hebrew original: the untangling of knots. A survey of doubts, firstly Genesis 3 and their satanic origin, then Peter’s doubting of Matthew 14, then praying without doubt (other texts), backsliding doubts, and different forms of doubt and how to confront them (Ephesians 6).