Faith vs. Doubt

While reading the Word of God, I wanted to understand the different contrasts between "faith" and "doubt". These words are found throughout the Word of God, and have an astounding impact on our spirtitual lives, emotional, physical, and mental well being.

So today, I decided to open up Webster's to obtain a literal meaning of these words. Faith is described as:

Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence.

or

Confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof; a statement unworthy of belief.

Now, here's the definition based on the Word of God (Romans 4:17):

17(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations)before him who he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

Let's see what Webster's definition is regarding doubt:

To regard as unlikely.

or

2.To tend to disbelieve; distrust

Again, let's look at the word of God (Matthew 13:54-57, New Living Translation):

54He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was amazed and said, "Where does he get this wisdom and power to do miracles?"

55Then they scoffed, "He's just the carpenter's son, and we know Mary, his mother and his brothers - James, Joseph, Simon and Judas.

56All of his sisters live right here among us. Where did he learn all these things?"

57And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.

As we can see there are pronoun contrasts between faith and doubt. Doubt being full of skepticism and unwilligness to believe. Faith being rich with reliance, trust, surety and confidence. Let's look at some examples of being rich with faith in the Word of God:

1. In the book of Genesis 15:1-4, God told Abram he would be blessed. Abram responded by asking God, what good would his blessing do him, when he didn't have any children. And because he had no children his servant Elizear of Damacus would inherit his household and his wealth.

Now, noticed that Abram did not have any doubt God would bless him, he just asked what good are your blessings, if I don't have an son or children to pass the Lord's blessing onto. Now notice in verse 4 the Lord told Abram, his servant wouldn't be his heir. Abram would be blessed with his own son. In fact he asked Abram to look into the sky and count the stars if he could. That's how many descendants he would have.

Abram could have most certainly questioned God's ability to fulfill his promises. When God promised Abram his protection, bible scholars suggests that Abram was 75 years old at the time. Some may consider 75 to be a ripe old age in these times, too. But, Abram had pure trust and confidence in God, to give him an heir.

He could have questioned God and said: "What are you talking about? Don't you know I'm up in years as well as my wife?

But he didn't instead he believed God and God counted him righteous.

Here we can see that even after the fall of Adam and Eve, God had began to implement his plan of restoring man back to Himself through faith.

Let's look at another example in the Word:

2. In the book of Luke 1:28-38, An angel appeared unto Mary saying that she had found favor and the Lord was with her. He told her, she would conceive a son and he will be called Jesus. Confused, she asked the angel how this would happen, being she was a virgin.

Here, Mary did not questioned God with unbelief. However, she was justifiably confused, being that she knew a child could only be conceived through sexual intercourse between a husband and a wife. Being that she was virgin, how could this be?

The angel explained to her that the Holy Spirit will come upon her and the power of God would shadow her. The baby to be born would be holy and called the Son of God. Mary reply to the angel, she was indeed a servant of the Lord and may everything he said to her come true.

Again, Mary didn't question God with unbelief regarding the details of the conception. She believed everything the Angel said would come to pass.

Now, let's look at some examples of doubt:

1. In the book of Luke 1:13-20, an angel appeared unto Zechariah, the husband of Elizabeth who was old and possibly barren liken to Sarah. The angel told Zechariah his wife would bear a son and his name would be called John. He would prepare the people of the coming of the Messiah and cause the rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.

However, Zechariah responded in doubt. Instead of believing God, he questioned the angel and asked: "How can I be sure this will happen." He considered both the ages of Elizabeth and himself. I can imagine, his physical capabilities was a concerned, as well. In any event, he did not trust in the Word of God. As a result, he anger the angel with disbelief and was unable to speak until the child was born.

How awful it must have been for Zechariah to be unable to shout to the world, the coming of his first-born son.

We must realize that faith and belief is what moves the hand of God. Doubt renders God's ability to move in our lives. This is noted in Scripture in Matthew 13:58:

58And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief (New Living Translation)

Let's look at another example of doubt:

2. In the book of Matthew 14:27-31, the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water. Fearing he was a ghost, Peter called out to the Lord and said if it was he (Jesus) walking the water, then bid him to come unto him. Jesus told him to come.

Peter walked on the water towards Jesus, but when he saw the waves and the strong winds begin to rise. He started to sink. Why? Because he became afraid of the circumstances around him, and did not believe he could be as Jesus, walking on water.

Peter focused on his own ability and not the ability of Christ. He took his eyes off Christ and out of the equation of the circumstances surrounding life. Isn't it amazing how our abilities to survive the pressures of this world are so limited without Him? Peter began to sink and cried out to the Lord to save him. Jesus reached out his hand to him and asked the familiar question:

"You of so little faith, why did you doubt me?"

Many times our blessings are hindered, because of our inability to have faith in God. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the blessing won't come, but we delay our blessings because we'd rather doubt God than believe in Him. We must believe God and realize that He demands effort, before a blessing can be given. Faith being the effort and belief the action.

Further, we must enlighten our spirit to the Word of God and the belief in it. For the Word of God does not ignorantly speak. He is the only one. He is first in the priority of time (John 1:1-5). He is first in the superiority of rank, and He is first in absolute supremacy.

Therefore, Abram believed God's Word and he was counted as righteous. Jesus died for the sins of the world, but yet he rose. He is now seated at the right hand of God in heavenly places. His sacrifice was counted as righteous and because He lives in us we are counted as righteous, too.

Therefore, as we can see throughout time, the importance of faith. Doubt should have no place in our lives. Because the beginning and end of all ministry is the Word of God.

Does doubt outweigh faith in your life?