Doubt

The Gospel is the only hope that this world has. Jesus stands for us, and we also, stand for Jesus. It's a combination of both, not neither. It's our natural response when the Gospel has saved us. Understanding this balance is central to having a sound theology.

When it's only about what Jesus does, it leads to narcissism. This self-absorbed perspective treats God as a genie who simply exists to serve you in your selfish pursuit of personal fulfillment. But God is not your servant, and if you fall for the idea that life is supposed to be easy, either you will become severely disillusioned, or you will live in denial of reality.

The opposite is true. When it's only about what we do. We create a God in our own image. It's a far more dangerous conclusion. Thinking like that will consistently send us in the wrong direction. That's because when God doesn't stick to your script, you'll create a bigger God. God in his mercy has given us an understanding of repentance.

When we decide to balance both, we'll experience doubt. It's guaranteed to happen. The Bible is filled with examples of doubt. Gideon had doubts, and Jacob doubted God's blessing a lot. Even after the Resurrection, the Bible says when Jesus appeared unto them, some doubted:

Mat 28:17 (KJV) "And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted."

How do we deal with doubt? By developing faith in God. More importantly, faith in the Love of God. God's love is unconditional. We know about God because he first loved us. God is love. As we understand this love of God, further and further, that love growing in us will lead us to be an effective witness of the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

#Grace

#Faith

#Love

#Gospel

#Goodworks