Sinless Doubt
Doubt is not inherently sinful, but it can lead to sinful behavior if not dealt with properly.
John Ker preaches about the nature of doubt, highlighting that while doubt may not always be a sin, it is unnatural and something to seek escape from. Doubt can be seen as a temptation arising from various sources, but it is wrong not to seek deliverance from it and to use it as an excuse for sin. The preacher emphasizes the importance of not entertaining doubt as a means to avoid seeking the truth and the necessity of feeling the weight of doubt in order to overcome it.
Text
"And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted" (Matt. 28:17).
Is doubt a sin? Not always. We should not, to begin with, say that doubt is the proper state for any mind; for if things were right, belief in the great spiritual realities would be as natural as seeing the light: therefore doubt is unnatural, something that should not be, and from which we ought to seek escape.
But doubt may be called at first a temptation rather than a sin--a temptation ready to recur from outward events and inward states of mind, and infections of thought from other spirits. These are not necessarily sinful. it is wrong not to seek deliverance from doubt--it is wrong to cherish it as an excuse for sin, to inquire captiously, to press frivolous objections, to seek evidence which is impossible or which we do not require in similar cases for practical action in life, to scatter doubt where we have no hope or wish for a solution of our own, and it is wrong not to feel for ever the pressure and misery of it.
Sermon Outline
- Doubt is unnatural
- Doubt can be a temptation
- Responsibility in dealing with doubt
- Belief in spiritual realities should be natural
- Doubt is a result of external and internal factors
- Temptation is not necessarily sinful
- Doubt can lead to sinful behavior
- Seek deliverance from doubt
- Avoid using doubt as an excuse for sin
Key Quotes
“Doubt is unnatural, something that should not be, and from which we ought to seek escape.” — John Ker
Application Points
- We should seek deliverance from doubt and not let it consume us.
- We should avoid using doubt as an excuse for sin and instead seek to understand and overcome it.
- We should strive for natural belief in spiritual realities and not let doubt undermine our faith.