Overcoming Doubt

Gò0dNews from thePastor’s Desk

Overcoming Doubt

by Stephen Baker

If you have trusted in Jesus Christ as your Savior, the Devil will try to get you to doubt that you are saved. When a believer doubts his salvation, he cannot enjoy the Christian life nor serve God effectively. I doubted my salvation for years. God has assured me, but it didn’t come instantly. It came over time. When I was younger, it got to the point where I was asking Jesus to save me every day, several times a day. I just couldn’t be sure that I really trusted Him.

Lost people do not doubt their salvation. They don’t have any salvation to doubt! Only a saved person can doubt his or her salvation. The Holy Spirit does not cause you to doubt. The Devil does that. If you have received the Lord Jesus as your Savior, the Holy Spirit will show you, from the Bible, that you are saved. The Bible says, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13).

First, there is the false idea among some that a saved person cannot doubt his or her salvation. It is easy for a preacher to get lots of people “saved” when he teaches this because many Christians doubt their salvation. John the Baptist was saved, but he doubted. Luke 7:19 says, “And 6 // April 2022

John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?” But Jesus said that there had never been a greater prophet of God than John the Baptist! If John could doubt the Savior, then any saved person can doubt that he or she is truly saved.

Next, let’s examine the word “believe.” This is the most important word in understanding salvation. Ephesians 2:8 explains that we are saved through faith, and the Bible tells us repeatedly that the way to be saved is to believe in Jesus Christ. For example, Acts 16:31, “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” The word “believe” in the Bible means “trust.” The Word of God teaches that I will be saved if I “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” I could say, “I believe in Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy.” In other words, I am saying that I believe they exist. That is not what the Bible is talking about. People are not saved because they believe that Jesus exists. They are saved because they trust in Him for their soul’s salvation. Finally, to “call upon the name of the Lord” in Romans 10:13 is just a way of expressing faith. Read verses 13 and 14 together to get the full meaning. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed…?” (Romans 10:13-14 a.). We cannot call unless we believe, or trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. When I was young and wanted to be saved, I thought that there was a certain prayer that I had to pray. But prayer will not save anyone. Prayer is an outward expression of inward faith. Putting our faith into words is good, but faith alone in Christ saves! “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:15).

About The Author Pastor Stephen Baker is the pastor of Harmony Baptist Church in Dalton, Georgia. www.harmonybconline.com

• HOPE FILLED PRAISE & WORSHIP • RELEASING THE FATHER’S GOODNESS • CHANGING THE ATMOSPHERE