Christianity is not for doubters!
You see, a follower of what is right and true must not equivocate. In the life of Jesus Christ, we do find struggles, but it was always a matter of overcoming and not giving in to sin. In His case, it was an issue of obeying and saying what was right and refusing to disobey.
For those around Him, this authoritative confidence of approach was shocking. When He taught in their synagogue on the Sabbath, we find this record of His impact: “And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Mark 1:22).
On another occasion, officers were sent to arrest Jesus: “Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, ‘Why have you not brought Him?’ The officers answered, ‘No man ever spoke like this Man!’ ” (John 7:45-46).
For those in whom Jesus Christ is living today, the same must be true! Indeed, some will take exception to one who boldly lives by and says, what is true. If fact, some will be offended, and–as prophecy shows–some will persecute and even kill those who resolutely stand in the truth.
We live in a time of blended opinions. Christianity now suffers because its purported advocates really don’t stand up for the right and true way. Rather, accomodations have led to a watering down of the potent message of true Christianity!
James describes those who approach God without faith, that is, doubting, in this way: “…for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind” (James 1:6). In verse 8, this thought is added: “he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
Merely thinking that we are right and true is not enough. It takes more than just a positive approach. Consider that the very basis for how Jesus was able to fulfill His mission on this earth was His total reliance on God (Compare John 5:19).
James also made this key statement for us: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). Like Jesus, our source for what is right and true must be God.
Because what Jesus did was done in God, He was filled with the confidence of faith–He was sure about His teachings; about the work God had given to Him to accomplish; about the purpose of His life; and about His resurrection to eternal life; in fact, He was so sure that He was willing to lay down His life!
How sure are we?
