Peter Hicks points out that surveys of those who have ‘lost their faith’ indicate that most people actually give up their intellectual beliefs after they have decided, for other reasons, that they no longer wish to live Christian lives. This does not necessarily mean that their changed intellectual beliefs are not heart-felt. The Bible sees a connection between right behaviour and right belief (e.g. 2 Tim. 2:25). However, it does mean that the doubts that we are being presented with are not necessarily the core problem.
The ‘other reasons’ prompting a person to abandon belief vary greatly. A young woman may ask ‘how can we be sure that the Bible is true?’ but behind her scepticism there is the unhappiness of living in an overly-strict Christian home. A young man may tell us that he believes Science and Christianity are incompatible but after further discussion he reveals that he is sleeping with his girlfriend. An elderly man may claim that he does not believe that God exists anymore but behind his doubts there is anger that God did not answer his prayers and heal his terminally ill wife. A businesswoman may feel her faith no longer makes sense but actually her real trouble is that he is over-worked and stressed.
We should not assume that behind every presentation of doubt lies a deeper issue but neither should we be naïve about the possibility. We should pray that if there is an underlying problem behind the presentation of doubt it would be revealed to us in conversation with them, for if we do not know of the core issues it is improbable that we will make progress with the presentation issues. More progress may be made listening to the young woman’s pain at living with legalistic parents than a discussion on manuscript evidence. That young man is unlikely to be convinced through any credible book on the relationship between Science and Christianity while he is choosing to ignore a Christian moral principle. Demonstrating God’s love through caring Christian community will be more helpful to the elderly man than an intellectual discussion addressing his doubts that God exists. The overworked businessman may find his doubts ease when he gets a better balance between work and leisure.
The ‘other reasons’ prompting a person to abandon belief vary greatly. A young woman may ask ‘how can we be sure that the Bible is true?’ but behind her scepticism there is the unhappiness of living in an overly-strict Christian home. A young man may tell us that he believes Science and Christianity are incompatible but after further discussion he reveals that he is sleeping with his girlfriend. An elderly man may claim that he does not believe that God exists anymore but behind his doubts there is anger that God did not answer his prayers and heal his terminally ill wife. A businesswoman may feel her faith no longer makes sense but actually her real trouble is that he is over-worked and stressed.
We should not assume that behind every presentation of doubt lies a deeper issue but neither should we be naïve about the possibility. We should pray that if there is an underlying problem behind the presentation of doubt it would be revealed to us in conversation with them, for if we do not know of the core issues it is improbable that we will make progress with the presentation issues. More progress may be made listening to the young woman’s pain at living with legalistic parents than a discussion on manuscript evidence. That young man is unlikely to be convinced through any credible book on the relationship between Science and Christianity while he is choosing to ignore a Christian moral principle. Demonstrating God’s love through caring Christian community will be more helpful to the elderly man than an intellectual discussion addressing his doubts that God exists. The overworked businessman may find his doubts ease when he gets a better balance between work and leisure.
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