Comments on: Do We Sin When We Doubt? http://gfmorris.com/2006/03/26/do-we-sin-when-we-doubt/ The Life and Times of Geof F. Morris Sun, 21 Mar 2010 17:52:32 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Geof F. Morris http://gfmorris.com/2006/03/26/do-we-sin-when-we-doubt/comment-page-1/#comment-164 Geof F. Morris Mon, 04 Dec 2006 21:00:23 +0000 http://imperfectmirror.org/2006/03/26/do-we-sin-when-we-doubt/#comment-164 I know that it's taken me a dog's age to get to it, but ... thanks, Mark, for your addition to the conversation. You have definitely carried it forward. :) I know that it’s taken me a dog’s age to get to it, but … thanks, Mark, for your addition to the conversation. You have definitely carried it forward. :)

]]> By: Chris Hubbs http://gfmorris.com/2006/03/26/do-we-sin-when-we-doubt/comment-page-1/#comment-163 Chris Hubbs Sun, 12 Nov 2006 22:23:58 +0000 http://imperfectmirror.org/2006/03/26/do-we-sin-when-we-doubt/#comment-163 Mark, most of my blog posts are shorter than that comment. :-) Sadly, most of them aren't as thoughtful, either. Thanks for your thoughts! Mark, most of my blog posts are shorter than that comment. :-) Sadly, most of them aren’t as thoughtful, either. Thanks for your thoughts!

]]> By: Mark Traphagen http://gfmorris.com/2006/03/26/do-we-sin-when-we-doubt/comment-page-1/#comment-162 Mark Traphagen Sat, 11 Nov 2006 16:54:43 +0000 http://imperfectmirror.org/2006/03/26/do-we-sin-when-we-doubt/#comment-162 Several commentors have already noted that "doubt" can be a slippery word. It can mean anything from "asking questions" to "implicit if not explicit rejection." There is no doubt (hah!) that Scripture calls "unbelief" a sin; in fact a strong case could be made that unbelief is the very definition of sin. However, I wonder whether we make a category mistake in thinking of "sins" as a list of things that are pretty cut and dry: at any given moment we are either (clearly) doing (or not doing) or thinking (or not thinking) one of these things on the list, and therefore we are sinning. I tend to think that sin isn't that easy. It's not just a list of polar opposites that, if you avoid them, then you are not sinning. In this case, I question whether it is a case of no doubts=not sinning vs. doubts=sinning. Rather, I think the Bible portrays sin as fundamentally a heart issue, and therefor much more subtle and tough to pin down in lists. Sin is where our heart is toward God at any given moment. As Augustine defined it, sin is loving anything more than I love God. But that can't be put on a spreadsheet and divided into neat columns. I think, therefore, it is possible to be struggling with doubts about God, but in that struggle I am actually loving God "with all my heart and soul and strength and mind" because I am really about yearning for him and wanting to find him. However, if my doubt slips over into cynicism, where I begin to place myself as autonomous judge over God (and even over his very existence), then I am loving msyself (my own wisdom) more than God, and I am in sin. I'm just saying that there is a wide range between those two extremes, and sometimes we aren't completely sure where we are on the continuum. This is why we are urged in Scripture to continually examine our hearts and pray that the Holy Spirit would reveal what we are truly worshipping at any moment. It is also why it is very wise to have people around us who love us enough to ask tough questions about our heart motives and to call us out when we may be deceiving ourselves. "The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?" - Jeremiah 17:9 (NASB) Several commentors have already noted that “doubt” can be a slippery word. It can mean anything from “asking questions” to “implicit if not explicit rejection.” There is no doubt (hah!) that Scripture calls “unbelief” a sin; in fact a strong case could be made that unbelief is the very definition of sin. However, I wonder whether we make a category mistake in thinking of “sins” as a list of things that are pretty cut and dry: at any given moment we are either (clearly) doing (or not doing) or thinking (or not thinking) one of these things on the list, and therefore we are sinning.

I tend to think that sin isn’t that easy. It’s not just a list of polar opposites that, if you avoid them, then you are not sinning. In this case, I question whether it is a case of no doubts=not sinning vs. doubts=sinning. Rather, I think the Bible portrays sin as fundamentally a heart issue, and therefor much more subtle and tough to pin down in lists. Sin is where our heart is toward God at any given moment. As Augustine defined it, sin is loving anything more than I love God. But that can’t be put on a spreadsheet and divided into neat columns. I think, therefore, it is possible to be struggling with doubts about God, but in that struggle I am actually loving God “with all my heart and soul and strength and mind” because I am really about yearning for him and wanting to find him. However, if my doubt slips over into cynicism, where I begin to place myself as autonomous judge over God (and even over his very existence), then I am loving msyself (my own wisdom) more than God, and I am in sin.

I’m just saying that there is a wide range between those two extremes, and sometimes we aren’t completely sure where we are on the continuum. This is why we are urged in Scripture to continually examine our hearts and pray that the Holy Spirit would reveal what we are truly worshipping at any moment. It is also why it is very wise to have people around us who love us enough to ask tough questions about our heart motives and to call us out when we may be deceiving ourselves.

“The heart is more deceitful than all else
And is desperately sick;
Who can understand it?”

- Jeremiah 17:9 (NASB)

]]> By: Rick http://gfmorris.com/2006/03/26/do-we-sin-when-we-doubt/comment-page-1/#comment-161 Rick Mon, 27 Mar 2006 21:49:06 +0000 http://imperfectmirror.org/2006/03/26/do-we-sin-when-we-doubt/#comment-161 Doubt and questioning just one of the ways in which we can mature as Christians. My way of thinking about doubt here though is more aimed at MY understanding and MY perception of God rather than the actual being or nature of God. If we do not question what we believe, then we have placed our faith in our beliefs, and there is no room for us to grow into the image of Christ. Doubt and questioning just one of the ways in which we can mature as Christians. My way of thinking about doubt here though is more aimed at MY understanding and MY perception of God rather than the actual being or nature of God.

If we do not question what we believe, then we have placed our faith in our beliefs, and there is no room for us to grow into the image of Christ.

]]> By: Geof F. Morris http://gfmorris.com/2006/03/26/do-we-sin-when-we-doubt/comment-page-1/#comment-160 Geof F. Morris Mon, 27 Mar 2006 21:34:37 +0000 http://imperfectmirror.org/2006/03/26/do-we-sin-when-we-doubt/#comment-160 I think that's a great distinction to make, Jason: it is one thing to question God's nature and quite another to doubt His existence. I think that’s a great distinction to make, Jason: it is one thing to question God’s nature and quite another to doubt His existence.

]]> By: jason http://gfmorris.com/2006/03/26/do-we-sin-when-we-doubt/comment-page-1/#comment-159 jason Mon, 27 Mar 2006 21:21:51 +0000 http://imperfectmirror.org/2006/03/26/do-we-sin-when-we-doubt/#comment-159 I'm trying to remember which father of the Church said "a thousand questions does not equal 1 doubt. In the sense that this theologen was using the term, doubt was certainly a sin. It is a 'muddied' term in our normal usage... which is why I like to contrast it with the term 'questions'. 'Doubt' implies at least a leaning towards disbelief, where questions doesn't have that negative implication. Quite the contrary: we question people we have great faith in all the time... because we expect/hope that they have the true answers. I’m trying to remember which father of the Church said “a thousand questions does not equal 1 doubt. In the sense that this theologen was using the term, doubt was certainly a sin.

It is a ‘muddied’ term in our normal usage… which is why I like to contrast it with the term ‘questions’. ‘Doubt’ implies at least a leaning towards disbelief, where questions doesn’t have that negative implication. Quite the contrary: we question people we have great faith in all the time… because we expect/hope that they have the true answers.

]]> By: J.pendleton http://gfmorris.com/2006/03/26/do-we-sin-when-we-doubt/comment-page-1/#comment-158 J.pendleton Mon, 27 Mar 2006 20:43:06 +0000 http://imperfectmirror.org/2006/03/26/do-we-sin-when-we-doubt/#comment-158 Using the word "doubt" with no qualifications is a bit confusing. Do you mean if one doubts his or her calling, then he or she sins? What about the existence of God? The fidelity of your spouse? etc. If we're talking about "doubting" that Jesus is who he said he was, then yes perhaps sin. But even the claims of who Jesus said he was need interpretation. Even after interpretation, as you know, there are many different interpretations. Perhaps we might talk about doubting the Apostles or Nicene Creeds? We also might have to ask ourselves whether doubt is even a free chioce or not. This discussion could get very broad and long. I don't know! Good post. Made me think. Using the word “doubt” with no qualifications is a bit confusing. Do you mean if one doubts his or her calling, then he or she sins? What about the existence of God? The fidelity of your spouse? etc. If we’re talking about “doubting” that Jesus is who he said he was, then yes perhaps sin. But even the claims of who Jesus said he was need interpretation. Even after interpretation, as you know, there are many different interpretations. Perhaps we might talk about doubting the Apostles or Nicene Creeds?
We also might have to ask ourselves whether doubt is even a free chioce or not. This discussion could get very broad and long. I don’t know! Good post. Made me think.

]]> By: richard http://gfmorris.com/2006/03/26/do-we-sin-when-we-doubt/comment-page-1/#comment-157 richard Mon, 27 Mar 2006 17:25:33 +0000 http://imperfectmirror.org/2006/03/26/do-we-sin-when-we-doubt/#comment-157 amen amen

]]> By: Geof F. Morris's Indiana Jones School of Management http://gfmorris.com/2006/03/26/do-we-sin-when-we-doubt/comment-page-1/#comment-156 Geof F. Morris's Indiana Jones School of Management Mon, 27 Mar 2006 17:21:27 +0000 http://imperfectmirror.org/2006/03/26/do-we-sin-when-we-doubt/#comment-156 <strong>Wesley Daily!</strong> Shane Raynor of Wesley Blog emailed me last night to ask if he could re-post stuff I wrote on Imperfect Mirror on his new project, Wesley Daily. I agreed, and he re-posted what I wrote last night: “Do We Sin When We Doubt?” Unfortunately, ... Wesley Daily!

Shane Raynor of Wesley Blog emailed me last night to ask if he could re-post stuff I wrote on Imperfect Mirror on his new project, Wesley Daily. I agreed, and he re-posted what I wrote last night: “Do We Sin When We Doubt?”
Unfortunately, …

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