God's answer to those in Doubt

 Read Hebrews 6.

Any thinking person will ask serious questions about their faith.  This is especially true when we are shaken by adversity or living under constant stress.  The pressure may cause us to wonder about the validity of our beliefs.  Many followers of Christ have struggled at one time or another with the assurance of their salvation.

The writer of Hebrews, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, sought to encourage extremely stressed believers to get a firm grip on their faith.  Time and again, he presented how superior Jesus is in every way.  He took them from the foundations of their beliefs in the Old Testament to point them to hope in Christ.

Here in chapter 6, he urged them to be "imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises" (v.12).  But how can we be sure those promises are still good?  And, what do God's promises to Abraham have to do with us?

When the God of this book makes a promise it is based upon His nature, His name, and His character.  Humans will offer promises but may not keep them.  Human promises may be documented and publicly announced.  But everyone has experienced the disappointment of broken commitments.  Not so with God. 

God's ultimate answer to our doubts is found in verses 17-18.
1.  His promises are unchangeable.
The base of that statement is in God's character.  Malachi 3:6-"For I the LORD do not change."  His promises are announcements fulfilling His eternal plans.  "...even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him.  In love he predestined us for the adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will." (Ephesians 1:4-5)  Therefore, the Apostle Paul could write, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

2. His promises are guaranteed.
The LORD not only made promises but He made certain that they were written down and made available to us.  We can read and study what God said.  We can see how hundreds of those promises in the Old Testament came true.  There were four hundred fulfilled in the first coming of Christ alone.  "In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire the possession of it, to the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:13-14) 

And, if that were not convincing enough, the absolute statement is then made concerning the character of God Himself.  "...it is impossible for God to lie."  Doubting the love and care of Jesus in our daily lives does not come from God.  Satan is a liar and deceiver.  He will do anything he can to rob of us the certainty of our relationship and fellowship with Jesus.

 

3. His promises are the anchor for our soul.
Everything in this life is temporal.  All things will change, disappoint, or one day be gone.  There is only one source of eternal hope.  It is both "sure and steadfast".  Our belief in Jesus is not a "hope so" but a "know so".  This trust in Jesus gives us eternal life now.  Paul wrote concerning the suffering of Christians in Romans 5:3-5.  This "hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

A faith confirming exercise is to read the entire book of 1 John aloud, underlining every time the word "know" appears.  Try and see.