God's Trustworthy Word

by Sarah Couture

This letter is addressed to someone doubting their faith and realizing that they are merely “going through the motions” of attending church. They often question and doubt that the Bible is, in fact, the Word of God.

My dear friend,

I know you have been struggling lately. First, I want to reassure you that you are not crazy. Having questions about the Bible and its teachings is completely normal. In fact, I think it is healthy to ask tough questions. You may feel like these concerns you have are driving a wedge between you and your Savior, but I truly believe that expressing your concerns and seeking answers will only bring you closer to the Lord.

              You have previously expressed that you are not completely convinced that the Bible is God’s complete and inspired Word.  I can understand this concern. Many Christians defend the validity of the Bible using circular reasoning. For scientiic thinkers, such as you, circular reasoning does not hold much weight. “The Bible is God’s Word because it says in the Bible that it is God’s Word” leads people like you to have further doubts and questions. I’d like you to take a step back and look things from a different angle. A friend once explained it to me this way:

              We have numerous accounts, outside of the Bible, that Jesus existed. In fact, we have more proof that Jesus existed than Julius Caesar.  Knowing that a man named Jesus existed is where we’ll start. Now let’s take a look at the resurrection. We see accounts of this event in all four of the Gospels. Each of these accounts provides a unique view and different details of the resurrection of Jesus. If the authors of the Bible were writing about a fictional event, they would try to keep their stories as vague as possible in order to not contradict each other. In reality, the testimonies are unique but never contradict each other. Furthermore, during this time in history, women had little to no power or influence. Therefore, if the disciples were trying to convince people of a fake resurrection, why would their accounts have women be the ones to find the empty tomb? Finally, after the resurrection many disciples were martyred for their beliefs. In the case of Peter, he was forced to watch his wife die before him, and was told that all he had to do was admit Jesus was not God and did not resurrect from the dead. None of the disciples gave in. If the resurrection was a lie, why would these men let their families and themselves be killed brutally? They would not.

              I know you have many other questions running through your brain. For so many years, you have gone to church and Bible study and believed everything that was taught to you because a master of theology with a white robe said it was the truth. Friend, I encourage you to voice your thoughts and concerns openly. Ask questions and seek answers.  I promise you that others have similar questions.  You will not be judged. People will not look down on you for asking challenging questions.  And if they do, they are not acting as proper ministers of the faith.  The fact that you are concerned about your lack of faith is comforting because it shows you continue to have faith.  Please do not be discouraged.  Read the Bible, especially on days you have doubts.  You'll be amazed how the Holy Spirit works through the Word.