Is it a sin to question God?

Christians can and should struggle with what the Bible teaches about submitting to the Bible. Struggling seriously with the Bible is not just an intellectual exercise, it involves the heart. Studying the Bible only on an intellectual level leads to knowing the right answers without applying the truth of God's Word to one's life. Confronting the Bible means engaging with what it says intellectually and at the heart level to experience the transformation of life through the Spirit of God and bear fruit only for the glory of God.

 

Questioning the Lord is not wrong in itself. Habakkuk, the prophet, had questions regarding the Lord and his plan, and instead of being reprimanded for his questions, he got an answer. He concludes his book with a song to the Lord. The questions are asked of the Lord in the Psalms (Psalm 10, 44, 74, 77). Even though the Lord doesn't answer questions the way we want, He welcomes the questions of hearts that seek the truth in His Word.

However, questions that question the Lord and question God's character are sinful. Hebrews 11: 6 clearly states that "everyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him." After King Saul disobeyed the Lord, his questions remained unanswered (1 Samuel 28: 6).

Having doubts is different from questioning God's sovereignty and blaming his character. An honest question is not a sin, but a rebellious and suspicious heart is sinful. The Lord is not intimidated by questions and invites people to enjoy a close friendship with Him. The main issue is whether we have faith in Him or do not believe. The attitude of our heart, which the Lord sees, determines whether it is right or wrong to question him.

So what makes something sinful?

At issue in this question is what the Bible explicitly declares to be sin and those things that the Bible does not directly list as sin. Scripture provides various lists of sins in Proverbs 6: 16-19, 1 Corinthians 6: 9-10 and Galatians 5: 19-21. These passages present activities that they describe as sinful.

What Should I Do When I Begin Questioning God?
The most difficult question here is determining what is sinful in areas that Scripture does not address. When Scripture does not cover a certain subject, for example, we have the principles of the Word to guide God's people.

It is good to ask if something is wrong, but it is better to ask if it is definitely good. Colossians 4: 5 teaches God's people that they must "make the most of every opportunity." Our lives are just a vapor, so we should focus our lives on “what is useful for building up others according to their needs” (Ephesians 4:29).

To check if something is definitely good and if you should do it in good conscience, and if you should ask the Lord to bless that thing, it is best to consider what you are doing in the light of 1 Corinthians 10:31, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God “. If you doubt that it will please God after examining your decision in the light of 1 Corinthians 10:31, then you should abandon it.

Romans 14:23 says, "Anything that does not come from faith is sin." Every part of our life belongs to the Lord, because we have been redeemed and we belong to him (1 Corinthians 6: 19-20). Previous biblical truths should guide not only what we do but also where we go in our lives as Christians.

As we consider evaluating our actions, we must do so in relation to the Lord and their effect on our family, friends, and others. While our actions or behaviors cannot harm ourselves, they could harm another person. Here we need the discretion and wisdom of our mature pastors and saints in our local church, so as not to cause others to violate their conscience (Romans 14:21; 15: 1).

Most importantly, Jesus Christ is the Lord and Savior of God's people, so nothing should take priority over the Lord in our life. No ambition, habit or entertainment should have an undue influence in our life, as only Christ should have that authority in our Christian life (1 Corinthians 6:12; Colossians 3:17).

What is the difference between questioning and doubting?
Doubt is an experience that everyone lives. Even those who have faith in the Lord struggle with me over time with doubt and say with the man in Mark 9:24: “I believe; help my disbelief! Some people are greatly hampered by doubt, while others see it as a stepping stone to life. Still others see doubt as an obstacle to overcome.

Classical humanism states that doubt, although uncomfortable, is vital to life. Rene Descartes once said: "If you want to be a true seeker of truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life, doubt, as much as possible, of all things." Similarly, the founder of Buddhism once said: “Doubt everything. Find your light. “As Christians, if we follow their advice, we should doubt what they have said, which is contradictory. So instead of following the advice of skeptics and false teachers, let's look at what the Bible says.

Doubt can be defined as a lack of confidence or considering something unlikely. For the first time we see doubt in Genesis 3 when Satan tempted Eve. There, the Lord gave a command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and specified the consequences of disobedience. Satan introduced doubt into Eve's mind when he asked, "Did God really say, 'You will not eat of any tree in the garden'?" (Genesis 3: 3).

Satan wanted Eve to lack confidence in God's command. When Eve affirmed God's command, including the consequences, Satan responded with a denial, which is a stronger statement of doubt: "You will not die." Doubt is a tool of Satan to make God's people not trust God's Word and consider His judgment unlikely.

The blame for humanity's sin does not fall on Satan but on humanity. When an angel of the Lord visited Zechariah, he was told that he would have a son (Luke 1: 11-17), but he doubted the word he had been given. His response was doubtful because of his age, and the angel responded, telling him that he would remain mute until the day God's promise was fulfilled (Luke 1: 18-20). Zechariah doubted the Lord's ability to overcome natural obstacles.

The cure for doubt
Whenever we allow human reason to obscure faith in the Lord, the result is sinful doubt. No matter what our reasons, the Lord has made the wisdom of the world foolish (1 Corinthians 1:20). Even God's seemingly foolish plans are wiser than mankind's plans. Faith is trusting in the Lord even when His plan goes against human experience or reason.

Scripture contradicts the humanistic view that doubt is essential to life, as Renée Descartes taught, and instead teaches that doubt is the destroyer of life. James 1: 5-8 emphasizes that when God's people ask the Lord for wisdom, they must ask for it in faith, no doubt. After all, if Christians doubt the Lord's responsiveness, what is the point of asking him? The Lord says that if we doubt when we ask Him, we will receive nothing from Him, because we are unstable. James 1: 6, "But ask in faith, without doubt, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is pushed and shaken by the wind."

The cure for doubt is faith in the Lord and His Word, as faith comes from hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). The Lord uses the Word in the life of God's people to help them grow in God's grace. Christians need to remember how the Lord worked in the past because this defines how He will work in their lives in the future.

Psalm 77:11 says, “I will remember the works of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles from long ago. ”To have faith in the Lord, every Christian must study Scripture, for it is in the Bible that the Lord has revealed himself. Once we understand what the Lord has done in the past, what he has promised for his people in the present, and what they can expect of him in the future, they can act in faith instead of doubt.

Who were some people in the Bible who questioned God?
There are many examples we could use of doubt in the Bible, but some famous ones include Thomas, Gideon, Sarah, and Abraham laughing at God's promise.

Thomas spent years witnessing Jesus' miracles and learning at his feet. But he doubted that his master had risen from the dead. A whole week passed before he saw Jesus, a time when doubts and questions crept into his mind. When Thomas finally saw the resurrected Lord Jesus, all his doubts vanished (John 20: 24-29).

Gideon doubted that the Lord could use it to reverse the trend against the Lord's oppressors. He tested the Lord twice, challenging him to prove his trustworthiness through a series of miracles. Only then will Gideon honor Him. The Lord went along with Gideon and, through him, led the Israelites to victory (Judges 6:36).

Abraham and his wife Sarah are two very significant figures in the Bible. Both have faithfully followed the Lord throughout their lives. Nonetheless, they could not be persuaded to believe a promise God had made to them that they would give birth to a child in old age. When they received this promise, they both laughed at the prospect. Once their son Isaac was born, Abraham's trust in the Lord grew so great that he willingly offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice (Genesis 17: 17-22; 18: 10-15).

Hebrews 11: 1 says, "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." We can also have confidence in the things we cannot see because God has proved himself faithful, true, and capable.

Christians have a sacred commission to proclaim God's Word in the right and out of season, which requires serious thinking about what the Bible is and what it teaches. God has provided His Word for Christians to read, study, ponder, and proclaim to the world. As God's people, we dig into the Bible and ask our questions by trusting the revealed Word of God so that we can grow in God's grace and walk alongside others who struggle with doubt in our local churches.