QUESTIONS, INQUIRY AND DOUBT Listen to Audio

                       September 6, 2009

Intro:  Luke 10:25-29- often difficult to distinguish honest

inquiry from skeptical obstruction.

I. HONEST INQUIRY ALLOWS FOR SOME MEASURE

OF THE UNEXPLAINED; WHEREAS, SCEPTICISM

DEMANDS ALL OR NOTHING.

1.  All Christian doctrine cannot be grasped at once!

2.  If, for arguments sake, there is a Creator of all

who sustains all—would He not be allowed to by-pass

His own laws should He choose to do so?

  Rom.3:11 There is none who understands; there is none

who seeks after God.

 

II. HONEST INQUIRY VIEWS PARTS IN THE LIGHT

OF THE WHOLE; WHEREAS, THE SCEPTIC WANTS

TO INTERPRET THE WHOLE BY ONLY A PART.

1.  Story of blind men in India describing an elephant!

2. Sceptic takes doctrine of Hell = God is cruel.

Declare Jonah/Whale a myth!    See Matt.12:38-41

3.  Jesus used Jonah/Whale as valued comparison.

  *Some parts MUST BE CORRECT- see I Cor.15:13-19

 

III.  HONEST INQUIRY ADJUSTS TO LIGHT AS IT

IS RECEIVED; WHEREAS, THE SCEPTIC REFUSES

LIGHT DUE TO DISCOMFORT.   Prov.1:5, 9:9

1. Samaritan Woman- Jn.4  - Light + light + light

Rom.2:6,7, 10   Seekers –I Chron.28:9, Mt.7:8

2. Chief Priest/Pharisees- Mt.21:33-46

 

IV.  HONEST INQUIRY DISCUSSES AND LISTENS;

WHEREAS, SCEPTICS ACCUSE & IGNORE.

Journey to truth may be long or short-

1. ”What does the Bible say about Flying Saucers?”

 

V. THE HEART OF THE INQUIRER AND THE SCEPTIC

IS FULLY KNOWN BY GOD AND WILL BE GIVEN A

RESPONSE ACCORDINGLY.   Psa.44:21, 139:12,4

Psa. 18:25-27