No Room For Doubt Here

In today’s sermon, there is a call to examine our hearts to see if they are fully turned to the Lord. This examination will no doubt cause many of us, if not all of us, to doubt whether our hearts really are fully turned to the Lord. Disobedience is a trouble-maker. Doubt is a trouble-maker, as well.

         The assurance should come, not based upon how pure your thoughts and feelings are about your introspection, confession or obedience. If you are honest, you can always find shortcomings in any of your religious exercises and experiences. The assurance comes in what you do with your disobedience and doubt.

         You can focus on it in such a way as to only get condemnation. No matter how faithful you are, the sins you commit will rise up to accuse you. The doubt will creep in, like a devil, with its finger pointed at you.

         The answer is to turn to the Father, through the Son by the Spirit. If you confess your sins to God and call upon Jesus to save you from your sins, then He does so. If you put down your doubt by exalting the work of Jesus, then the accuser must be subdued. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

This is why we stand before the Lord after our confession. We must see that God, Himself, has commanded us to stand up in Christ’s name. In Jesus, you are obedient. In Jesus, you stand before the Father. No room here for more examination of yourself so that you can condemn yourself. No room here for disobedience. No room here for doubt. You are in Jesus and in Him you have found favor with God.