Skeptical Christianity

Many of the oldest denominations have a history of keeping their membership under control by keeping them ignorant of what the Bible actually says.

Prior to the Protestant Reformation, Bibles were literally chained to the pulpits of churches and were considered to be objects of mystery by the laity. Even the oldest of the Protestant denominations continued to make the Bible the exclusive property of the clergy by teaching their membership that it was just too mysterious for them to understand, and that one must be “ordained” before he may even begin to understand its secrets. Even in the twenty-first century, there remain those who never call into question what their preacher tells them, because they have been taught not to study the Bible for themselves and to depend completely upon the clergy to tell them what to believe.

This is not in accord with the will of God!

As a matter of fact, the Bible teaches Christians to be skeptical of what they are told, and to demand proof of the veracity of what is preached to them. “Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me [Jesus]” (John 5:39). “These [the Bereans] were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11). These are only a few of the Bible verses, which help us to understand that skepticism is a desirable quality in every member of the Lord’s church.

Some argue that having faith means that you cannot have answers to some of life’s essential questions.

But the Bible describes faith differently. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The text does not say that faith is something we have, in spite of a lack of evidence, but rather that faith is something we have because of the evidence. Whereas one might say, “I don’t know if God is out there, but I have faith,” a New Testament Christian says, “I know that God is out there—therefore I have faith.”

Many point to Second Corinthians 5:7 as proof of the assertion that faith is some kind of an ethereal feeling we have, rather than a firm conviction. But, when the text says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight,” it is not saying that we walk by faith because we have no sight. Rather, it is declaring that faith is superior to sight. Our sight may be deceived, but our faith cannot be deceived, because it is based upon substantial evidence (Hebrews 11:1).

Faith is not a blind leap in the dark.

It is a kind of trust that we have in God, because we know that we have good reason to trust in Him “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Faith is about being convinced of the reality of God, and then putting complete trust in Him. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

Being a skeptical Christian does not mean that one has no faith.

As a matter of fact, it is absolutely essential for every Christian to have strong faith. As questions of your preacher and your Bible class teacher, when you do not understand what they are saying to you. Look up the passages of Scripture that they cite and see if what they are telling you is true. Preachers and Bible class teachers can make mistakes and they can have sinister agendas, so do not simply accept everything you are told about religion, without question.

If the people in your church are discouraging you from asking questions and searching the Scriptures, then it may be time for you to seek a church where the pursuit of Bible knowledge is encouraged, rather than discouraged. At the churches of Christ, skepticism is a virtue, rather than a vice.

People learn the truth by seeking answers to their questions.

It is my sincere hope and fervent prayer that you will find the truth you seek.