Faith vs. doubt

[Carico]

There appear to be many Christians who think that God didn't make himself very clear when revealing his plan and purpose to his children. 

They couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, God was so clear in revealing his will to those who know him, that he chose little children to undertsand his message, not the wise and learned as he tells us in matthew 11;25-26.

Little children know what the words:

1) "dust" means.
2  "until she gave birth to a son" means.
3) "Do not call anyone on earth 'father' for you have one Father and He is in heaven."
4) "Do not carve images of anything above heaven or below it."

But those who have doubt, not faith say: "Jesus couldn't have meant that we're not supposed to call anyone on earth father. He has to mean something else" although no one has really figured out what yet.

Jesus couldn't mean that Mary was a virgin. God had to mean something else.

God couldn't have meant that he created men out of the dust of the ground, he had to have meant something else. These people keep asking; "What does he mean?" and the bible will remain confusing and mysterious to them for the rest of their lives unless they come to God like a little child.

Doubt comes from human wisdom which God tells us is foolishness in his sight.

Faith comes from spiritual wisdom which is a gift from God so that no one can boast.

So since as Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 2:14, "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from God for they are foolishness to him and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned."

So doubt is what causes divisions between those who have faith in the simple words in the bible and those who doubt them. That agrees with Paul in 1 Cornithians 11:19 "No doubt there will divisions among you to show which of you have God's approval."

Those who have faith have God's approval because faith is a gift from God himself. Those who doubt the bible don't have God's approval because doubt is the opposite of faith.

So until anyone comes to Christ like a little child, as he tells us, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. He will continue to only pay Jesus lip service but remain distant from him in his heart. "They honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me."

[johntwayne]

3) "Do not call anyone on earth 'father' for you have one  Father and He is in heaven."

The context clearly indicates Jesus is talking about teachers and spiritual leaders when he makes this statement.  He does no preclude by it children calling their male parent father.

Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?
(Hebrews 12:9 NASB)

As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever."
(Luke 1:55 NASB)

"Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?
(Luke 11:11 NASB)

And he said, "Hear me, brethren and fathers! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
(Acts 7:2 NASB)

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
(Ephesians 6:4 NASB)

[Carico]

3) "Do not call anyone on earth 'father' for you have one  Father and He is in heaven."

The context clearly indicates Jesus is talking about teachers and spiritual leaders when he makes this statement.  He does no preclude by it children calling their male parent father.

Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?
(Hebrews 12:9 NASB)

As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever."
(Luke 1:55 NASB)

"Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?
(Luke 11:11 NASB)

And he said, "Hear me, brethren and fathers! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
(Acts 7:2 NASB)

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
(Ephesians 6:4 NASB)

Yes, Jesus is talking predominantly about religious leaders, some of whom, still don't believe him and call their religious leaders "father. "

But once you are born of God, who then becomes your ultimate guide and protector  ???Your earthly father or your heavenly Father? Life is only a shadow of the realities of Jesus Christ. So you can be sure that your heavenly Father replaces your earthly father once you are born of God. That's why the word "brothers" refers to believers who are brothers in Christ, not unbelievers. Therefore, Jesus means both.