Perhaps you sometimes have doubts about various aspects of your faith. Perhaps you’ve also thought to yourself, ‘If only I could have seen Jesus when he was resurrected; then I’d have total confidence.’

You may be surprised to hear this, but seeing the risen Jesus in the first century was not a slam-dunk guarantee that people would believe in him. Let me explain why.

Matthew 28 famously includes the Great Commission. It’s when the risen Jesus says to go and make disciples of all nations. Picture the scene. Jesus has been walking with them and talking to them for forty days. 

Here’s what we read right before he gives the Great Commission: “When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted” (verse 17).

You heard it correctly. There were some disciples who had spent time with the risen Jesus Christ… and still doubted! 

That teaches us something. Seeing isn’t always believing. Believing is believing. No matter who you are—even if you’ve walked and talked with Jesus—you need to examine your thoughts, search your soul, and decide what you do or don’t believe.

These days you are going to be repeatedly told to doubt your beliefs. But you should also doubt your doubts. Having some doubts is normal. It’s what you do with them that matters most.

Do you let them go unexamined and unchallenged? Or do you also put them under the microscope? When you do, you might just find that doubts can open doors to deeper faith.

For example, someone once said some things which made me doubt the reliability of the New Testament. So I did some research. I ended up with more confidence, not less. (If you want to read a short piece I wrote called ‘Have the Gospels been distorted?’ see the link below.)

Having some doubts is normal. It’s what you do with them that matters most.

Doubt your doubts. And open yourself to a deeper and more robust faith.

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Notes and extra content:

–“Have the Gospels been distorted?” Article for The Gospel Coalition Canada. Click here.

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.