Having a doubt does not mean you are unstable in all your ways (underlines are mine)

 

I have been thinking about this verse and how people wrongly interpret and wrongly apply it for the last few weeks.

 

James 1:5-8 (primarily vs. 6-8 with 5 to show context) 5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

 

Some people apply the portion of this scripture I made blue to a man that has a doubt or doubts something and that is NOT what is being said here. I have had doubts about things but worked toward them and received them anyhow (by grace). I have doubted things and not worked for them and received them anyhow (by grace). Do you actually think your faith gets you anything apart from God’s grace? No, it does not. Peter did not make Peter walk on water by his faith that he could. Jesus made Peter walk on water by Peter’s faith that he could. ALL supernatural things done by faith are done by God’s grace with a little of our faith.

There is a shift from speaking of a single doubt in the first part of verse 6 to describing a person who doubts in general, in the last part of verse 6 (continuing through vs. 8), which I have made light blue.

Now, here in James what is being said is not that a man who doubts (as in has a doubt) is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. That is ridiculous to think that, even though if you look at the words you might read it that way. What is being said is a man who doubts (as in a man who is a doubter) is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

A man who has a doubt is like all of us. We all have doubts here and there and some are greater and less than others but that does not mean we are double-minded and unstable in all our ways. If we live as a doubting person then we are the one “who doubts” that is spoken of here and then we are a double-minded man, unstable in all our his ways.

So, the next time someone tells you because you have a doubt about something that you are double-minded and unstable in all your ways you tell him, in a nice way, that he does not understand that scripture because that is speaking of someone who practices doubting as a lifestyle.

Here is some scripture that is similar that will help prove your case. Ezekiel 18:4  "Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine The soul who sins will die.

Now, the man who says if you doubt you are double minded and unstable will not say that if he sins (ever) he will die now will he?  No, he will not. He will say, “well, that means practices sin until it is finished.” And, he would be correct to say so. That is what it means. So, sins, in Ezekiel 18:4, means practices sinning until sin is finished because we know that when sin is finished (accomplished, in NASB) it brings forth death (James 1:15).

Now, “the one who doubts” in James 1:6 is like the “soul who sins” in Ezekiel 18:4. Both mean a person who practices these things, not someone who just doubted some little thing or sinned and did not even know it (we have unknown sins).

Lastly, I need to back up God delivering a miracle with someone doubting.

Daniel 3:16-18  16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

Here we see Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego doubt deliverance in verse 18 when they say “But even if he does not…” They doubted but God still gave them a miracle and delivered them anyhow (this contradicts some people’s view of what James 1:5-8 is saying. Since the Bible does not teach opposing truths someone is misinterpreting scripture and it’s James 1:5-8 that is being misinterpreted and misused). Why did God deliver Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? Because they doubted the miracle but not the One who makes the miracles. Therefore, it is not Biblical to say one who doubts something is unstable in all his way or that he will not receive his miracle. The Bible says not to expect that you will receive anything. It does not say that you cannot be blessed by just your faith in God and His grace.

When Peter began to sink in Matthew 14:28-31 it’s because he doubted (just like we all have doubts) but he then did the next right thing which was to call on the Lord to save Him from this situation and his doubt. It is your constant faith in the God of the miracle, not your faith in the miracle, that saves you. “28 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and *said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Here Jesus says the same thing as in James 1:5-8. He is saying don’t doubt because sinking can be a result. Jesus says, if you do doubt, just don’t doubt Me. Call on Me and I will save you.

I hope this will help you when people use James 1:5-8 against you, with their incorrect interpretation, saying you have done something you have not done. It’s nice when you know what the scripture really means isn’t it?

 

If you’re not saved, Come to Jesus!

 

Note: This site got it’s name, eyesonChrist, from Matthew 14:28-33 as we are not to put our eyes on anything but on Jesus alone.