What Can I Know for Sure?

Last night- I finished reading a book by a man that argues Christians sin when they claim to be certain about what the Bible teaches. He says doubt, not certainty, is the mark of a real Christian. The writer is absolutely certain that certainty is a sin. He’s certain certainty is sin? I find that odd. There’s an oxymoron in there somewhere! (Notice I’m not recommending you buy the book.)

I went to bed uneasy with the thought, because I do take at face value what the Scriptures say about the character of God and His wonderful provision for our redemption.

This morning-I opened my Bible for my regular daily reading, here’s what I read:

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God. Romans 8:28

Ten verses later I came on another profound, certain statement:

For I am persuaded that
neither death nor life,
nor angels nor principalities nor powers,
nor things present nor things to come,
nor height nor depth,
Nor any other created thing,
Shall be able to separate us from the love of God
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38,39

There’s no uncertainty in those verses, thank God. According to God’s holy Word, I can be absolutely positive that nothing can destroy my relationship with my Heavenly Father because of Christ Jesus. In fact, the Scriptures are all saturated with truths God wants us to know with certainty so we can please Him.
The author of “The Sin of Certainty” has a valid point in that sometimes, it’s true, Christians misappropriate a spiritual truth. We do need to be careful not to interpret a passage of the Bible to suit our own twisted thinking, to make it say what we wish it said!

But certainty about the sure truths of the Bible is not sin. Rather, we please God when we take Him at His Word. “Abraham believed God, so God declared him to be righteous” (Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23).

We do not have to live in uncertainty about the one thing that determines our eternal destiny. Critics of the Bible have tried through the years to prove it untrue, unreliable. But never, ever, in even one small particular, have critics found one single error, one untruth. The veracity of God’s Word has been proved over and over again. If you doubt it, do your own investigating. You will find you can trust God’s Word. It will withstand your minute scrutiny.

You can stake your eternal welfare on the truth of Scripture. You can believe and be sure that nothing can separate you from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.

A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford