# The Role of Doubt in the Life of a Christian



## Theoretical (Nov 13, 2006)

Again for my friend, I am looking for some resources that specifically address the issue of doubt in a Christian's life. I know there is a Modern Reformation back issue where there was an article on that subject, but I don't have access to it, and I'd rather gain some good resources as soon as possible for me to send to her.


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## caddy (Nov 13, 2006)

I remember *John MacArthur* had a really good set of sermons on this awhile back. I looked online and found these. Hopefully they will prove helpful:

http://www.biblebb.com/mac-a-g.htm

*Series: Myths About Salvation*
--Reasons People Lack Assurance - Part 1 - (2 Peter 1:5-11) 
--Reasons People Lack Assurance - Part 2 - (2 Peter 1:5-11) 
--Reasons People Lack Assurance - Part 3 - (2 Peter 1:5-11) 
--Tests of Assurance from 1 John - Part 1 - (2 Peter 1:5-11) 
--Tests of Assurance from 1 John - Part 2 - (2 Peter 1:5-11) 
--Tests of Assurance from 1 John - Part 3 - (2 Peter 1:5-11) 
--Virtue and Assurance - Part 1 - (2 Peter 1:5-11) 
--Virtue and Assurance - Part 2 - (2 Peter 1:5-11)

found this as well:

Since assurance of salvation is not considered to be “of the essence
of faith,” it can be “shaken, diminished, and intermitted” by negligence
or by committing sin. This again causes a loss of assurance. But if this is
so, one might legitimately ask, “How can a person ever be _[FONT=TimesNewRoman,Italic]assured [/FONT]_that
he is ‘never utterly destitute’”? How can a person be certain that a life of
faith, love, sincerity, and duty will indeed be “revived” so as to be “supported
from utter despair”? Is it _[FONT=TimesNewRoman,Italic]possible [/FONT]_to be assured while one is in the
midst of having his assurance shaken, diminished or intermitted?33 Is
such an assertion to be “taken by faith”? And if this secondary claim is to
be taken by faith, why not take by faith God’s primary promise in the
Scripture (which guarantees eternal life upon personal belief in the Savior)?
We may conclude that the Reformed position has severe biblical and
logical weaknesses in presenting the doctrine of perseverance in a consistent,
non-contradictory way.​ 
http://www.faithalone.org/journal/2005ii/badger.pdf​



Theoretical said:


> Again for my friend, I am looking for some resources that specifically address the issue of doubt in a Christian's life. I know there is a Modern Reformation back issue where there was an article on that subject, but I don't have access to it, and I'd rather gain some good resources as soon as possible for me to send to her.


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## R. Scott Clark (Nov 13, 2006)

You might give her a copy of:

Peter Dathenus, _The Pearl of Christian Comfort_, trans. A. Blok (Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 1997). An excellent example of the confessional Reformed piety of the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

Bavinck and Berkhof also wrote good, short books on assurance that might be found on ABE or Biblio or Bibliofind or Bookfinder etc.

rsc


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