Sermon Notes: Crisis of Faith

#CG Questions

What is the difference between deconstruction and deconversion?
Have you had any experience with either?
Have you experienced (or maybe even are currently in) a season of doubt? What do you do with your doubt?
Have a discussion with your group and submit 1-2 questions together that you would like to see answered during this upcoming series. What questions would be the most helpful to have addressed? What questions are you being faced within your circles or relationships?


#THERE ARE ANSWERS: CRISIS OF FAITH

[Hebrews 3:7-14](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+3%3A7-14&version=ESV)


**Introduction:**

Have you ever doubted your faith or certain aspects of Christianity?
You may ask questions like:
• Is God real?
• Is God even aware of me?
• What can and should I believe about God? How do I know?
• What happens when we die?
• What do I do with pain, suffering and evil?
• Can I trust the Bible?

You are not alone! And there are answers! This series hope to provide some of them and help you in your search for others.


**I. People are leaving the Christian Faith**

Deconstruction:
• The Process of systematically dissecting and often rejecting the beliefs you have held for some time.

Deconversion:
• The Process of rejecting the Christian Faith and embracing another faith; often Atheism or Agnosticism.

Progressive Christianity:
• A more socially acceptable, personally palatable, less exclusive and more likable version of the Christian Faith—albeit entirely different than orthodox Christianity.


**II. Hallmarks of Progressive Christianity**

• A low view of Jesus.
• A focus on self-made moralism vs a need for salvation
• A rejection or downplaying of doctrines such as the sinfulness of man, hell, the wrath of God, judgment, and the Cross

Progressive Christianity frequently rejects core biblical doctrines, biblical authority, biblical teaching on gender and sexuality, as well as the need for salvation and the atonement.
The Cross is no longer Good News, but merely a good example.


**III. What we mean and do not mean by Deconstruction**

BAD -
Rejecting and reframing Core Biblical Doctrine, like the 5 Fundamentals of the Faith Cross & Crown holds to.
• The Trinity
• Salvation by Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ alone
• The Inerrancy and Authority of Scripture
• The Return of Christ to rule and to judge

GOOD -
• Questioning unbiblical beliefs your church or family espouses
• Valid critiques of Christian sub-cultures


**IV. The Difference between Doubt and Unbelief**

If you are struggling with doubt — there is nothing wrong with you!
• Consider the biblical characters
• Consider the women and men we look up to in history

“On a sudden, the thought crossed my mind—which I abhorred but could not conquer—that there was no God, no Christ, no Heaven, no hell, that all my prayers were but a farce, and that I might as well have whistled to the winds or spoken to the howling waves.” – C.H. Spurgeon

Defining Doubt — Doubt is not Unbelief

“Doubt is a state of mind in suspension between faith and unbelief so that it is neither of them wholly and it is each of them partly.” ~ Os Guinness

Consider Jesus patience with Doubters
• Thomas - John 20:27
• The Disciples - Matthew 28:18-20

Types of Doubt
• Intellectual Questions
• Moral Objections


**V. Where does Doubt come from?**

• Unanswered Questions
• Immoral Behavior
• Profound Suffering
• Irrational Worry


**Application:**

a. Don’t allow yourself to be isolated - being alone will make you easy prey.
b. Know the Bible - study and understand what you believe and why you believe it.
c. Surround yourself with wise counsel - pooled ignorance is still ignorance.
d. Doubt your Doubts - apply the same level of scrutiny to your doubts and objections as you do to your faith.


[A text for further study: John 6:60-69]