“Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, ‘Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?’” ( Matthew 11:2 2 Now when John heard in the prison the works of the Christ, he sent by his disciples –3).

Many of us today doubt certain truths about God, Christ, and God’s Word due to lack of information. That’s because we might have an inadequate understanding of Scripture. That’s the kind of thing that contributed to John the Baptist’s doubt—he had not experienced the full truth about Jesus Christ that God had sent him to proclaim. His position was similar to the Old Testament prophets: “As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow” ( 1 Peter 1:10 10 Concerning which salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that `should come' unto you: –11).

Two disciples on the road to Emmaus were also confused and doubting. But the risen Christ first rebuked them for being “slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken” ( Luke 24:25 25 And he said unto them, O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! ). After that, “beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures” (v. 27). Even before they realized it was Jesus who had been teaching them, the truth of Scripture began removing the two men’s doubts (vv. 31–32).

The truth of God’s Word needs to continually inform our hearts and minds and protect us from doubt and dispel it when it does arise. If we are immersed in the Word, we have no reason to stumble (cf. Acts 17:11 11 Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so. ).

Ask Yourself

Have you noticed that when you stay regularly and intently in the Word, the Holy Spirit begins piecing the big picture of the Bible together, bringing to mind other Scriptures lodged in your memory bank? Why is this truth retrieval such a valuable blessing and benefit?

From Daily Readings from the Life of Christ, Vol. 1, John MacArthur. Copyright © 2008. Used by permission of Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL 60610, www.moodypublishers.com.

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