This cadre of unbeliever also has doubts. But they are not asking you questions in order to resolve confusion, but to spread the contagion of their doubts to you. They ask questions like “How can you believe the Bible when Matthew says Judas hanged himself and Acts says he died by falling off a cliff?” A curious asker might really want an answer in order to allay his doubts; a convinced attacker is trying to mock you or shake your faith.

I have no doubt that you remember last week’s Part 1 post covering the first two types of doubters. Jude said to have mercy on them (Jude 22) as there are genuine believers who may for one reason or another momentarily think like a unbeliever.

1. Cautious Believer

Doubting Thomas is the poster-boy for this demographic. These are genuine believers who buy into the overall package of what Scripture says about life, the universe, and everything, but find it difficult to swallow a particular point of doctrine. (Granted the resurrection is a crucial point to choke on, but Thomas was only demanding what the other disciples already had).

2. Confused Believer

John the Baptist wasn’t living up to his moniker when he expressed a flickering doubt as to whether Jesus was the Messiah or not. But his confusion is understandable in the absence of dispensationalists’ charts and study Bibles. He didn’t even know of the second coming. But his doubts were easily dispelled by a simple reassurance.

The final three categories venture onto the darker shades of the spectrum of doubt, “shading into unbelief” (as B. B. Warfield explained).

3. Curious Asker

Nicodemus, at his first appearance in John’s gospel narrative, is not a disciple of Jesus. He meets Jesus covertly (“at night”) in order to question him (John 3). But unlike his compatriot Pharisees, Nicodemus was not trying to ensnare Jesus in his words (Mark 12:13), but had a sincere curiosity. He was trying to understand. And Jesus responds with teaching. By chapter 7 Nicodemus is defending Jesus to the rabid Pharisees (John 7:50); by the time of the crucifixion he is with the disciples in burying Jesus’ body (John 19:39).

When an unbeliever has sincere questions about Scripture, doctrine, or any “how can these things be?” enquiry, our response ought not to be too skeptical, but to drop what we’re doing and minister the word of God to them.

However, we also need to exercise discernment to distinguish between a curious asker and his evil twin: the convinced attacker.

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