The Sin of Certainty

The controversial evangelical Bible scholar and author of The Bible Tells Me So explains how Christians mistake “certainty” and “correct belief” for faith when what God really desires is trust and intimacy. With compelling and often humorous stories from his own life, Bible scholar Peter Enns offers a fresh look at how the Christian faith truly works, answering questions that cannot be addressed by the idealized traditional doctrine of “once for all delivered to the saints.” Enns offers a model of vibrant faith that views skepticism and a crisis of faith not as a loss of belief, but as an opportunity to deepen religious conviction with courage and confidence. This is not just an intellectual conviction, he contends, but a more profound kind of knowing that only true faith can provide. Combining Enns’ reflections of his own spiritual journey with an examination of Scripture, The Sin of Certainty models an acceptance of mystery and paradox that all believers can follow. This guide to spiritual growth explains why God prefers this path, because it is only this way by which we can become mature disciples who truly trust God. It gives Christians who have known only the demand for certainty permission to view faith on their own flawed, uncertain, yet heartfelt, terms. What if your doubts are not a sign of spiritual weakness, but an invitation from God to a deeper, more authentic relationship? Trust Over Certainty: Learn why God desires your trust and intimacy more than your “correct beliefs,” giving you permission to embrace a flawed and uncertain—yet heartfelt—faith. Doubting Faith: Reframe your skepticism and questions not as a failure, but as a sacred opportunity to find a more genuine connection with God. Biblical Honesty: Confront the parts of the Bible that are troubling, confusing, or contradictory, and see how they model a faith that wrestles with mystery and paradox.