Can you have doubts and still be a Christian?

Yes, you can still be a Christian and experience doubts. The bible gives many examples of godly men and women who experienced doubt. For example, Abraham, Sarah, the Apostles, and Zachariah all expressed doubt at times in their life. There is a difference between doubt and unbelief. Unbelief is when people willfully set themselves against a biblical teaching. They choose not to believe. Doubt is when people have an intellectual or emotional barrier to a more solid faith in a biblical teaching or to God. They want to believe, but they just need some help to believe.

Many Christians struggle with doubt and it's what you do with those doubts that matter. Facing your doubts can lead ultimately to a deeper faith. A Christian minister once said, "A faith that's challenged by adversity or tough questions ... is often a stronger faith in the end."

Whenever you doubt, ask God to help you overcome your doubt. Be specific about what your doubts are. Your doubts may be emotional - you don't feel loved, or you don't feel saved, or you feel God has left you. Never base your faith on your feelings. Instead, go to God's Word and replace those doubts with the truth of what His Word tells you.

Your doubts may be intellectual. You might doubt whether the Word of God is truly inspired, or Jesus really did resurrect from the dead. There are a lot of books that give intelligent answers to the questions you might be asking. Great Christian scholars have done the research for you! Some books like Who Moved The Stone, The Case for Christ, and The Case for Faith will help answer those questions and help you grow in your faith.

If you find yourself doubting, there's nothing to be ashamed of. The presence of doubt does not mean the absence of faith. You are still a Christian. You just need to deal with your doubt. Study God's Word and study the evidence that shows the truth of God's Word! Replace your doubts with truth and you will grow in your faith and mature as you deal with doubt!

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Genesis 12:13 — ~"Please say that you are my sister so that it may go well with me because of you, and that I may live on account of you."

Genesis 16:2-3 — So Sarai said to Abram, "Now behold, the LORD has prevented me from bearing {children.} Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram's wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife.

Genesis 17:17 — Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, "Will a child be born to a man one hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear {a child?}"

Genesis 18:10-12 — He said, "I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son." And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him.
Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing.
Sarah laughed to herself, saying, "After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"

Joshua 1:9 — "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Luke 1:18-20 — Zacharias said to the angel, "How will I know this {for certain?} For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years."
The angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
~"And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."

John 6:5-9 — Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, *said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?"
This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do.
Philip answered Him, "Two hundred (The denarius was equivalent to a day's wages) denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little."
One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, *said to Him,
"There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?"

John 20:24-28 — But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples were saying to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."
After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus *came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace {be} with you."
Then He *said to Thomas, "Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing."
Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"

Mark 9:21-24 — And He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.
~"It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!"
And Jesus said to him, " `If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes."
Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, "I do believe; help my unbelief."