Articles
“From Doubt to Faith”
Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 20:29
The watchwords of last century’s modernism were knowledge, science, progress, certainty, and, above all, reason. It was an era of almost total self-confidence. But our postmodern 21st century proclaims the collapse of the enlightenment vision and revolts against all claims to certainty. Now, nothing is certain, except perhaps the certainty that we lack all certainty. Everything is characterized by disillusion and doubt. For this reason, many view the apostle Thomas sympathetically, perhaps even with sneaking admiration, as being an honest skeptic. He flatly refused to believe the news of Jesus’ resurrection without seeing the evidence himself: “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” (Jn. 20:25b) We too often struggle with doubt and, like Thomas, lay down the conditions on which we are prepared to believe. But consider Thomas’ pilgrimage from doubt to faith.
Thomas the absentee — On the evening of resurrection Sunday, the risen Lord appeared to the apostles and commissioned them (Jn. 20:19-23). “But Thomas… was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples were telling him, “We’ve seen the Lord!””... (Jn. 20:24-25a) and, as mentioned above, Thomas didn’t believe their testimony. The reason for his unbelief was his absence from that first resurrection appearance. We are not told the reason for his absence (deliberate or not), but the fact remains that Thomas missed the blessing because he wasn’t with the other apostles. Something similar happens every Sunday to those who, for whatever reason, are absent from the assembly of the saints. There is spiritual risk in spasmodic church attendance while there is spiritual blessing in disciplined, regular attendance. Fortunately, Thomas did not repeat his error. He was in his place the following Sunday and was blessed (Jn. 20:26).
Thomas the skeptic — Thomas wouldn’t believe the good news unless he saw the evidence himself (Jn. 20:25b). To be fair, the other apostles had seen and believed; isn’t it reasonable for Thomas to demand a similar experience? Although Jesus condescended to Thomas’ demands (“Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Jn. 20:27), he pronounced a blessing on “those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (Jn. 20:29) Notice Jesus commended not faith without evidence but faith without sight (2 Cor. 5:7). We come to our convictions in two ways: (1) by experiencing it ourselves and (2) through the credible testimony of others. For this reason, Thomas should have believed based on the eyewitness testimony of those he knew to be sober-minded and honest people. Faith is based on the testimony of eyewitnesses. In fact, John wrote his book so that those who were not present can believe on the testimony of those who were (Jn. 20:30-31).
Thomas the believer — Once Thomas saw, he not only believed but he worshiped, saying “My Lord and my God!” (Jn. 20:28) As soon as Thomas saw the evidence, he believed. And as soon as he believed, he worshiped. Notice that although Jesus rebuked his unbelief, he then accepted his believing worship. Tradition tells us that Thomas became a great missionary in India and died for his faith. Although none of his writings have survived today, I am sure he would have urged his audience not to repeat his error but rather to believe in the risen Lord based on his own testimony and “by believing… have life in his name.” (Jn. 20:31) Therefore, testimony is the way to faith and faith is the way to life. Paul says, “the righteous shall live by faith" and "faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Rom. 1:17; 10:17).
