FOUR KIND OF FAITH

2. THOMAS’s KIND OF FAITH

John20 (NET)

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²⁴ Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

²⁵ The other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the wounds from the nails in his hands, and put my finger into the wounds from the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe it!”

²⁶ Eight days later the disciples were again together in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and examine my hands. Extend your hand and put it into my side. Do not continue in your unbelief, but believe.”

²⁸ Thomas replied to him, “My Lord and my God!”

²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are the people who have not seen and yet have believed.”

WHO IS THOMAS

Thomas, also known as Didymus, was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. However, when Jesus appeared to the disciples after His resurrection, Thomas was not present with them. When the other disciples excitedly shared with Thomas that they had seen the Lord, he responded with skepticism, saying that he would only believe if he could personally see and touch the wounds on Jesus' hands and side. Thomas wanted tangible proof, a sign that would guarantee his belief.

Thomas' reaction reflects a common human tendency—to require empirical evidence before accepting something as true. It is natural to seek personal experiences and signs before fully embracing faith. However, Jesus understood Thomas' doubts and addressed them compassionately. Eight days later, while the disciples were gathered in a locked house, Jesus appeared among them and greeted them with peace. He specifically approached Thomas and invited him to examine His wounds, encouraging him to move beyond his unbelief and embrace faith.

Upon seeing Jesus and touching His wounds, Thomas was overcome with conviction, exclaiming, "My Lord and my God!" It was a transformative moment for Thomas, as he recognized the divinity of Jesus and confessed His Lordship.

However, Jesus also acknowledged the importance of belief without the necessity of physical sight. He blessed those who would come to believe in Him without having the privilege of seeing Him in the flesh. Jesus affirmed the faith of those who would trust in His teachings and the testimony of others, even in the absence of personal encounters.

WE MUST NOT WALK BY SIGHT

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

— 2Cor 5:7 (NKJV)

Faith is following God by relying on his word. We don’t need any proof we just need to be confident in his word.

“By faith we understand that the worlds were set in order at God’s command so that the visible has its origin in the invisible.”

— Hebrews 11:3 (NET)

While we live in a physical world, there is an unseen world that created the visible.

The invisible God made what we see today. We must believe that God is real even if we cannot see him.

In our own lives, we can learn from Thomas' journey. While seeking personal experiences is natural, we should also be open to the testimonies and experiences of others. Scripture provides numerous examples of people who placed their trust in God and witnessed His faithfulness, serving as inspiration for our own faith journeys. We are called to imitate their faith, recognizing that belief rooted in the Word of God and the witness of others can be just as powerful and transformative as personal encounters.

Let us strive to have a faith that is not dependent solely on physical evidence but also encompasses trust in God's promises and the experiences of our fellow believers. Blessed are those who, even without seeing, put their faith in Jesus Christ and find salvation in Him.

“while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

— 2Cor 4:18 (NKJV)

WHY SHOULD WE FOCUS ON THE UNSEEN?

We must focus on the unseen because God is invisible and what is unseen will last.

We must focus on the unseen because when we look around us the realities of this world frighten us.

When you are waiting to see before you believe you will be discouraged, confused, and depressed but when you believe without seeing you are happy, you are blessed you rejoice because you know that God is faithful.

Come to God just the way you are; he will reach out to you.

Jesus didn’t blame Thomas, he told him; come to me and touch me.

He will not condemn your attitude of doubt he will reach out to you because he loves you.

To be continued …