God is kind and gracious, even to overcome your unbelief

 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.”
And 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, “Bring your finger here, and see My hands; and bring your hand here and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are those who did not see, and yet believed.”

John 20:24-29

Introduction

“Doubting Thomas” has become a bit of a negative term about someone lacking faith, all by this account in John. Thomas, one of the twelve disciples, did not believe the mere word of his colleagues when they recounted to him the appearance of the Lord Jesus in their midst while he was away. He rather responds to their claim with skepticism, announcing that unless he sees and even feels the Lord, he will not believe.

This can seem incredibly off-putting to those of us who have not seen Jesus with our eyes and yet believe. We believe on account of the testimony of these men alone, so why not Thomas? Well, it is not quite so simple as that.

We generally do not believe on the account of the testimony of these men alone. In fact, we rely on the testimony of many thousands, and indeed millions, of Christians who came before us. We rely on the historic accounts of God’s faithfulness in building His Church in the midst of great Roman persecution, attempted destruction by the Muslim expansion, and the onset of the so-called “Enlightenment.”

Throughout the Church’s history, the enemy has attacked her from every angle, including within. But she has held strong and even grown in the midst of adversity, winning more souls to Christ every day. And it is the testimony of all these Christians throughout history who believed God, being counted as righteous (Genesis 15:6), that compounds into our own faith.

My Lord and my God!

And just like He is at all times to His children, God was gracious to Thomas. He was not withholding, nor did He cast judgment on Thomas for his unbelief. God did not shrug His shoulders and say, “well Thomas is free to disbelieve and I can’t force him to believe.” Instead, He appeared, giving Thomas precisely what he asked for.

Jesus once again entered the locked room, but this time He did so just for Thomas. He was not prepared to leave any of them to destruction except Judas (John 17:12). Addressing Thomas in particular, Jesus answered his prayer, even if he wasn’t aware he was praying.

“Bring your finger here, and see My hands; and bring your hand here and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” This stripped Thomas of any reason to doubt. He had seen the Lord with his own eyes and felt Him with his own hands. With the very senses God had given him to perceive truth, He showed the ultimate truth.

The believing is in the seeing

Even with this gracious gift, He ended His visit with a blessing. But this blessing was not for Thomas who believed on account of his senses. This blessing was for you who, “did not see, and yet believed.” That kind of faith is unshakable. It is not one based on arguments or wise words, but on the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:5).

It is the change in your own life that gives evidence to the saving work of Christ in you; and that is something you do not just see once. You see it every day, all the time. In Peter’s second letter, he opens by listing off ways Christians ought to grow: moral excellence, knowledge, self control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. Then he commands us to, “be all the more diligent to make your calling and choosing sure; for in doing these things, you will never stumble.” (2 Peter 1:10)

The confirmation of God’s choosing of you for salvation comes in the form of changing you here and now. He is not waiting until the resurrection to make you more like Jesus. It is the active work of God who gives each of us exactly what we need to believe (Romans 12:3).

May the Lord bless you and conform you into the image of His Son.