Blind Faith?

J.J. Stark

June 17-20, 2016

Field Time: Browning, MT

IGNITE CLASS 10

Inductive Bible Study (IBS)

Blind Faith?

“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” – John 20:29b

Not to make light of other things Jesus taught, but this verse is one that truly portrays the essence of salvation.  In such a skeptical and information/confirmation-needy generation, it packs a very heavy meaning that unfortunately is taken very lightly.  “Seeing is believing,” the old saying goes, and it certainly seems to be the motto the world lives by today, whether anyone admits or not.  In saying that I do not exclude myself, for I am as guilty of falling into this trap as anyone, if not more so.  I am always looking for some type of confirmation on everything regardless the significance.  It is not as if I am the only person who has ever struggled with this; there are innumerable examples throughout scripture.  John chapter 20 has to do with one of these people, Jesus’s disciple Thomas.  Verse 29b is a statement to Thomas from Jesus in a conversation after Jesus’s resurrection.  Verses 24 and 25 of chapter 20 give background to the situation:

“²⁴ Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.  ²⁵ The other disciples therefore said to him, ‘“We have seen the Lord.”’ 

So he said to them, ‘“Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”’”

            Two thoughts come two mind when reading this.  On one hand, I cannot say as though I blame Thomas; a confusing chain of events had just occurred rapidly, with everything that he had thought was so solid around him seemingly came crashing down.  His mind was also still in the recovery stage of a death of a close One and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Knowing what I do of myself, and then putting myself in Thomas’s sandals, I am pretty certain I would do and say the same: proof.  Let’s examine this from the other side also though.  Twelve chosen disciples had walked with Jesus for over three years, each one of them witnessing Christ perform incredible miracles.  He healed illnesses, gave hearing to the deaf, speech to the mute, and sight to the blind, and even life to the dead!  One of these (Judas Iscariot) would betray the Savior according to God’s plan, and sadly, even though Christ forgave him, Judas still took his own life out of overwhelming guilt.  This obviously left only eleven disciples; Thomas proceeded keep himself isolated during the chaos surrounding Jesus’s death.  Because of self-isolation, he was one of the last to receive the news of Christ’s resurrection.  It is interesting to see how, despite the eye-witness testimonies of the ten gathered disciples, Thomas still refused to believe his Savior was risen.  In a court of law, even two or three of these accounts would have stood, let alone ten of them.  He remained stiff-necked, as many of his ancestors before him, even though the evidence proved otherwise!  How often am I as stubborn and hard hearted as Thomas?  But, Jesus Himself removed all doubt by appearing again when Thomas was present with the rest, further on in John 20:

“²⁷ Then He said to Thomas, ‘“Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side.  Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”’  ²⁸ And Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘“My Lord and My God!”’  ²⁹ Jesus said to him, ‘“Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”’”

Jesus has compassion on Thomas and doesn’t rebuke him for not believing, but uses this to teach all to have full trust in Him and His Word.  It is not an ignorant belief in something crafted of this passing world, but a faith in the living, eternal, and holy truth, which is the gift of life.  It is not a blind faith, but one that I can have confidence in.  Hebrews 11:1 says “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  This is a reminder of Jesus’s reference to believing as children, without judgment or skepticism, but also looking forward eagerly in hope.  The apostle Paul reinforces this in 2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”  This is the beauty of faith: though Jesus Himself is not plainly accessible to verify by any of our physical senses like Thomas, we can through faith see the evidence in His creation, hear His voice and Holy Word speak, and feel His peace when we believe that He is truth.   THIS is confirmed by the apostle John in his “note from the author” (chapter 21:30-31)

“³⁰And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”

Application:  I will press into Christ, praying for a stronger, unyielding faith in Him, that I wouldn’t fall short and trust in the things seen, but in Him unseen.