We ALL have a measure of faith, yet we also always, if you are HUMAN, wrestle with different levels or forms of doubt.
Thomas is given a bad rap for being a doubter, too. The term "DOUBTING THOMAS" has a negative connotation.
Simply because he asked "WHAT IF"??? Did Jesus condemn him because he needed to see to believe.
Thomas ....
He was open minded, in his doubt, that perhaps this was the Risen Lord. He just needed some proof. He was willing to believe something after examining the facts. A close minded person, unbeliever, would not even look at the facts or would just deny them.
Thomas was very much a believer even when he doubted. In a previous instance, Jesus has great admiration for Thomas.
The first story about Thomas we encounter is in chapter 11 of John. It is the story of Jesus’ raising Lazarus from the dead. Do you remember? Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that their brother Lazarus was ill in Bethany. When Jesus got ready to go there the disciples threw a fit. They said, “Whoa Jesus. Don’t you remember the last time you were there you almost got stoned to death. And now you want us to go back there again. Jesus, don’t go there!”
Jesus told them flatly that Lazarus was no longer ill, but dead. Well if they were sort of thinking about risking their lives to go with Jesus to save a sick Lazarus, they sure weren’t going to risk their lives for a dead Lazarus.
In the midst of all this resistance, it is Thomas who speaks up and says to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” To make such a statement required great faith in Jesus--and courage. Thomas was willing to lay down his life for Jesus. Why not call him Courageous Thomas instead of Doubting Thomas? Because of his courage, he and the disciples got to witness the miracle of Lazarus’ resurrection. Sort of makes you wonder why Thomas would have trouble with Jesus’ resurrection if he had witnessed the raising of Lazarus…. Yet he did.
What is Jesus reaction ???... definitely not the reaction we would have had w/ him ... or the disappointed religious stares we'd give him ...
There is no condemnation for his doubt rather Christ asks a fair question and acknowledges that Thomas DID BELIEVE.
All Jesus says:
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe."
Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."
Thomas was honest about his doubt ... and when he brought his doubt to Jesus ... he's rewarded w/ the unprecedented honor of touching his side and his scarred hands. His doubt in the hands of the Master is transformed to faith in His Deity.
And yet the bible still tells us that w/o faith it is impossible to please God.
Please don't misconstrue my postings on this subject to be glorifying doubt (as one wouldn't glorify other emotions such as anger, depression)... I'm simply trying to define it ... and it's role in our life as believers. It can become hope and when we turn it over to Jesus .... he can place in us faith in Him... the conviction of things not seen .... the substance of things hoped for.
I just feel we don't see the benefit our having doubts .... and that we mistake doubt w/ unbelief.
Doubt still means there is a chance.
There are way too many Apostolics living this Spirit-filled walk w/ dour "GAME-FACE" expressions on their countenance trying to conceal their normal range of emotions as not to show their human frailties for fear of disapproval by their peers.
The truth is ... in our humanity we struggle w/ these things. Yet, the joy of the Lord is my strength ... in my weakness ... He is made strong.
God will not condemn us for our doubt and anxiety ... He simply asks, in his eternal Fatherly love, that we bring it to him .... casting our cares upon him.
We see the ultimate example of this when Jesus brings his doubts and anxieties in desperation to the Father at the Garden ... and even the cross.
Surely his doubt, anxiety, sadness, agony is not counted to him as sin ... since The Lamb was without sin or blemish.
DA, I got knocked offline for a while. That was interesting reading. I feel that one thing the church does need is a better understanding of human emotions and a level of transparency concerning the battles we must fight and win.
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There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Chuck Norris lives in Houston.
Either the United States will destroy ignorance, or ignorance will destroy the United States. – W.E.B. DuBois
I am going to be teaching on "What Can Doubt Cost You?" tomorrow night.
I have several things on my list such as:
1) The Israelites was not allowed to enter into Canaan.
2) Many were not healed nor delivered when Jesus went through their towns
3) You can not please God without faith.
Any other thoughts you care to share???
Esther, Doubt is not the same thing as not having faith. Doubt is the same thing as unbelief. You can have faith and doubt in your heart, at the same time. (Mk 11:23); (Mat 21:21);
And in (Mk 9:24) the father of the demon possessed boy said, "Lord I believe: help thou mine unbelief". What he was saying was: "LORD, I believe, but help me get rid of my doubt".
You can have all the faith in the world, but if you doubt in your heart, your faith will accomplish nothing. It's just like the old Levi jeans logo on the leather belt tab: two horses, hitched to a pair of Levi"s, each pulling in the opposite direction.
Peter clearly had enough faith to walk on water, but when he saw the wind and waves, he began to doubt, Jesus said to him," Wherefore didst thou doubt?"
I believe this is the most misunderstood fact in trying to believe God for healing or anything else. It's easy to have a mustard seed of faith, but you must get rid of doubt.
I am going to be teaching on "What Can Doubt Cost You?" tomorrow night.
I have several things on my list such as:
1) The Israelites was not allowed to enter into Canaan.
2) Many were not healed nor delivered when Jesus went through their towns
3) You can not please God without faith.
Any other thoughts you care to share???
It can cost you the realization of your destiny. Just like the Israelites wandered 40 years in the wilderness, you and I wander years only to have our descendents realize our promises.
Not only does transgenerational sins get passed down to the next generation, but also transgenerational blessings. I pray that the prayers my great great grandmother prayed come to fruition in my lifetime.
God has made some promises to each of us but our doubt and fear keep them from happening.
DA, I got knocked offline for a while. That was interesting reading. I feel that one thing the church does need is a better understanding of human emotions and a level of transparency concerning the battles we must fight and win.
Highly agree.
It's sort of schizophrenic ... when it comes to emotions ... We're jumping of the pews and platform and then walking around with serious "game faces" after our church events ....
I think if we measured the range of emotions some feel on a Sunday .... against their range of emotions during the week ... we'd be dumbfounded
Transparency throughout Christianity must become the norm.
Don't you have to decide to believe in something before you can doubt it?
Not sure ... is that true with the scientific method?
Thank God for doubt (tempered) .... really.
We would not have the scientific and technological advances we have today ....if someone decided to believe that the way we've always seen or done it is the ONLY way.
I'm just saying, from my perspective, I struggle in a huge way with doubt because I have never "decided" to believe in certain things, even though I was raised in a way where the beliefs are/were never questioned.
Re-reading what I just said, I realize that it doesn't make a lot of sense... I'll try to think of a better way to explain it and respond back...
Do the examples in the first post imply that there was belief and then doubt? it seems that one would have to come before the other... otherwise if a crazy man on the street tells me there are pink elephants flying around him, and I doubt him, it is because I did not believe in the first place, not that my faith was lacking that there were really pink elephants flying around. I'm having a hard time getting my arms around this thought today.
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