Doubting Thomas Was Right

GodWords Newsletter #93

Paid subscribers: you’re awesome, and I mean that. Your support humbles me. If you’re not a paid subscriber, rest assured that I love you, too. 😎

That’s what we’re told, isn’t it? We hear it in church. We hear it on TV. We hear it in songs. There’s a sense in which “just believing” is good and wise… but there’s another sense in which it’s the opposite of what we’re taught in Scripture.

1. Good and Wise

The Gaither Vocal Band sings, “I believe… help thou my unbelief. I walk into the unknown, trusting all the while.” I can’t count the times I’ve prayed these words, like the father in Mark 9.

In Mark 9:14-29, a man brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus for healing. He said, “if you can do anything, take pity on us.” When Jesus replied that everything is possible for one who believes, the father’s response was immediate: “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

Most of us trust God, at least a little… but as we grow, we usually discover many ways in which we don’t actually trust Him completely. Seeing this, it’s good and wise to ask God to help us trust Him more.

2. Not so Good, Not so Wise

Doubting Thomas wanted evidence that Jesus was really alive. Jesus told Thomas, “Stop doubting and believe… blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

This passage is sometimes used to claim that we shouldn’t ask for evidence, and that it’s better to just have faith. That’s dumb. When you read the passage for yourself, you can see that right after the part about Thomas, John wrote this:

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Christianity - and Judaism before it - is not, and has never been, a Just Believe™ kind of thing. It was always based in evidence. A few examples where God provided evidence:

• The burning bush… Moses was convinced.

• The 10 plagues in Egypt… Pharoah was convinced.

• The parting of the Red Sea… the Israelites were convinced.

• Elijah’s sacrifice was consumed… the prophets of Baal were convinced.

• Daniel in the lions' den… Darius was convinced.

• Lazarus raised from the dead… Mary and Martha and their mourners were convinced.

• Jesus on the road to Damascus… Saul was convinced.

I could go on and on, of course. You can probably name a dozen more examples. John wrote so people could see the signs that Jesus is the Messiah. Luke wrote that his gospel was a careful investigation of the claims of eyewitnesses. Every fulfilled prophecy is evidence that God IS who He says He is.

Are you skeptical? That’s awesome. I am, too. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for evidence. There’s a lot of it. Let me know how I can help.

I love you all.
❤️

Never Read a Bible Verse
That’s right: never read a Bible verse. Greg Koukl explains the first step in understanding any passage in the Bible. It’s a downloadable PDF, email address required. Greg is awesome, so you should be following him anyway. 😎

Stuck on Repeat: God’s Fix for Thick Skulls and Stony Hearts
Brandon at IMAGO DAD reminds us that repetition is an important key to learning… and that parents can learn patience by seeing that God is patient with us.

2 Things You Shouldn’t Do When Seeking God’s Will
Kate’s new mini-devotional also lists four things we should do when seeking God’s will.

GodWords: What Does “Jesus” Mean?
Should Christians say “Yeshua” instead of Jesus? If I pray “in Jesus’ name” will my prayers be answered?

---

Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider its ways and be wise!
Proverbs 6:6

---

Bye Bye Babylon: White Heart

White Heart is, without doubt, one of the best Christian bands… ever. Someday I might tell the story of how, at their peak, they wanted to hold a concert for my tiny church of 90 people. Freedom is an awesome album, and I was a roadie when they did come to town. Billy Smiley gave me a t-shirt and his guitar pick, which made me feel just a little bit special. Lyrics and links at Awesome Christian Music.

Walking back through history
To the mighty city
I put my feet on the streets of Babylon

The gold and the glitter
Towering wonder
It's all within the walls of Babylon

Strength and security
Comfort and safety
What could be better than living in Babylon?

This Newsletter is free. If you’d like to support the ministry, you can:

• Pray for me. People send me questions, and I want to answer them accurately and responsibly. For that, I need God’s wisdom.

• Share whatever content you think is useful, whether from the Newsletter or from GodWords.

• … and, if you wish, you can subscribe or buy me a coffee.