It’s natural to have doubts about God, Jesus, and the Bible from time to time. But not all of us handle them well. We have to deal with our doubts. We can’t just stick our head in the ground like an ostrich and pretend that they will go away.
Thomas: I Need Evidence
Thomas was sure enough in his doubt to make a very bold statement:
“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.” ” (John 20:25, NKJV)
Thomas knew how things worked. He knew that once someone died, they (generally speaking) stayed dead. Now granted, he had seen Jesus raise a man from the dead, but then again, could Jesus raise himself up if he himself was dead?
So Thomas decided that the testimony of his fellow disciples wasn’t going to be enough. I don’t know why he didn’t trust what they said. When people have doubts, sometimes the ability to stop and think critically about the situation ceases when the doubts come in. In all fairness, Thomas should have asked himself, “Why should they be lying to me about this? What do they stand to gain by making a seemingly baseless claim such as this?” But evidently this reasoning didn’t occur to Thomas.
Instead, in Thomas we see a commonality with skeptics of all times. There is a demand for hard, real, substantial evidence. A skeptic won’t be content with only someone’s testimony. Skeptics won’t even be content with just seeing pictures or video of something. After all, we live in the day of Photoshop and computer generated effects.
Even worse, sometimes a person enters a “feedback loop” where they only read books or testimony that supports their skepticism. And often the religious skeptic today is still looking for that irrefutable “sign” and overwhelming evidence to remove their doubts about whatever it may be. Can such evidence exist?
This seems to be where Thomas was. But what Thomas demonstrates to us is that an honest heart, even one in the throes of doubt, may not really need what it claims it does to make a firm decision. Actually, Jesus knows how much evidence an honest heart really needs to make up its mind, and he provides more than enough, both for Thomas and for us today.
Jesus: Here is the Evidence
Now should Thomas have believed the report of the other disciples? Yes, he should have, because they were right. But was he pushed out of the assembly of his brethren because of his lack of faith? It doesn’t appear that way. And I believe those who aren’t in the throes of doubt should be very delicate in how they deal with those who are struggling with doubt. When a person doubts, it isn’t a time to belittle or guilt them, but rather it’s a time to put your arm around them and help them find the information they need to do away with their doubts.
And that’s what we see here in how Jesus himself chooses to deal with this situation, and likewise the particular kind doubt that Thomas had, the “I need hard evidence” brand of doubt, once and for all.
As we read a moment ago, John 20:26 tells us that after eight days (meaning this would be Sunday, see verse 19 of this chapter) the disciples were again assembled together, possibly for worship. Whereas Thomas didn’t get a chance to see Jesus the time before, that won’t be the case this time.
Jesus appears in the midst of them (vs. 26), and greets them with “Peace to you!” Thomas is immediately awestruck. Notice what Jesus does first in John’s record: He offers the evidence that Thomas desired! What is Thomas’s response (vs. 28)? “My Lord and my God!” Evidently Thomas forgot all about that whole touching and feeling Jesus’ wounds idea. Jesus even offers it, but we have no record of Thomas doing such. Seeing Jesus and honestly accepting the testimony of his peers was all that he really needed. It didn’t even take what Thomas thought it would for him to believe.
This account draws to a close with the following words:
“Jesus said to him, 'Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” (John 20:29, NKJV)
What Do I Do with My Doubts?
It’s very obvious from this passage that Jesus doesn’t want doubters kicked out of the assembly, but he wants them to deal with their doubts—to work through them. His command to Thomas in verse 27 is clear. “Do not be unbelieving, but believing!” Christ demands trust.
He doesn’t just make that demand unfairly, though. Many people get the idea that faith and belief mean suspending reality. Many (especially of an agnostic persuasion) think that reality means doubt. But logic and reason demand the opposite. You see, doubt doesn’t live in reality — it suspends it until it finds sufficient “evidence.” That’s why those who doubt the power of God find themselves feeling so miserable. They aren’t living in the real world.
Maybe Thomas helps us understand this little better, since he struggled with doubt based on circumstances similar to ours. All he initially had to go on was the testimony of other credible witnesses. All we have to go on is the testimony of credible witnesses (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:1-8). It ought to have been sufficient for him, and it has to be sufficient for us today.
At least Thomas had the advantage of seeing Jesus in the flesh. We don’t have that ability today. So what are some steps we can take to deal with our doubts?
1) Examine: What Did You Expect?
What are you expecting out of God? Are you living a land of illusion about what God says he will or won’t do? You see, the math is simple:
Your Expectations + Seeking God’s Will = Contentment & Faith
On the other hand, there is an equation that will only lead to a place where we are never happy. It is as follows:
Your Expectations – Seeking God’s Will = Despair & Doubt
When we expect things out of God that he never promised to provide (cf. James 4:1-4) we “ask amiss” or wrongly (vs. 3) and we shouldn’t expect to receive such things. If you get your expectations in line with God’s Will, you can’t be disappointed. If you aren’t disappointed because of faulty expectations, then chances are slim that you are going to start doubting.
2) Examine: What Are the Answers?
As we’ve already noted, the removal of doubt is not about the removal of your brain. Christians are not supposed to be blissfully ignorant people. On the other hand, they are to have reasons for what they believe (cf. 1 Peter 3:15). Jesus provided the means for Thomas’s “doubt-ectomy,” and shows us the means for our own care as well (cf. John 20:30-31).
Part of the doubt removal process involves looking for answers, and looking for them in the right places. If your doubts deal with apologetic topics, for instance, the existence of God, Christ’s deity, creation, evolution, etc., a good place to start is with some good apologetic material. Apologetics Press is among one of the best sources of material concerning these topics.
If your doubt has come about because of suffering or you have questions about your salvation, the best place to go is the scriptures themselves. The Psalms have many passages which help to reassure us of God’s abiding care. There are also many fine books written by members of the church which deal with guilt, depression, discouragement, and doubt, and any one of these can help guide you in your studies.
If your doubt has to do with God’s goodness and care, it also helps to step back and answer this question about yourself: Am I displaying an attitude of thankfulness for what I do have (cf. Philippians 4:6-7)? Often we can remove our doubts about such matters when we make an honest assessment of our blessings. Perspective can help so much.
3) Examine: Are You Honest in Your Search?
A heart which refuses to believe the answers that it finds is never going to find solace or comfort. Only the truth ever really sets someone free of their prison of doubts and fears (cf. John 8:32).
A dishonest heart will not seek the truth, but rather, will constantly seek comfort, or its own agenda. The dishonest heart may also never go to the right sources to find answers. There are all manner of books a person can read and websites they can visit seeking answers (or worse, validation of the ideas they already have). Many of these will do nothing but lead them astray—either to false hope, or deeper into doubt.
Part of an honest search involves going to the right places to look—going to the Bible first. If you have doubts about the Bible, deal with the Bible itself first. Consider what Paul to the church in Colossi:
“Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8, NKJV)
4) Examine: Are You Willing?
The final step in the removal of doubt involves actually taking the steps necessary to remove it. What are you going to do with the knowledge that you gain, and the answers that you find? If you just sit on them, your search was in vain.
We return for just a moment to the example of Thomas. Thomas was honest. Thomas was willing to accept the evidence and act to take care of his doubt. This is obvious in his assessment of Jesus when he stands before him:
“And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” ” (John 20:28, NKJV)
You have to be willing to accept the answers you find, or you may as well not start the journey. You have to be willing to change your mind about those things that need to be changed. Doubt is a decision, not a disease. Its remedy is your willingness to make it go away, and to accept truth.
Walking By Faith
We live our daily lives on the basis of the unseen. I’ve never actually seen my heart, but I know that it’s beating in my chest because I’m still alive. I have no doubts about that. Doctors treat patients of diseases or germs that the patients themselves never actually see. Any doubts of their existence or cause of illness are removed when good health comes about as result of the actions doctors take. I may not see it, but the wind blows every day. I know this because I see the effect that it has on the things it touches. Believing isn’t always about seeing. It’s about the evidence.
I’ve never seen heaven. Neither have you. I’ve never seen the face of Jesus. Neither have you. But I have some credible information about them from people who have. It’s contained in the Holy Scriptures, the Bible, and Jesus offers it to us today as the evidence we need to properly deal with our doubts (cf. John 20:30-31).
Jesus put it this way:
“Jesus said to him, 'Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” (John 20:29, NKJV)
Are you blessed in this way? If not, we would love to help you, and talk to you more about any questions you may have.