“Just take the leap of faith!”

“You do not need to understand, just believe.”

“Faith can move mountains!” Really?

When we talk about believing and having faith, these are some of the most commonly used phrases we hear.

How does one come to believe in something? The Bible shows us.

“How then will they call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in him about whom they have not heard? And how will they hear about him without one who preaches to them?”

Romans 10:14

If we may work this backwards, we can see that believing happens when one has

Heard

Studied

Observed

Assessed

Experienced

In order to believe.

“Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

John 20:28

We use this verse frequently to encourage someone to just have faith and believe!

When we read John 20:24-28, we are of the impression that Thomas was lacking faith.

This passage was actually written not to condemn Thomas, but for the rest of us who are unable to see the risen Christ in person.

“Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who was called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe!”

26 And after eight days his disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Although the doors had been shut, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said, “Peace to you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Place your finger here and see my hands, and place your hand and put it[r] into my side. And do not be unbelieving, but believing!” 28 Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, have you believed? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.””

John 20:24-28

Now, Thomas, just like the rest of us, needed to hear, study, observe, assess and experience in order to believe.

Unlike the other disciples who had already seen the risen Christ, Thomas was not around when Jesus revealed Himself after His resurrection.

“We have seen the Lord!”

John 20:25

But Thomas, being a human like the rest of us, said,

“Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe!”

John 20: 25

Eight days later, Jesus appears to Thomas and the other disciples to allow Thomas to

“Place your finger here and see my hands, and place your hand and put it into my side.” John 20:27

And when Thomas has

Heard

Studied

Observed

Assessed

Experienced

Thomas believed.

All these were written for believers like us, who in the future, will not get the chance to witness the evidence first hand, but still believe that Jesus is the Son of God, through Thomas’ account.

“Now Jesus also performed many other signs in the presence of the disciples which are not recorded in this book, 31 but these things are recorded in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

John 20:29-31

Those who had the first-hand experience of being with Jesus had to suffer many things to hear, study, observe, assess and experience in order to believe.

But today, we are blessed because we did not need to see in person, and yet we can believe the evidence of the risen Christ, because Thomas has heard, studied, observed, assessed and experienced it first-hand for us and his experience is written down in John 20:24-28.

Thomas had personally seen in Jesus’ hands the mark of the nails, and put his finger into the mark of the nails, and put his hand into Jesus’ side where He was pierced.

Therefore, with this evidence, we believe. We are truly blessed!