How can we apply Thomas's experience in John 20:25 to strengthen our faith? Thomas’s Honest Doubt Reminds Us to Bring Our Questions to Jesus “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe.” (John 20:25) • Thomas speaks plainly. His candor shows that faith is not fostered by pretending questions don’t exist. • We can imitate him by admitting doubts in prayer and conversation instead of hiding them (Psalm 62:8). • God is not threatened by honest inquiry; He invites it, then answers it in His timing (Jeremiah 33:3). Evidence God Provides: The Bodily Resurrection • Jesus met Thomas’s demand for physical proof (John 20:27). Scripture records this so we can rely on eyewitness testimony even though we weren’t there (1 John 1:1-3). • Our faith is anchored to objective events: – Empty tomb (John 20:6-8) – Multiple appearances (1 Corinthians 15:3-7) – Transformed disciples willing to die for what they saw (Acts 4:19-20) • Reviewing these facts when doubts rise gives stable footing. Moving from Skepticism to Worship • Thomas’s journey ended with the highest confession in the Gospel: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). • Seeing Jesus’s wounds revealed both His humanity and deity—exactly what Thomas needed. • When Scripture satisfies our questions, the right response is worship, not mere intellectual assent (Hebrews 12:28). Practical Ways to Strengthen Faith Today 1. Read resurrection passages aloud—let truth confront emotion. 2. Talk with believers who have seen God work; their stories echo the disciples’ “We have seen the Lord!” (Revelation 12:11). 3. Keep a journal of answered prayers and fulfilled promises; tangible reminders counter future doubts. 4. Gather weekly for corporate worship; faith grows in community (Hebrews 10:24-25). 5. Serve others in Jesus’s name; acting on truth reinforces belief (James 2:22). 6. Turn “unless I see” moments into “until You show me” prayers—expectant, not cynical (Psalm 27:13-14). Encouragement from Jesus’s Promise “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) • Christ pronounces a special blessing on us who trust the written record. • Faith is not wishful thinking; it is confidence in God’s reliable word (Hebrews 11:1). • Every time we choose to rest in Scripture rather than sight, we step into that promised blessing and our faith grows stronger. |
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