Stop Doubting And Believe

“Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe’.” (John 20:27)

It may sound a little dramatic, but the thing I worry most about in my faith is that Jesus will return before a family member or friend comes to a saving knowledge of him. Ever since Jesus was born and since he died, we have the opportunity for salvation. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “ (John 3:17)

Thank God, we still have time. But when Jesus returns, opportunity becomes a missed opportunity. In other words, it will be too late. Our Savior will become our judge.

All of us have been in church and seen the invitation given and watched while no one came forward. It’s as if the Gospel is too hard to understand. The truth is nothing could be easier to understand and I often wonder what all the doubt is about. I’ve have finally reached the conclusion that they either think they are already saved or simply do not believe what they just heard.

There are a lot people who tell you that all you have to do to go to heaven is die. “How could a merciful God condemn a good person?” they will often say. If you understand the nature of sin, you realize that there is no such thing as a “good person”. Good doesn’t get you in. If this was the truth, the thief on the cross would not have had a chance. Yet when he publicly acknowledged that Jesus was the Son of God, Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

In truth, there are three simple things you really have to believe to go to heaven. First, that Jesus was the virgin-born Son of God; second, that his death of the cross was to atone for our sins; and finally, that he was raised from the dead after three days and sits at the right hand of God to advocate for us.

So while these three things are simple, the world does not believe they are actually true. Bill Maher, host of Real Time with Bill Maher is a classic example of modern thinking. He argues that most of what is in the Bible has been debunked and constantly characterizes the Bible as a book of fairy tales. He also categorizes those who believe in God’s word are a bunch of mindless idiots.

Here’s what I know:

1. Virgin births happen every day. Seventeenth century Blaise Paschal said it best: “Why cannot a virgin bear a child? Does a hen not lay eggs without a cock?.”

2. Jesus death on the cross is a historical fact. Josephus, a first century Jewish historian, wrote: “Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.” (Antiquities of Jesus)

3. Josephus’ last sentence should be enough to convince us that Jesus was resurrected from the grave. Unfortunately, however, many so-called Christians really don’t believe it. Yet, we hear about people dying all the time in hospitals – kept alive by ventilators, only to learn that they came back to life days later and no longer need the ventilator to live. What’s so hard to understand here?

The Gospel is not hard to believe; nor is it impossible to understand in our present-day world. Jesus said it best when he said to his Disciple, Thomas, who doubted his resurrection because he had not yet seen the risen Jesus: “Reach your finger here and look at my hands; and reach your hand here and put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving but believing.” (John 20:27)