Doubting Thomas

[tyndale1946]

John 20: 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

27 Then saith he to Thomas, reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

I have heard others say if you doubt, that is an indication you are not saved?... In all honesty do you doubt at times?... Or are you on your game 24/7... Do you slip and fall and have to get up and try again?... Look at Peter who denied even knowing the Lord and he walked with him for three years... And Thomas even doubted given eye witness testimony by the other disciples that saw him... It is sin to doubt, even if you are mature Christian?... Put your trust in God and his promises and there is no room to doubt... Brother Glen

 

[Silverhair]

John 20: 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

27 Then saith he to Thomas, reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

I have heard others say if you doubt, that is an indication you are not saved?... In all honesty do you doubt at times?... Or are you on your game 24/7... Do you slip and fall and have to get up and try again?... Look at Peter who denied even knowing the Lord and he walked with him for three years... And Thomas even doubted given eye witness testimony by the other disciples that saw him... It is sin to doubt, even if you are mature Christian?... Put your trust in God and his promises and there is no room to doubt... Brother Glen

I would think the question of whether one has doubt relates more to how mature one is in their faith not how long they have been a Christian. As a young Christian you may doubt that God is there or cares when you have trials in your life but as one matures and can look back you come to realize that He was there all along.

Doubt for the young Christian can actually be a good thing as they grow by seeing God work in their lives. As a young Christian the response to trials would usually be “why me” but as they mature it usually becomes “what are you teaching me”.

You wrote “trust in God and his promises” but that is what doubt is, having the time when you question His promises. Doubt is the devils playground.

 

[JD731]

John 20: 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

27 Then saith he to Thomas, reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

I have heard others say if you doubt, that is an indication you are not saved?... In all honesty do you doubt at times?... Or are you on your game 24/7... Do you slip and fall and have to get up and try again?... Look at Peter who denied even knowing the Lord and he walked with him for three years... And Thomas even doubted given eye witness testimony by the other disciples that saw him... It is sin to doubt, even if you are mature Christian?... Put your trust in God and his promises and there is no room to doubt... Brother Glen

Thomas and his doubting is a real event and are truly the words of Thomas, who had not seen the risen Christ on the day of his resurrection as had the other apostles. He stands in type for the Jews during this age who have only the testimony of the apostles and disciples who had seen him and had written about it and testified. However, a week later when he did finally see him he recognized him as the redeemer of Israel. Those who have read the prophesies of the second coming of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament will know that Jesus will return just when Israel as a people are about to be destroyed by the armies of the man of sin. It is at this time they recognize Jesus and are saved nationally and delivered from sure and total destruction.

Of course there are spiritual applications as well.

Zec 13:6 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.
7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.
8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.
9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

 

[kyredneck]

I have heard others say if you doubt, that is an indication you are not saved?... In all honesty do you doubt at times?... Or are you on your game 24/7... Do you slip and fall and have to get up and try again?... Look at Peter who denied even knowing the Lord and he walked with him for three years... And Thomas even doubted given eye witness testimony by the other disciples that saw him... It is sin to doubt, even if you are mature Christian?... Put your trust in God and his promises and there is no room to doubt... Brother Glen

"In all honesty", most of my time has been 'in the flesh', but, I have my moments, and 'I know Who it is I've believed in and that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day'.

Old Baptist Hymn - 'Conflict'

I am a stranger here below,
And what I am 'tis hard to know,
I am so vile, so prone to sin,
I fear that I'm not born again.

When I experience call to mind,
My understanding is so blind,
All feeling sense seems to be gone,
Which makes me fear that I am wrong.

I find myself out of the way;
My thoughts are often gone astray;
Like one alone I seem to be;
Oh! is there any one like me?

So far from God I seem to lie,
Which makes me often weep and cry;
I fear at last that I shall fall,
For if a saint, the least of all.

I seldom find a heart to pray,
So many things step in my way;
Thus filled with doubts, I ask to know;
Come, tell me, is it thus with you?

So, by experience, I do know
There's nothing good that I can do;
I can not satisfy the law,
Nor hope nor comfort from it draw.

My nature is so prone to sin,
Which makes my duty so unclean,
That when I count up all the cost,
If not free grace, then I am lost.

 

[tyndale1946]

"In all honesty", most of my time has been 'in the flesh', but, I have my moments, and 'I know Who it is I've believed in and that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day'.

Old Baptist Hymn - 'Conflict'

I am a stranger here below,
And what I am 'tis hard to know,
I am so vile, so prone to sin,
I fear that I'm not born again.

When I experience call to mind,
My understanding is so blind,
All feeling sense seems to be gone,
Which makes me fear that I am wrong.

I find myself out of the way;
My thoughts are often gone astray;
Like one alone I seem to be;
Oh! is there any one like me?

So far from God I seem to lie,
Which makes me often weep and cry;
I fear at last that I shall fall,
For if a saint, the least of all.

I seldom find a heart to pray,
So many things step in my way;
Thus filled with doubts, I ask to know;
Come, tell me, is it thus with you?

So, by experience, I do know
There's nothing good that I can do;
I can not satisfy the law,
Nor hope nor comfort from it draw.

My nature is so prone to sin,
Which makes my duty so unclean,
That when I count up all the cost,
If not free grace, then I am lost.

Love that song and have led it many times and it tells it like it is and there is another well known one that does the same thing... And here is a stanza from Just As I Am!... Brother Glen

Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt
Fighting and fears within without
Oh, Lamb of God, I come, I come

You don't doubt because you are not a child of God, you doubt because you are!

 

[tyndale1946]

I would think the question of whether one has doubt relates more to how mature one is in their faith not how long they have been a Christian. As a young Christian you may doubt that God is there or cares when you have trials in your life but as one matures and can look back you come to realize that He was there all along.

Doubt for the young Christian can actually be a good thing as they grow by seeing God work in their lives. As a young Christian the response to trials would usually be “why me” but as they mature it usually becomes “what are you teaching me”.

You wrote “trust in God and his promises” but that is what doubt is, having the time when you question His promises. Doubt is the devils playground.

So from your response you think that because Thomas doubted he was an immature Christian?... Have you seen the risen Christ?... Thomas did!... He was a child of when he doubted and he was still a child of God when he saw the risen Christ... But let me take you to the OT... Did Abraham doubt?... Was he also an immature follower of God?... Not only did Abraham doubt, his wife Sarah did too... If they both didn't doubt, why did Abraham take Hagar who Sarah agree to and bore Ishmael... Neither Abraham or Sarah waited for the promise son Isaac, God promised, because they doubted... But God is true to his word, even when we doubt... But Abraham had no doubts when God told him to offer up his only promised son Isaac!... Brother Glen

Genesis 22: 5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

 

[Silverhair]

So from your response you think that because Thomas doubted he was an immature Christian?... Have you seen the risen Christ?... Thomas did!... He was a child of when he doubted and he was still a child of God when he saw the risen Christ... But let me take you to the OT... Did Abraham doubt?... Was he also an immature follower of God?... Not only did Abraham doubt, his wife Sarah did too... If they both didn't doubt, why did Abraham take Hagar who Sarah agree to and bore Ishmael... Neither Abraham or Sarah waited for the promise son Isaac, God promised, because they doubted... But God is true to his word, even when we doubt... But Abraham had no doubts when God told him to offer up his only promised son Isaac!... Brother Glen

Genesis 22: 5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

Was Thomas a young believer, YES. Did he express doubt, YES. Did Abraham and Sarah, due to their age and not new believers, doubt, YES. So like it or not in both cases they doubted that what God had said was indeed true. Do you disagree with that?

One being a child of God does not mean that one will never have doubts. Look at the examples you gave, Thomas, Abraham, Sarah. What I said was that as one matures the response to doubt changes “what are you teaching me” not that you would never have doubts.

 

[tyndale1946]

Was Thomas a young believer, YES. Did he express doubt, YES. Did Abraham and Sarah, due to their age and not new believers, doubt, YES. So like it or not in both cases they doubted that what God had said was indeed true. Do you disagree with that?

One being a child of God does not mean that one will never have doubts. Look at the examples you gave, Thomas, Abraham, Sarah. What I said was that as one matures the response to doubt changes “what are you teaching me” not that you would never have doubts.

I agree with the first... Was I teaching there there will never be doubts?... Read the other responses... Life is full of them!... I don't doubt that?... Brother Glen

 

[KenH]

In all honesty do you doubt at times?

When I fall, and then fall again, and then fall again, and again, and again... - yes, then the whispers of my flesh come against me - "Maybe you aren't saved after all. Just look at you! You're a failure! You ought to just give up!"

But, then, the Lord places writings, for example, such as this by Robert Hawker, before me:

When thou lookest back, and tracest the subject of his love from the beginning, in the springs and autumns of his grace; when thou takest a review of the distinguishing nature of these acts of grace; when thou bringest into the account thine ingratitude, under all the sunshine of his love and favour; will not the question again and again arise, at every review, "Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?" Stranger indeed, by nature and by practice; living without God, and without Christ in the world. And, my soul, it might have been, long since, supposed, that, after such repeated unceasing acts of grace, as Jesus hath shewn, and even when thou hast caused him "to serve with thy sins, and wearied him with thy transgressions;" yet his compassions have failed not, but have been "new every morning;" it might have been supposed, that long and unceasing grace would at length have produced the blessed effect of living wholly to him, who hath so loved thee, as to give himself for thee. But, alas! the day that marks again his mercy, marks again thy rebellion. So that the heart is constrained every day to cry out, "Why have I found grace in thine eyes?" Precious Jesus! the only answer is, because thou art, thou wilt be Jesus. Lord! I bow down to the dust of the earth, in token of my vileness, and thy unspeakable glory! It is indeed the glorious attribute of thy grace to poor fallen men: "the Lord delighteth in mercy. He will perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old."

 

[percho]

Brings tears to my eyes because it is so true, from Come thou fount of every blessing;


Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it;
Prone to leave the God I love: