Thomas, however, is not present for these miraculous encounters. Earlier in the chapter, we observe the risen Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene and ten of the remaining eleven disciples. In the latter half of John chapter twenty, we find Thomas struggling with his doubts and discouragements. The answer is found in the Gospel accounts. They identify him by his doubt, but the question we must ask is, “How does the Lord Jesus identify him?” and even further, “How does Jesus respond to those who doubt?”
Now there is no better character with which we could start our examination of this theme than the disciple known to many as “doubting Thomas.” Note that this nickname was not given to him by his mentor, Jesus, but rather by Christians in modernity. Throughout the pages of the Bible, we repeatedly see that God does not reject those who doubt rather, He works in and through them despite their doubts. Instead, we may turn to the Scriptures to see the straightforward reality that doubt need not be the end of robust faith, but rather, the beginning! I would assert that this sad reality does not have to be the fate of our youth. Eventually, the young Christian finds themself stepping outside of their Christian bubble and into a secular environment where the dam of unanswered questions finally bursts, unable to withstand the pressures of postmodern and post-Christian culture.įor the Christian struggling with doubt, following Jesus can feel like reaching for the light while you sink into the depths of the ocean.
So, doubts are suppressed, buried deep within the psyche. It is far too ordinary for the young Christian to hide their doubts, never wanting to raise their hand in the Sunday-school classroom for fear of looking foolish at best or being judged as one of little faith at worst. Many grow up in the Church with the idea that “good Christians never doubt,” all the while struggling under the weight of crippling doubt themselves. Doubt, often regarded as the evil twin brother of faith, is a condition that frequently casts a long shadow over the believer’s life.
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