Skeptical? Have Faith God’s Word Is True!
Word-Of-The-Day: ‘So the other disciples told <Thomas>, “We have seen the Lord!” But <Thomas> said to them, “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 not believe.”’ (John 20:25)
Recently, a wave of skepticism is rolling over the early goings of President Trump’s second term (at least in the media). Though he has not been in office for one week, some pundits are already stating he cannot or will not, or will not be allowed to, fulfill many of his campaign promises. These same skeptics stated his political future was over after losing the 2020 Presidential election, so perhaps we need to be skeptical of the prognostications of the skeptics themselves.
There is also growing skepticism that the Kansas City Chiefs can win without favorable penalties and decisions made in their favor. Though the Chiefs have been in the AFC Championship game 7 years in a row, and 4 of the last 5 Super Bowls, winning 3 of them (and playing for opportunity to do so again this year); the skeptics bring a tarnish to an otherwise remarkable achievement in the National Football League that is built for parity.
Skepticism is not limited to politics or sports. The Biblical record long has had skeptics attempting to debunk it. Our recent class on the Creation Account, ‘Origins’, was all about the skepticism folks had – and have – of the Creation Account of Genesis 1:1-2:3; secular science provides counters to the Account with Evolution, Big Bang, Gap, and other theories to give a ‘more thorough’ answer to how the universe was created and how man came into being – rather than the rather plain and simple account of God’s ‘6 Days and a Rest’.
Many historians were (and are) skeptics of some of the early accounts of the Bible with regards to Kings David and Solomon, until recent archeology discoveries have confirmed those accounts to be true. Even the Pharisees were highly skeptical and dismissive of Jesus being the prophesized Messiah, and ended up confirming the prophesies by having Jesus crucified. Skeptics claim Jesus did not rise after his death, but his body stolen from the tomb. His immaculate birth is seen as skeptical by those who do not believe.
Skepticism is throughout the Bible; even in the beginning Eve’s skepticism was played upon by Satan when he told her the fruit of the Knowledge Tree could be eaten, though God told her and Adam not to eat the fruit. Her thoughts were likely, ‘why can’t I?’ and all she needed was that little tempting voice to say, ‘of course you can!’ Abraham and Sarah were skeptical that God would give them a child so Sarah gave Abraham her servant Hagar and Ishmael was born. Elijah was skeptical God would protect him from Jezebel, and Zechariah was skeptical of Gabriel’s proclamation that he and Elizabeth would bear John the Baptist. So, we shouldn’t be too hard on the Apostle Thomas for being skeptical that Jesus was alive after being savagely beaten and crucified.
In each case, we can understand why each was skeptical; Adam and Eve got to eat everything else as all was good, why should the Knowledge Tree fruit be different? Both Abraham/Sarah and Zechariah/Elizabeth were ‘seasoned and senior’ and beyond the normal childbearing years, how could they possibly have children at their age? Thomas, if he did not see Jesus’ body directly, saw others beaten and crucified, and death meant not ever coming back to life – game over! We get skeptical because our experiences tell us, ‘Impossible!’ or empirical data tells us the odds are stacked against us. We rationalize God may not be with us when we are in this state of disbelief, which skepticism is; we lose the Faith that GOD CAN DO ALL THINGS.
But God time and again has proven that He can do! Abe and Zech had their sons; Elijah lived to be taken up by God’s chariot to heaven while Jezebel eventually got tossed out a window, and her body eaten by dogs. Thomas got to go face-to-face with Jesus in John 20:25 and stick his fingers into Jesus’ wounds to see that God’s promise of an eternal Messiah and King was kept. When we doubt God, remember God should never be doubted; He will always keep His end of the deal. We must realize that sometimes we don’t always understand our end of the deal, though. We may want more than what God promised, which is extremely greedy in a sense. God promised only what we need, not what we want or desire.
When we realize what God has promised and set our expectations with His promises, and in keeping up our Faith in His Word, we will find He gives us more than want we’ve ever needed. God knows best – in giving, in timing, and in all things! Give skepticism over to Faith!
Beautiful message.