Jesus Deleted Doubt

What Did Jesus Do?

“Do not disbelieve, but believe.”
John 20.27b

Do you know why God invented erasers? Because people make mistakes. I still chuckle when I substitute teach at a local elementary school, and a student turns in a paper with one or two holes in it. I don’t ever need to ask what the holes are from, I remember from when I turned in similar looking papers when I was young. The holes are the telltale sign of much vigorous erasing. And, you know, it takes some vigor to erase the marks of one’s mistakes. Avoiding dealing with erasers is one reason I am quite well pleased to do almost all of my writing with a computer nowadays. The “Delete” key does the job so much more completely, cleanly, and quickly.

It was a thoroughly cowed, and all but defeated group of disciples that had gathered behind locked doors. In fact, until Jesus came among them and invigorated them with the Holy Spirit (see John 20.19-23), they appeared to have pretty much discounted, if not altogether dismiss and disbelieve, the reports of the Resurrection. But, when Jesus showed up, he deleted their disbelief and fear. And, with a few short weeks, the once timid disciples were transforming the world with their bold preaching (see Acts 2). Yet, one among the eleven remaining apostles had not retreated to the locked room. Perhaps he was just a bit bolder, than the rest. Perhaps, no more convinced by the announcement of Mary Magdalene, “I have seen the Lord,” (John 20.18), he had gone to seek and see the risen Lord for himself. For whatever the reason, Thomas was absent when Jesus appeared to the other disciples.

So it was that, when the others told Thomas about their encounter with the crucified, yet now risen and living Lord, Thomas refused to believe them. Though the rest of the disciples believed, Thomas continued to be burdened by his doubts. And so things remained for eight days (John 20.26).

But, the next time all the disciples had gathered inside together, again behind locked doors, Thomas was with them. As he had before, Jesus came and stood among them. This time, however, after giving his peace to all, the Lord turned his attention specifically to Thomas and his doubts. Clearly, it mattered a great deal to Jesus that Thomas should believe. And so the Lord invited Thomas to examine and touch the wounds of the cross (John 20.27), prompting Thomas’s declaration of faith—“My Lord and my God!” (John 20.28) In an instant, doubts were deleted, and disbelief was completely erased. Seeing had made a believer out of Thomas.

While this was great for Thomas, and for all so fortunate as to personally witness the risen Christ, it would seem to have put all others at a distinct disadvantage with respect to faith. Yet Jesus pronounced blessing upon all who would believe without the benefit of seeing (John 20.29). Though he did not spell out the manner of this particular blessing, I believe it has to do with the gift of faith which one receives when the Lord deletes our doubt. Only the Lord himself, through the work of the Holy Spirit, has the power to remove the doubt that sustains disbelief. Only Jesus can so thoroughly erase our past, our mistakes, our sin, that we literally become a new creation (see 2Corinthians 5.17). But no amount of argument, evidence, or persuasion makes a believer out of anyone, until doubt is deleted.

The good news is that Jesus is just as eager to delete our doubts as he was the doubts of Thomas. The Lord is anxious to bless all who have not seen, yet believe, when doubt is deleted.

S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4