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The Gospel of John, The Period of Consummation, Part XXIV, John 20:29 - Lesson 201
Read for review: John 20:27,28 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. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
John 20:29, Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
The world says seeing is believing.
But Christ says believing is seeing.
Thomas had to see to believe but Jesus reminded him that there is a greater blessedness to those who have never seen him in the flesh, yet who have believed.
Why, because they simply believe his word.
They require no experience.
And that pleases God.
To simply believe his word.
And what pleases God the Father, results in greater blessedness to the one who pleases the Father.
This is the group that we belong to if we are believers.
God has graciously allowed us to have faith not of sight but by his word.
This is the faith that cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God..
We are more blessed than those who saw Christ during the days he lived bodily among men.
Thomas was not the only one who saw and then believed.
Even John needed the grave clothes in the tomb to believe.
The other disciples when they were in the upper room eight days previous were glad, when they saw the wounds of the Lord.
They too did not believe without a sign!
Jesus here tells us that simply by believing his word the greater blessing will be received.
2 Cor 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
1 Pet 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
Why with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Because we love him not because of what we have seen but solely because we believe his word!
If you only believe God through experiences then only experiences will satisfy and God wishes to only satisfy through his word.
His faith system is built upon his word and his word alone.
That is why we are more blessed.
Those today who crave miracles and signs are out of line with the word of Christ here expressed.
God has kept signs and wonders away from us so that faith can only come by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
For those who wish signs, wonders and miracles they may call upon their father the devil to comply.
He is all too ready!
Or they can wait until the church is raptured and watch the signs and wonders that God performs when he takes up direct dealing with Israel in the tribulation. |