Like Thomas, the apostle most known for his doubts, many are shackled by their insistence that they can believe in and rely upon only that which they have personally experienced with their own senses. The issue that troubled Thomas was the reported resurrection of Christ. When pressed by his fellow-apostles, he firmly stated, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). To our benefit, eight days later he was granted the opportunity to see the risen Lord. Profoundly impacted by the reality of Christ’s resurrection, He exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” (vs. 28).

Concerning his apostleship, it was required of Thomas that he would have not only been among those who had accompanied Christ from His baptism onward, but that he also be a witness of His resurrection (Acts 1:21-22). However, what was required of Thomas in order to be an apostle is not required of us as followers of Jesus. Our belief is not dependent upon having personally seen Jesus following His resurrection. We are, however, blessed with the testimony of first-hand witnesses—not only the testimony of the 12 apostles—but, also the testimony of over 500 eye-witnesses (1 Cor. 15:5-7). This is more than sufficient evidence to establish the fact of Christ’s resurrection.

Although faith is the evidence “of things not seen”; it is, nonetheless, the substance “of things hoped for” (Heb. 11:1). This means that faith is not merely “a shot in the dark” or “the crutch of the unenlightened”; it is that upon which we can confidently build our hope. Our lives our immeasurably blessed by the power of faith. Even when tested by fire, faith shines brightly toward its outcome, eternal salvation. Peter says that “though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory…” (1 Peter 1:8). What a hope is ours through faith in Christ! What power to change the world, one heart at a time!