Seeing is Believing

          We had a man in La Porte, Indiana who had an unusual gift and I didn't believe that he could do what he claimed until I saw him do it on Ripley's Believe it or not show years ago. Railroad box cars have a large number on the side of the car usually six digits or more. This gentleman could sit at a railroad crossing and add up the numbers on the box cars as they slowly rumbled past him. I never saw anyone else do it and I don't know how he did it, but, after all, “seeing is believing.” John 20:25 says, “The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe." 

       This verse speaks of poor Thomas from whom we get the phrase, “doubting Thomas.” It has been a phrase for about 2000 years because of this event mentioned here in the latter chapters of the Gospel of John. Some of the other apostles had seen the risen Christ and were telling him of their encounter with the Lord but Thomas would not believe it and was so strong on it that he would not believe until he thrust his hand into the side of the Lord Himself. Fortunately, we have the rest of the story and at the next encounter with the Lord, Thomas was present. The Lord Jesus Christ, knowing the doubt that had been expressed by Thomas stuck out His hands and told Thomas to go ahead. He told Thomas to touch his hands and to thrust Thomas's hand into His side. Thomas, after seeing the Lord Jesus Christ right before him, simply said, “My Lord and My God.” After all, seeing is believing. It is a shame that people today can't have the experience that Thomas had. It is a shame that they can't see the print of the nails and the wound in His side of the Lord Jesus Christ. We do, however, have a reliable account of that event. It has been authenticated and published for years and years and it is called the Holy Bible. The Bible is not a book of fables or myths or stories that inspire but the authentic Word of God Himself to a needy people and that people includes you and me and our family and friends and all those in our field of work and recreation. This account is free to all who will but read it and believe what it says. Christianity hangs on one event and one event only. It is authenticated by the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. As First Corinthians 15 says, if Christ did not raise from the dead, then we are all still in our sin and in misery and with no hope. Since He did rise from the dead, then we are assured of every promise in the Scripture. We are assured of an eternal home with God when we believe on the finished work of Christ on the cross for our sins. Every born again believer is a testimony of the resurrection of Christ as people are changed into a new creation. Old things are passed away, behold all things are new. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (First Corinthians 5:17). Praise God today for the resurrection of His Son. The tomb is empty, and “seeing is believing.”