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Author
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Topic: DOUBTING THOMAS
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Michael Harrison
Advanced Member
Member # 6801
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posted
![[Bible]](graemlins/bible.gif)
But how do we trust? (Ye who are seeking!)
If we decide to let Him save us, we are by nature of this, surrendering to 'being' changed.
That is it! That is the basic 'it'. Our decision is submitting to letting Him change us. If one 'surrenders' but is not willing to be changed, their surrender is in vain. It is not surrender. It is not trust. It is electing one's self to the benefit, but without meeting the requirements HE establishes. It is 'picking and choosing' while seeing one's self as qualified to receive the reward. It is evil. It is common. It will raise up a Tare.
So again, the vital question: How do we trust?
"Examine yourself to see if you be in the faith."
Erronious notions concerning scripture will fade when one lets Him change them, for HE imparts His revelation to them. This 'saves' one from clinging to his own interpretation by his own determination, which is telling God how it is, rather than receiving.
Who has a true heart towards Him?
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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Eden
unregistered
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posted
Now, Thomas was blessed in that the Lord had mercy on Thomas's unbelief and showed Thomas the truth with Jesus's own wounds.
But God admonishes us to be more believing than Thomas:
John 20
25 The other disciples therefore said to him {Thomas}, We have seen the LORD. But he said to 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.
John 20
26 And after 8 days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be to you.
27 Then said He to Thomas, Reach here your finger, and look at My hands; and reach here your hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
28 Then Thomas answered and said, My LORD and my God.
29 Then Jesus said to him, Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed: but blessed are they who have not seen me, and yet have believed.
Hebrews 3:15
While it is said, Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
Hebrews 4:7
Again, He limited a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time: Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.
Matthew 17:5
While he {Peter} yet spoke, look, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and look, a voice out of the cloud which said, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased; hear you Him.
John 10:20
But many of them said, He has a devil and is mad; why do you hear him?
Today, if you will hear His voice, don't be a doubting Thomas while it is yet day to believe.
with love, eden
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Carol Swenson
Admin
Member # 6929
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posted
Thomas’ question revealed his keen desire to be with Jesus (see John 11:16), and this meant that he had to know where the Master was going and how he himself would get there. The Lord made it clear that He was going to the Father, and that He was the only way to the Father. Heaven is a real place, a loving place, and an exclusive place. Not everybody is going to heaven, but rather only those who have trusted Jesus Christ (see Acts 4:12; 1 Tim. 2:4-6).
Jesus does not simply teach the way or point the way; He is the way. In fact, “the Way” was one of the early names for the Christian faith (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). Our Lord’s statement, “No man cometh unto the Father but by Me,” wipes away any other proposed way to heaven—good works, religious ceremonies, costly gifts, etc. There is only one way, and that way is Jesus Christ.
(Be Transformed-John 13-21)
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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Michael Harrison
Advanced Member
Member # 6801
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posted
Believe what God says! Do not believe what you think was said. One must find out! Not only does one's own benefit depend on this, but others also. You are the representation of Him to others. You may be the only representation that others will see, so you see how important it is to have it right! Otherwise you will be standing before those others on that critical day getting the same thing that they are getting. How will you explain to them in hades?
Jesus, the light of the world! Is He represented by what you believe?
I have to say thanks for that! Cornelius is a blessing from God according to what I have read, and wy8ldb has researched. Nevertheless:
quote:
Of all the apostles, it was he alone who said, when the Lord proposed to go to Judaea shortly before His crucifixion, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him" (John 11:16).
What Thomas did according to this passage, represents what he did of self will. And I will add, Peter did similarly! Our Lord represented this to him when He said that "Before the coc ok crows thrice, you will deny me." It goes to show, it is not what we 'do', but what we allow of Him. Amen! Praise God that in His relationship with us He has respect, not for our person, but for our decision, as His created beings. He loves us. Everything in us should burst forth in admiration for who He is, and embrace Him. For this He knows that we need His help. For this reason Jesus came. For this reason we are wise to 'let' Him.
Amen?
Amen!
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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WildB
Moderator
Member # 2917
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posted
by Cornelius R. Stam
Don't believe your doubts. Believe God's Word.
Said our Lord: "Whither I go ye know, and the way ye know" (John 14:4).
Said Thomas: "We know NOT whither Thou goest, and how can we know the way?" (Verse 5).
Who was right? Of course our Lord was right. He knows us better than we know ourselves. But Thomas, believing his doubts rather than his Lord, found himself not merely questioning, but contradicting Christ Himself.
The trouble was that Thomas was thinking on a lower level than was our Lord. Thomas was thinking only in terms of locality and method, while our Lord had persons in mind. All through these pre-crucifixion chapters of John, our Lord appears to be occupied with thoughts about His Father, He had not been talking about going to heaven, but of going to the Father (13;1; 14:12). Nor had He referred to moral conduct or theological dogma when He said, "the way ye know". Rather He had referred to Himself, who alone could gain for Thomas an entrance to the Father. "No man cometh unto the Father," He said, "but by Me" (14:6).
So our Lord was right. Thomas did know whither Christ was going: "to the Father." And he did know Christ, the way. Had Thomas, rather than our Lord, been right, Thomas would have been a lost soul but, only a few hours later, in our Lord's hallowed prayer to His Father, He was to say: "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou has sent" (John 17:3).
We must be careful about criticizing Thomas too severely, for while he was apt to look on the dark side of things he was also ready to give his life for his Lord. Of all the apostles, it was he alone who said, when the Lord proposed to go to Judaea shortly before His crucifixion, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him" (John 11:16).
At our Lord's resurrection, however, we again find Thomas believing his doubts, in fact, defending them, as he says: "Except I shall... put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe" (John 20:25). But when, "after eight days," he was invited to do just that -- as he stood in the very presence of Him who is "the resurrection and the life", he repented the folly of his unbelief and exclaimed, "My Lord and my God!" (Verse 28).
Lesson: Don't believe your doubts. Believe what God says.
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That is all.....
Posts: 8775 | From: USA, MICHIGAN | Registered: Mar 2004
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