If the Apostle Thomas was not condemned for his skepticism, should we be, without being offered the same proof?

Question

The Apostle Thomas and a few other followers of Jesus, as recounted in the Bible, would not believe in the truth of the resurrection unless they actually saw with their own eyes the resurrected Christ. Even though they were told by those close to them that Jesus rose from the dead they were still quite skeptical and refused to believe. Jesus came to them to prove his physical resurrection. If they were accorded that luxury of proof, shouldn't people who are 2000 years removed from the supposed event of the resurrection be more deserving of first hand evidence than those who were CONTEMPORIES of Jesus? We, after all, have more reason to be skeptical than anyone. Could God be considered truly just and good if he condemns modern people for their lack of belief, even though the same proof was not offered to us, as it was to those who were skeptical during Jesus' lifetime?

Answer 1

God don't condemn people for lack of belief. It's so typical of humans we have to see before we believe. we are flesh and we sin everyday.The Apostles were very blessed to experience Jesus  Resurrection. Well we don't want to become Thomas do we ...All the faith we need is just a mustard seed. What Thomas did  just shows he lacked faith. Jesus left us with the holy spirit our comforter......bd

Answer 2

there was skeptiscism

jesus said blessed are those that believe without having seen

thomas was not one of the blessed in this magnitude

Answer 3

John 20:24  But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

:25  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.

:26  And after eight 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 unto you.

:27  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.

:28  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.

We are more blessed because we believe and have not seen

Answer 4

Excellent point, and well written too. Kudos!

Answer 5

How convenient for God to hide himself from the skeptic, the questioner, the seekers of proof. Just as if the writers of the bible knew there was no god, so logic must be turned upside down in order to obscure this core fact.

Answer 6

You are the atheist Zorro. Well done.Schneb- I'd love to believe in

Christ ! Talk about simplifying my life ! But, like Thomas, I need proof .

Answer 7

Jesus came in to my heart. How could someone who is not risen from the dead do that? That is more proof than seeing holes in His physical hands. The problem with today's skeptics is that they would look at those same holes and say, "Jesus, you put those there yourself!"

Skeptics today have one big barrier to belief. They just do not WANT to believe (ie those offering kudos here). Thomas wanted to believe, but could not go by just the word of Peter and John. He needed a personal encounter. Something that Jesus offers today to anyone who WANTS to believe.

Revelation 3:20

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Note: Jesus said the above AFTER His resurrection and ascension.

Answer 8

Interesting question.  I hadn't thought of that one before.

In answer to your question, God said, "If you seek for me, then you shall find me, if you search for me with all your heart (with an honest and humble heart), and I will be found of you, says the Lord."

Also, He said that He would, indeed, reveal Himself to the humble, but that he would hide Himself from the proud, the arrogant, the skeptic, the scoffer, and the mocker alike.

God will answer any HONEST question, but those questions asked with a rebellious, stubborn, or mocking attitude will go unanswered by Him.

Answer 9

I am always perplexed that when this question is asked, we always get a response like Schneb's, "He came into my heart." But of course he is talking about something for which he also offers no evidence as though his mere say so is any more empirical proof than the mere say so of the bronze age primitives in whose footsteps he follows. I'm sorry Schneb. I don't know you, and I certainly don't think your emotional commitment to your belief is proof it isn't a complete delusion of some unstable mind seeking comfort in an utter fantasy.

Schneb would have us all believe that the Creator of all things is incapable of setting up a conference call and it's ludicrous. He would have us believe a just and rational Creator would fry us in fire and agony for all eternity because we do exactly what scripture demands, i.e. we "test all things." I test Schneb's claims and find them completely unsupported and based on emotional appeal. I can as easily follow a devil worshipper on that basis.

It just makes no sense whatever for God to give us a brain and demand we make decisions of eternal consequence on someone else's mere say so, and it is typical of Schneb to malign and accuse us of insincerity because we don't simply grovel before his unprovable notion of divine revelation. Having been a Christian, a student of scripture, a pastor and teacher forced by hard evidence and critical examination to set aside my unfounded and disproven notions, I find that tactic a cheap insult and unlikely to move me or anyone else.

Answer 10

You are correct, EXCEPT for the fact that Jesus appeared to his disciples because he needed them to be missionaries and spread his word.  He didn't intend everyone to have first hand knowledge.  He wanted everyone to have FAITH, not physical knowledge.

He had a special mission for them. They HAD to know for SURE in order to be sooo steadfast in their resolve.. in their message, and despite persecution, that they would go forth and spread his message.

So you see.. there couldn't be ANY doubt in them if they were to spread christianity despite persecution, doubt, suspicion, etc.

Recall that some Romans charged the dsiciples with "stealing Jesus's body" -- could they that sort of political and social pressure have MAYBE caused some of them to waiver IF they hadn't seen Jesus risen from the dead in the flesh?

Also, Jesus spent 40 days with them, encouraging them and instructing them on how to spread his word.  



Christianity isn't contigent on 12 guys now-a-days..therefore you are comparing 2 VERY different times.

His disciples became the pillars of his church here on Earth.

Luckily, none of us are that pivotal anymore.

Jesus doesn't need everyone to have physical proof and he doesn't need to stick around for 40 days to instruct everyone on how to spread his word.  It would be nice..but this is luckily no longer needed, NOR does he want things to work that way.

SO..your observation leads you at a cross-road..

A) Jesus's appearance was an exception..for very specific and special reasons

OR

B) God is unfair

To me it comes down to submission and faith.  Either you have faith and therefore submit to the fact that he must have had his reasons  OR you dig in your heals and say "NOT FAIR!" Like a kid.

That's how I see it.

Answer 11

Well made point!  Thanks that's awesome!

Answer 12

Very good point, and Yes I think we are just as entitled if not more so dude to the 2000 years of separation from the alleged event.

Answer 13

Perhaps it is written that you might believe

Answer 14

THANK YOU!

Ive been saying that for years.

You are going to be told "blessed are those that believe without proof!" What a crock.  

Answer 15

We should be skeptic. I think that everyone who is not skeptic at first is crazy.

But when I have a question I ask God for the truth, and that includes if Jesus Christ suffered for my sins and broke the chains of death. Just like in James 1:4-5.  

Answer 16

Using well-constructed, logical arguments against the religious is not fair play. They have to use the "F" word (faith) as a security blanket and hide their heads. Watch.