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Unbelief


There is power in faith. Jesus said, "If you have faith like mustard seed, you could say to this mountain move and be cast into the sea." (Matthew 21:21,  Mark 11:23, Luke 17:6). Faith which is trusting God has the power to move mountains. The opposite of faith however is unbelief. This too has a power. If someone harbors unbelief and disbelief in their hearts they can hinder the Holy Spirit. When Jesus had Risen from the dead he visited His Disciples, but the Apostle Thomas was not there. Later Peter and rest of the Apostles told Thomas that Jesus had appeared, but Thomas replied, "Unless see the wounds in his hands, no unless I put my finger in his side I will not believe." (John 20:25).

St. Thomas was skeptic. He distrusted and scrutinized everything. This was both his greatest strength and his greatest weakness. On one hand it meant that skeptics have a patron Apostle. Jesus choose a man who would naturally question, doubt, and analyze everything. The Lord was unthreatened by Thomas and had him join the Twelve. However, in the crucial moment of Christ's Resurrection, Thomas brought unbelief to the table.

Jesus appeared again, this time the doors were shut and windows closed. A precaution because the Romans and Sanhedrin were searching for the followers of Christ. Jesus immediately after saying, "peace be with you," went over to Thomas who was present this time and said, "Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." (John 20:27). Our Lord had heard St. Thomas' words weeks before and now was giving Thomas what He requested. The skeptic is met with the proof he desires and His response is, "My Lord and My God!" (verse 28).

How many of us are like Thomas? How many of us allow disbelief and unbelief to quench our faith and trust in the Lord? How many of us require and demand for Jesus to, "show us the wounds in his hands, and place my fingers in his side?". Thomas was used by the Lord, He was skeptic and brings comfort to converted skeptics who want to test everything; that their kind and personality is accepted by the Lord and even was made disciple. But Jesus doesn't want to leave doubters doubting and unbelievers unbelieving. No he wants them to believe, and even said, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29).

Our Savior loves skeptics and even made one His servant and disciple. But He does not want the skeptic to stay skeptical about the truth and trusting Him. Skepticism can be in service of the Savior or Satan. If a skeptic believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, they can use their nature to comb, test, challenge, and examine what is said with Scripture and the Spirit and thus become an apologist who confronts heresies that harm the Faith. But if a skeptic does not bridle and beat their question marks into shears for the Savior, it can be used by Satan as is the case with atheists and agonistics.

Choose to let your research and skeptical nature come under trust and faith in Christ. Then with the Lord's help your inquisitive and analyzing brain can be used in the Lord service to reach more skeptics and put arguments down with the Truth of God. Choose to be like St. Thomas who after being confronted with the Truth of the Risen Christ said, "My Lord and My God!" Believe1 Trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior! Repent of your sins, believe Jesus was Crucified for your sins and Rose from the dead! Take the leap and you will become leader in showing the lost the Truth of God. 

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