Seeing is Believing - Not so, with God

“Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed”. John 20:29b

It is human nature to be reluctant to believe something unless we see it with our own eyes. Christ has risen. The tomb is empty. Yet the disciples do not believe. They had many reasons to believe ⎯ the many prophecies in the Scriptures.

● Christ had taught them many things concerning His death and resurrection.
● Now, every detail of His death, burial and resurrection has occurred exactly as prophesied;
● The report of the women who were first to arrive at the empty tomb.
● Mary Magdalene’s report of her meeting with the risen Lord.
● The report that Peter and John had met the risen Christ.

Then Christ miraculously appears among them behind closed doors. They see His hands and His side, yet they still are not convinced until they witness Him eating a meal of fish and honey. Thomas did not believe until, one week later, he both saw and touched the nail prints and the hole in Christ’s side. Then Jesus said, “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed”. John 20:29b

Why were the disciples so slow to believe that Christ had risen from death? Mark’s gospel (16:14) gives us the answer. Here we learn that Christ rebuked the disciples for their unbelief and hardness of heart. The Apostle Paul records in I Cor. 15:4-8 that the resurrected Christ was seen by more than 500 witnesses. You and I were not present when these events took place about 2,000 years ago. You and I have not seen the risen Christ with our own eyes. Yet God wants you and me to BELIEVE and to soften our hearts to receive the truth of the Gospel, the Good News concerning Christ. “That Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” I Cor. 15:3-4

The fact of the resurrection of Christ is an essential component of our Christian faith. Praise God! We serve a risen Savior!

Dr. Russell Harpur