4th February 2022

Is seeing believing?

“Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?”
John 4:48 (NLT)

We were having a discussion after church one week about the topic of evangelism. ‘It’s a shame there aren’t any signs and wonders these days’, one man chimed in, ‘people would flock to church’. I didn’t say anything, but I remember thinking… I’m not sure if that is the case. Yes, witnessing a miracle can certainly convince us we have seen something out of the ordinary happen. We may even believe it was a supernatural event. But that isn’t necessarily the kind of saving faith Jesus is referring to in the verse quoted above.

Jesus was talking, John 4:46 tells us, to a royal official – probably from the court of Herod – who begged him to come and heal his dying son. Jesus told him that his son would live (vv. 49-50). The man went home and discovered from his servants that his son was healed at exactly the time Jesus said he would be. As a result the official and his whole household believed (vv.52-53).

Sometime later we read of another miraculous healing at the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem. Jesus told a man, who had been disabled for 38 years, to get up and walk and immediately he was healed (John 5:1-9). Yet, as far as we can tell, he never became a believer.

After Jesus’ death on the cross, the disciple Thomas doubted he had risen until he was able to see for himself. Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29 NIV)

I find those words of our Lord tremendously encouraging. Thomas came to believe because he saw the risen Lord, but Jesus reserves his blessing for those who will come after Thomas and who will not have seen the risen Jesus, nor placed their hands into his wounds, and yet believe in him. This includes all of us who believe in Jesus today, as Peter says, ‘Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy…’ (1 Peter 1:8 NIV). 

Prayer
Almighty Father, thank you for Jesus, your son and our Saviour, and thank you that by believing in him we may have life in his name. Amen.

Study by Peter Mill

 

About the writer:
Peter Mill is a Minister in Grace Communion International and Regional Pastor for Scotland, Ireland and Northern England

Local congregation:
GCI, Edinburgh
Gilmerton New Church
Ravenscroft Street
Edinburgh
EH17 8QJ

Meeting time:
Saturday 11:00 am

Local congregational contact:
Peter Mill
Email: edinburgh@gracecom.church 

Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church