“Then He said to them, ‘O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken…” Luke 24:25
True faith affects the entirety of our being. It expresses itself in our emotions, and in our minds, or intellect. But the point at which it is truly accepted by God is in the will. Several times in Scripture we find the phrase, “Whosoever will, may come.” Why is this simple phrase so important in describing the seeker of God in truth? It is because of the essential aspect of faith that touches the will of an individual. The believer is not saved because he feels the need, nor by being convinced that intellectually, he needs to be. It is as the cry of the heart to God rises out of a will that is sincerely seeking God, that God responds with His saving power by the Spirit. Faith is expressed as a desire, as a conclusion, but it is confirmed by the resolve of the heart, the resolve to meet God, and be met by Him.
Throughout the ministry of the Lord Jesus, He was constantly seeking to bring men and women to true faith in Him. In the case of Martha, whose brother Lazarus had died, and been dead for four days in a tomb with a stone over the entrance, the Lord would say: “Take ye away the stone.” Martha’s response was hesitation because of the inevitable decay of Lazarus’ body already. It is then that the Lord draws her heart out to Him, and to God, by saying: “Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” (Jn. 11:40) The Lord Jesus is desirous to make of Martha a woman of faith, one where emotions, and intellect, are subservient to the will, His will.
After the resurrection, two disciples were walking towards a village called Emmaus. On the way, the Lord drew near to them, but they did not recognize Him. As they related previous events of some of the women who claimed to have seen the Lord, saying that He was alive, Jesus addressed their faithlessness to wholeheartedly embrace and believe the Scriptures. He first reproached them because of their slowness of heart to believe all that the prophets had written concerning the Messiah. He then proceeded to expound to them these Scriptures, laying the basis for true faith, acceptable faith. Upon finally recognizing that it was the Lord that was with them, they spoke of their hearts that burned when He talked to them, having opened up to them these Scriptures. Christ appeared to them for us, for how many of us consider the things of God without being committed in our wills to believe them in the face of that which is impossible.
Jesus appeared at least three times to the disciples after His death and resurrection, one where Thomas was not present. Thomas refused to believe that Christ had appeared to the disciples, spoken to them, proving to them that He was raised from the dead. It was not until the Lord came and revealed Himself to Thomas, being among their number, that Thomas’ faith was brought full circle, to the place of commitment, the commitment of his will to believe. Jesus, being intent and resolved to bring Thomas to true faith, saving him from faithlessness, deals with him in a way which was unique, singular, but perfect to persuade Thomas. He said to Thomas, “Reach forth thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side; and be not faithless but believing.” First, the Lord says to touch his scared hands. Then the Lord, knowing Thomas, knew that if Thomas would be delivered completely from his “faithlessness,” he would obey the Lord’s words, “…reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side.” What a confrontational call to Thomas, challenging him with the words, “…and be not faithless, but believing!” As was the case with Martha, the brethren walking to Emmaus, so it was with Thomas. Christ was determined to bring them to true faith, where they willed to believe.
Dear Father, Strengthen our wills to believe Thee. In Jesus’ name. Amen.