Let God Be God: Give Control to the Only One Who Can Set You Free by Matthew Brough

Author:Matthew Brough [Brough, Matthew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Matthew Brough
Published: 2017-01-24T08:00:00+00:00

20

Faith Is About Its Subject

The subject of faith is God, and that is what is most important. It’s not really your faith that gets you through difficult times—it’s God.

In John 20:26-29 we read about the disciple Thomas who refuses to believe that Jesus is risen from the dead, even though all of the other disciples told him they had seen Jesus. Thomas tells the other disciples, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25)

A week goes by before Jesus comes to his disciples again, and this time Thomas is with them. We gloss over the fact that a week goes by, but just try to imagine that week for Thomas! He has made a declaration that he will not believe, yet he stays with his friends. What did the other disciples think about Thomas? Surely, all week they would have all been talking about the risen Jesus.

I imagine Thomas being conflicted about his declaration of “I won’t believe.” I imagine him wishing he could believe, but just not being able to. I also imagine the other disciples harboring judgment against Thomas. Would they have thought him deficient in some way because he did not have faith?

There is no such judgement when Jesus confronts Thomas. Really, we can barley call it a confrontation. Jesus stands in front of Thomas and says “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” (John 20:27) Jesus gives Thomas exactly what he needs in order to have his faith rebuilt.

In the end, the Thomas story isn’t really about Thomas’ doubts or faith, it is about Jesus and what he does for Thomas. Thomas goes from a deficient faith to full faith, but it really has nothing to do with his own will. Thomas doesn’t do anything to get his faith back. It is the Lord Jesus who restores Thomas’ faith. The point here is that it isn’t faith itself that is the most important thing. It is Jesus, God, the One who is the subject of faith, that is.

Certainly, subjectively or psychologically, your faith helps you. But isn’t it God Himself, not your faith in God, who rescues you, provides for you, and sets you free? It’s not your faith that gives you energy to get through your week, as though your act of believing is somehow triggering a kind of spiritual nutrient. If anything is getting you through your week, it is the almighty and all-loving God.

In other words, it’s not about you.

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