John 20:25,29 (NKJV) The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”…Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Thomas and the disciples witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion and death. Therefore, Thomas’ mind and rationale could not accept the resurrection of Jesus even though the other disciples had told him that they had seen Jesus. Thomas demanded what most of us would have too: the physical evidence of the nail-pierced hand and the side where the spear went through. He would not believe it unless he saw the physical evidence with his own eyes. Thomas was having doubt and unbelief because Jesus had already told the disciples He would rise again after three days. Similarly, we can listen to the teaching and preaching of the Word yet not believe.
Faith is not based on reality. If we only believe after seeing, faith is optional. Instead, faith is established in the heart, though the mind will need some time to align with the Word. However, the mind can also be an obstacle. Our minds might agree with what God has spoken to us, but when a crisis hits, we struggle to believe because what we see and feel through our senses causes our minds to doubt, just like Thomas’ unwillingness to believe without seeing. This is where we are often tempted to give up, get disappointed, or become disillusioned. Therefore, we must understand that faith is believing in our hearts, apart from our senses, because it is established on the Word.
2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV) For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Many believers give up at this stage because they are too easily affected by what they see, hear, or experience rather than standing on the promise and being patient. Our faith can be shaken when we see and hear news contrary to what we believe, but we must choose not to quit if we are convinced that we have heard from the Lord; we must fight the fight of faith between what we have heard from the Lord and what we experience daily by focusing on Jesus.
Doubt is a dream thief. It convinces us to examine the circumstances and forgo our faith in God. Peter would have reached Jesus by walking on water if he had not looked at the wind and waves (Matthew 14:30). Instead, like Thomas, he trusted the reality, figures, and circumstances more than God’s word of promise. Jesus said that the man who believes without seeing is blessed. That kind of faith pleases God.
Sermon Series：Faith cannot coexist with Doubt
眼未见而心已信
约翰福音 20:25-29 那些门徒就对他说：“我们已经看见主了。”多马却说：“我非看见他手上的钉痕，用指头探入那钉痕，又用手探入他的肋旁，我总不信。” … 耶稣对他说：“你因看见了我才信；那没有看见就信的有福了。”
多马和门徒们亲眼目睹耶稣被钉十字架并死去。因此，多马的思想和理性无法接受耶稣的复活，即使门徒告诉多马他们已经看见耶稣。多马说出了我们大多数人也会要求的：要有手上的钉痕和被矛刺穿的肋旁为物证。除非他亲眼看到物证，否则他总不信。多马心存疑虑和不信，因为耶稣已经告诉门徒祂会在三天后复活。同样，我们也可能听过教导和讲道，但却不信。
信心不以事实为基础。如果我们只在看见之后才相信，那么信心就是可有可无的。相反，信心是建立在心里的，尽管头脑需要一些时间来与 神的话语保持一致。然而，头脑也可能成为绊脚石。我们的头脑可能赞同 神对我们说的话，但当危机来临时却很难相信，因为我们通过感官所看见和所感知的会让我们的头脑产生怀疑，如同多马，非得眼见为实。这就是我们常常受试探想要放弃、失望或幻灭之所在。因此，我们必须明白，信心是从心里相信，而无关乎感官，因为它是建立在 神的话语之上的。
哥林多后书 5:7 因我们行事为人是凭着信心，不是凭着眼见。
许多信徒在这个阶段就放弃了，因为他们太容易被他们所看到、听到或经历的影响，而不是坚守应许并保持耐心。当我们的所见所闻与我们所相信的恰恰相反时，信心就可能动摇，但如果我们确信已经听到主的话，就必须选择不放弃。我们必须通过专注于耶稣，在我们从主那里所听到的与我们每天所经历的之间打一场信心之战。
怀疑是偷走梦想的贼。它说服我们去审视环境，从而放弃对 神的信心。如果彼得当时无视风浪，他本来是可以从水上直走到耶稣那里的（马太福音14:30）。但是，像多马一样，他更相信事实、数据和环境，而不是 神的应许。耶稣说，那没有看见就信的有福了。这样的信心蒙神喜悦。
讲章系列：信心不能与怀疑共存
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