What do we need to beleive?

[Many Miles]

But Thomas, one of the Twelve, who was called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples were telling him: “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them: “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and stick my finger into the print of the nails and stick my hand into his side, I will never believe it.” Well, eight days later his disciples were again indoors, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and he stood in their midst and said: “May you have peace.” Next he said to Thomas: “Put your finger here, and see my hands, and take your hand and stick it into my side, and stop doubting but believe.” In answer Thomas said to him: “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him: “Because you have seen me, have you believed? Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.” To be sure, Jesus also performed many other signs before the disciples, which are not written down in this scroll. But these have been written down so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and because of believing, you may have life by means of his name. (John 20)

We have an object lesson in that written account.

One of Jesus' original twelve apostles was unwilling to believe something just because other men he knew and trusted said it was true. Thomas was the one. Though Thomas was eyewitness to some of Jesus' supernatural miracles, in this particular instance Thomas needed something more than the word of men he knew and trusted. Jesus was not the one telling him what he was told. Men who knew Jesus were telling Thomas what he was told. Even though he knew and trusted these men, trusting what men said was not enough in this instance. He needed something objective, something measurable. The man from Nazareth gave Thomas what he needed.

There is a proverb saying "Do not hold back good from those to whom it is owing, when it happens to be in the power of your hand to do it." Jesus did that for Thomas.

So today, when accepting the word of men we know and trust is not enough for us to accept a certain piece of information, a certain teaching, what do we have to help them that is objective; that is measurable?

We don't have supernatural power to demonstrate Divine authorization. Moses was given this. Jesus was given this. Some among Jesus' earliest followers were given this. But with their deaths that manner of demonstration was gone, at least until some future point where it might again be given.

So what do we have for person's who fear God and want to do right by Him yet need more than trusting our beliefs to accept a particular teaching as God's will? We have three things.

1) Presumption that the written record we call the Bible is testimony of God's will.

2) Presumption that the object record of the natural world around us is testimony of God's will.

3) Our brains capable of forming sound conclusions (logical conclusions).

If we want someone to accept a belief we hold dear is solidly based on God's will, then we have that third item to make it measurable.

The man from Nazareth gave Thomas what he needed because it happened to be in his power to do so.

Today, if someone needs more than trusting us to accept a particular teaching as God's will, we have the power of sound reason to measure the veracity of that teaching. But, like it or not, sound reason is a double edged sword of sorts. It's objective, and no respecter of persons. Because sound reasoning measures the veracity of a belief does not mean it will always demonstrate a particular belief we cherish is true. This is because, by means of sound reason, we may discover a teaching we cherish is at best unsound, and maybe even false. But even in that case, we got what we needed for belief.