Sojourner #069: Thomas The Apostle - From Skeptic To Missionary
“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29, ESV)
Thomas the Apostle: From Skeptic To Missionary
Have you ever made a mistake? Was it private or public? Were you labeled for the rest of your life because of it? I think about the married executive caught on camera with his employee at a ballgame. The video goes viral - everyone’s laughing, making memes, making jokes. But what if it was you? And what about teenagers? I’m thankful cell phones and social media didn’t exist when I was young and making my share of mistakes.
Have you ever been labeled with a name you would rather forget? Who wants to be known and remembered for the worst day of their life? Some nicknames are cute, others cruel, but almost all are hard to reverse. And sometimes, a single moment in our lives can define us in the eyes of others. That’s what happened to the Apostle Thomas.
Most Christians know the man called the Twin by an unfortunate label: “Doubting Thomas.” But if we take the time to see the whole picture, we discover a man who is deeply relatable, whose journey through doubt to faith teaches us about the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ.
My goal here today is to examine Thomas as Scripture shows him, not just at his worst moment, but across the course of his life as we know it. In doing so, we’ll learn about faith, doubt, and the heart of the Savior who draws all of us to believe.
He Was Human
Thomas was one of the Twelve Apostles Jesus called to follow Him (Luke 6:15; Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Acts 1:13). That means he heard Christ’s teaching, witnessed His miracles, and walked with Him in daily life. Yet, even with such privileges, Thomas still struggled to understand. That’s why I find him so relatable, because he was struggling to figure out the big spiritual truths the same way we are today.
He Was Loyal and Courageous
We often overlook this part of his story. In John 11, when news came that Jesus’ friend Lazarus was dying, Jesus waited two more days before deciding to go. Lazarus lived in Bethany, near Jerusalem, where the Jewish leaders were already plotting to kill Him. Jesus explained that He was going so the glory of God could be displayed and so they would believe. The disciples warned Jesus not to go, fearing for His life (and theirs). But Thomas stepped forward and said:
“Let us also go, that we may die with Him.” (John 11:16)
This wasn’t mere bravado, it was faith. Thomas was willing to follow Christ even though they knew there was danger. That kind of faith comes from God alone.
He Asked an Honest Question
On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus spoke to His disciples about preparing a place for them and said, “And you know the way to where I am going” (John 14:4). Thomas was puzzled. “Lord, we do not know where You are going. How can we know the way?” (v. 5)
Jesus did not condemn or criticize him for asking the question or say, “Thomas, you should know this by now.” Instead, He gave one of the most important statements in all of Scripture:
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)
Thomas was humble enough to admit he was confused and wise enough to ask the right Person. His question drew forth an answer that still guides every believer today. Jesus’ response in John 14:6 gives them and us the foundational truth about Christ. We should all do what Thomas did, take our doubts and questions to God - by faith.
He Expressed Doubt
Thomas wasn’t with the other disciples the first time Jesus appeared to them after His resurrection (John 20:24–25). Was that an accident? Not at all! We view this as God’s plan to have him absent in such a way that God’s glory would be revealed all the more, because we believe in God’s sovereignty.
When told that Jesus was alive, Thomas responded, “Unless I see in His hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into His side, I will never believe.” Eight days later, Jesus appeared again, this time with Thomas present. He invited Thomas to see and touch His wounds:
“Do not disbelieve, but believe.” (John 20:27)
Thomas’s doubt was real, but it wasn’t the hardened unbelief of someone unwilling to believe. It was the struggling faith of someone who wanted to be sure. Thomas’ example shows us that asking questions, even hard ones, with a sincere desire for the truth, can lead to a deeper and stronger faith, as God works this faith in us by His grace.
He Believed
When confronted with the risen Christ, Thomas responded with one of the clearest confessions of Jesus’ divinity in all of Scripture, one that revealed that he understood and believed Jesus’ divinity, he cried out:
“My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28)
Jesus then gave a blessing for all who would come after:
“Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”(v. 29)
That’s you and me. This is the encouragement Christ speaks over the generations of believers who would never see Him with their physical eyes, and yet would believe through the testimony of the apostles - ordinary men like Thomas.
Tradition tells us Thomas carried the gospel as far as India. Tertullian, writing in the second century, said, “No man would be willing to die unless he knew he had the truth.” Thomas knew the truth because he had seen, heard, and touched the risen Lord.
What We Learn from Thomas
Thomas’s story reminds us that faith is a gift of God, not something we manufacture by human will or effort. It was not the seeing and placing of his hand in the wound that produced his faith, it was a work of God that caused him to respond to Jesus. His doubt was met, not with condemnation, but with Christ’s gracious invitation to believe.
Our faith can grow the same way, when we take our questions and struggles directly to Jesus through His Word, and when we live in honest dependence on the Spirit through prayer and Bible study. In Thomas, we see the same grace of God that works in each of us, and that is a wonderful thing - all glory be to Christ alone.
Discussion Questions:
Was Thomas’s doubt a sin, or was it a human struggle?
How do we tell the difference between skepticism and unbelief?
How should we deal with our own seasons of doubt or confusion?
Does our church create space for honest questions without judgment?
Can you think of a time when you believed without seeing?
How did God grow your faith through that experience?
About the Author
Jim Deale serves as a deacon at Harvestfield Church, where he and his wife, Dana, have been faithfully involved in ministry for many years. Known for their genuine love for people and steadfast devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ, Jim and Dana live out their faith with quiet humility and joy. Together, they have a heart for encouraging others to grow in their walk with the Lord, sharing the hope of the gospel both in word and in deed.
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