“Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
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A man will please God better by believing some things that are not told him, than by confining his faith to those things that are expressly said—said to arouse in us the truth-seeing faculty, the spiritual desire, the prayer for the good things which God will give to them that ask him.
“But is this not dangerous doctrine? Will not a man be taught thus to believe the things he likes best, even to pray for that which he likes best? And will be not grow arrogant in his confidence?”
If it be true that the Spirit strives with our spirit, if it be true that God teaches men, we may safely leave those dreaded results to him. If the man is of the Lord’s company, he is safer with him than with those who would secure their safety by hanging on the outskirts and daring nothing. If he is not taught of God in that which he hopes for, God will let him know it. He will receive something else than he prays for. If he can pray to God for anything not good, the answer will come in the flames of that consuming fire. These will soon bring him to some of his spiritual sense. But it will be far better for him to be thus sharply tutored, than to go on a snail’s pace in the journey of the spiritual life. And for arrogance, I have seen nothing breed it faster or in more offensive forms than the worship of the letter.
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Commentary
by Dale Darling
I cannot imagine Thomas being arrogant as Jesus approached him with outstretched, punctured hands, and revealed the wound in His side. Thomas knew Him then as Living, felt the warmth of Life as he plunged his hand into the wounds. He certainly felt safe; knew trust; had a clearer sense of Liberty.
"Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" took a fuller measure of meaning just then, for Thomas was present in His righteousness. We may seek without fear of lasting error, and trust the results to the Creator and Sustainer of all things.
Truth and time go hand in hand.