Jordan Peterson is a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto and author of the best-selling book “Twelve Rules For Living.” He’s a much-respected intellectual who is known for his conservative views on cultural and political issues. In the last decade, Peterson has received widespread attention as a YouTube personality. Before you read this week’s blog post, watch this two-minute video that reveals how Peterson is wrestling with his belief about Jesus. Like the Apostle Thomas in the Bible, note how he is struggling between faith and doubt. Pray that Jordan Peterson comes to fully trust Jesus as Savior and Lord.
Why do some people believe in the resurrection and others don’t? On the first Easter morning, when the Apostle John went to Jesus’ tomb, “He saw and believed” (John 20:8). The empty tomb and the discarded grave clothes were all the evidence John needed to believe Jesus had conquered death.
The Apostle Thomas, however, just couldn’t believe it. Thomas actually had more evidence than John. In addition to the empty tomb, he heard the testimony of close friends who insisted, “We have seen the Lord!” But Thomas wasn’t convinced and demanded proof. “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25).
I once heard a sermon entitled, “If a Man Does Not Believe, Is He to Blame?” I’ve always thought that was a good question. Was it Thomas’ fault he was skeptical? Can people will themselves to believe? Isn’t it just a matter of evaluating the evidence and then instinctively responding one way or the other?
The initial response can be attributed to temperament. Some, like John, find belief in the miraculous easy to come by. Others, like Thomas, are skeptical by nature. They are often deep thinkers and are inclined to doubt anything miraculous. In their minds, the Apostle John’s of this world are naïve and shallow.
What can you do if, like Thomas, you don’t believe?
You can choose to want to believe and examine the evidence objectively. The son of a scholarly theologian is at odds with his father. The young man, who is also very intelligent, has announced that he is now an atheist. He’s deliberately hurting his dad and gaining a global reputation on Tik Tok as an outspoken atheist. It’s got to be difficult for him to evaluate the evidence objectively because, at this point, he’s achieving notoriety as an unbeliever.
The comedian W.C. Fields, a noted skeptic, was once observed reading the Bible. Someone challenged him, “Mr. Fields, I didn’t know you believed the Bible!” He responded, “I don’t; I’m looking for loopholes.” If you approach the Biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection hoping to disbelieve, you’ll probably go to your grave without hope.
While we can’t change our nature, we can take time to examine the evidence objectively. Seriously consider the Biblical eyewitness accounts, the martyrdom of the disciples, the dramatically transformed lives, and the durability and ministry of the church for 2000 years.
Thomas wanted to believe and continued to hang out with the disciples, which put him in a position to encounter more evidence. Jesus was very patient and understanding with Thomas. The Lord didn’t excommunicate the doubter from His inner circle. Instead, He appeared to him personally and provided the proof Thomas had been searching for.
“Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’ Thomas blurted out, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed.’” (John 20:27-29). That’s a promise to us today if we objectively examine the evidence.
You can choose to humble yourself and acknowledge your own inadequacy. Many of the religious leaders of Jesus’ day rejected Him simply because He seemed beneath them. Jesus didn’t graduate from their schools, and He wasn’t respected by their peers. He associated with common people and was surrounded by unlearned and ignorant men. The religious leaders refused to believe regardless of Jesus’ undeniable miracles and impressive teaching. Even Jesus’ bodily resurrection didn’t convince them because they didn’t want to believe it. Jesus posed a threat to their supposed superiority.
The biggest barrier to faith today is not the lack of credible evidence but human pride. Some are so proud of their intellect and self-sufficiency that they conclude faith in the unseen is beneath them. In a sense, their greatest asset – a brilliant mind- becomes a spiritual barrier because of arrogance. “In his pride, the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts, there is no room for God” (Psalm 10:4).
To believe or not to believe is not a matter of intelligence. The brilliant C.S. Lewis came to faith kicking and screaming, but he chose to believe. His contemporary, Bertrand Russell, an erudite philosopher, died in 1970, an atheist. Two intelligent men; two opposite conclusions.
God doesn’t ask us to commit intellectual suicide to become Christians. He does ask us to respond by faith. Faith is a matter of evaluating the evidence and making a reasonable choice. Romans 10:9 reads, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Notice belief is not a battle in the mind; it is a choice of the heart.
To believe in Christ is to admit, “I don’t have all the answers. Since I can’t explain everything, maybe I can learn from the One who proved Himself greater than I.” That’s humbling. Jesus challenges us, “Unless you humble yourself and become like a little child you can’t enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mark 10:15).
You can choose to repent of sins that are barriers to belief. Most doubt is not intellectual; it is moral. Jesus’ first sermon was, “The Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15). The first step to belief was to turn from wickedness.
People often choose not to believe because Christ demands a change of lifestyle. Jesus declared, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).
It’s much easier to say, “I’m not sure I believe” than it is to honestly admit, “I don’t want to give up the pleasures of sin.” Do you want to believe? Then choose to repent of your transgressions and believe the good news.
You can choose to develop faith by acting on the faith you have. Jesus talked about degrees of faith…great faith and little faith and faith the size of a mustard seed. One miracle-seeker admitted, “I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). Many struggle with a mixture of faith and doubt. Like the Apostles, we can pray, “Lord, increase our faith” (Luke 17:5).
A tiny mustard seed has to be planted before it will grow. Likewise, faith has to be put into action before it will deepen. Do you believe the Bible a little? Then read it. You’ll discover, “… faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17 KJV). Do you respect God to a degree? Then worship Him. Do you see some good in the church? Then find a place to serve. Do you believe in Jesus with some reservation? Then obey His commands and discover that faith acted upon leads to increased faith. Do you believe in the possibility of miracles? Then pray for one in your heart.
There’s a banner that reads, “Faith is going to the edge of all the light you have and then taking one more step.” Whether you take the step of faith is a choice…your choice.
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