Did The Disciples Really Need Faith or Just Is?
I hear this or similar challenges.
Analogy, it would be easier for me to give testimony and witness of the
Moon landing since I was alive and saw and heard of it from others.
Today people question whether it happened?
Faith and first-hand experience in the lives of the disciples, and how their faith differs from that of believers who came later and didn’t have direct, physical contact with Jesus. Let's take a walk and view the nature of faith for the disciples and others based on biblical teachings.
and confusion.
Matthew 8:26: After calming the storm, Jesus said to His disciples, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?"
Despite seeing Jesus perform miracles, the disciples often lacked full faith in His power and mission. This indicates that faith was still necessary for them, even though they were experiencing His works directly.
Matthew 16:8-10: Jesus rebuked the disciples for their lack of understanding, saying, "You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread?"
Jesus repeatedly emphasized the need for faith, showing that even witnessing miracles didn't automatically lead to complete faith or understanding.
As time goes on for us the need for faith is just as difficult to grasp and level its importance.
John 20:24-29: The story of Thomas, often called "Doubting Thomas," illustrates this well. Thomas was one of the disciples, yet when he heard that Jesus had risen, he refused to believe until he saw Jesus and touched His wounds. When Thomas finally saw Jesus, he exclaimed, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus then responded, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Lesson here is clear (MHO): Even the disciples, who knew Jesus firsthand, struggled with belief after His resurrection. Jesus specifically blessed those who would believe without seeing, indicating that faith is essential for all, whether one has seen Him physically or not. Thomas needed faith, just like everyone else.
Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."
Faith, according to the Bible, is about trusting in things unseen. While the disciples had the privilege of seeing Jesus' life, miracles, and resurrection, they still had to have faith in His mission, purpose, and the promise of eternal life.
John 20:29: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Jesus made a point of blessing those who would believe in Him without seeing Him physically. This statement encompasses all future believers, showing that faith is vital even for those who did not have the direct experience the disciples had.
Acts 1:8: Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He promised the disciples, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
The disciples needed faith in the Holy Spirit and the mission Jesus gave them. They were to trust in God’s plans for them to spread the Gospel across the world, even though they would face persecution, imprisonment, and even martyrdom and eventually death for what they believed in faith,
2 Corinthians 5:7: "For we live by faith, not by sight."
Even the disciples, after witnessing the risen Christ, had to live by faith as they carried out their mission. Their faith sustained them through trials and suffering, trusting in the promises of Jesus and the future hope of His return.
Romans 10:17: "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ."
Future believers would come to faith through the testimony of the disciples and the Scriptures. This highlights the power of faith, as people would believe based on the message, not physical evidence.
1 Peter 1:8-9: "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
This passage, written by Peter, one of the original disciples, speaks directly to those who believe in Jesus without having seen Him. It affirms that their faith is just as meaningful and leads to salvation, just as it did for the disciples.
Additionally, after Jesus' ascension, the disciples had to live by faith as they spread the Gospel, trusting in Jesus’ promises and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Though their faith journey differed in some ways from that of later believers, they still exemplified the same need for faith that Jesus spoke about.
For future believers (like us today), faith is essential because we do not have the advantage of physically seeing Jesus. However, the Bible shows that faith for all—whether the disciples or those who come later—is the foundation of our relationship with God and the path to salvation.
Faith was never intended to come easy with no effort. In fact this was expected by Jesus, in that we would doubt, and not want to work to increase our faith.
So by design we were given " instructions " on how to do this. This is MHO why non-believers struggle.
The Moon landing? The difference is the message is not from man, but God. The message is not to have faith in the disciples. But to have faith in Jesus and the fathers promise of what would be.
Be careful, and be blessed the Lord knew these battles would come, he knew satan was a trickster and manipulator. As look how hard he tried with Jesus!
Paul
I hear this or similar challenges.
Analogy, it would be easier for me to give testimony and witness of the
Moon landing since I was alive and saw and heard of it from others.
Today people question whether it happened?
Faith and first-hand experience in the lives of the disciples, and how their faith differs from that of believers who came later and didn’t have direct, physical contact with Jesus. Let's take a walk and view the nature of faith for the disciples and others based on biblical teachings.
1. The Disciples' Faith Before Jesus' Resurrection
Even though the disciples spent time with Jesus and witnessed His miracles firsthand, they still struggled with doubt and misunderstanding. They needed faith to fully understand Jesus' mission and identity, even while He was with them. So seeing is not always believing, and this is also how satan tests are faith, by redirectionand confusion.
Matthew 8:26: After calming the storm, Jesus said to His disciples, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?"
Despite seeing Jesus perform miracles, the disciples often lacked full faith in His power and mission. This indicates that faith was still necessary for them, even though they were experiencing His works directly.
Matthew 16:8-10: Jesus rebuked the disciples for their lack of understanding, saying, "You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread?"
Jesus repeatedly emphasized the need for faith, showing that even witnessing miracles didn't automatically lead to complete faith or understanding.
As time goes on for us the need for faith is just as difficult to grasp and level its importance.
2. The Disciples' Faith After the Resurrection
After Jesus's death and resurrection, the disciples initially doubted, even though they had been with Him for years and had heard His predictions about His resurrection.John 20:24-29: The story of Thomas, often called "Doubting Thomas," illustrates this well. Thomas was one of the disciples, yet when he heard that Jesus had risen, he refused to believe until he saw Jesus and touched His wounds. When Thomas finally saw Jesus, he exclaimed, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus then responded, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Lesson here is clear (MHO): Even the disciples, who knew Jesus firsthand, struggled with belief after His resurrection. Jesus specifically blessed those who would believe without seeing, indicating that faith is essential for all, whether one has seen Him physically or not. Thomas needed faith, just like everyone else.
3. Faith Beyond Seeing
Jesus Himself emphasized that faith goes beyond seeing physical proof. This is where the faith of later believers (those who didn't witness Jesus firsthand) comes in.Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."
Faith, according to the Bible, is about trusting in things unseen. While the disciples had the privilege of seeing Jesus' life, miracles, and resurrection, they still had to have faith in His mission, purpose, and the promise of eternal life.
John 20:29: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Jesus made a point of blessing those who would believe in Him without seeing Him physically. This statement encompasses all future believers, showing that faith is vital even for those who did not have the direct experience the disciples had.
4. The Disciples' Continued Need for Faith it was not that easy.
After the resurrection and the ascension of Jesus, the disciples continued to face challenges, persecution, and uncertainty. Their faith was crucial as they spread the message of Jesus. Even being so deep in the entire process they had issues with faith. Just like we do, time has not made it any easier or harder.Acts 1:8: Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He promised the disciples, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
The disciples needed faith in the Holy Spirit and the mission Jesus gave them. They were to trust in God’s plans for them to spread the Gospel across the world, even though they would face persecution, imprisonment, and even martyrdom and eventually death for what they believed in faith,
2 Corinthians 5:7: "For we live by faith, not by sight."
Even the disciples, after witnessing the risen Christ, had to live by faith as they carried out their mission. Their faith sustained them through trials and suffering, trusting in the promises of Jesus and the future hope of His return.
5. The Faith of Future Believers Like Us.
Jesus knew that future generations of believers would not have the advantage of seeing Him physically, so He emphasized the importance of faith for those who would come later. This is the biggest obstacle we all face as we have to read the words to live them and understand what faith actually is in Christ.Romans 10:17: "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ."
Future believers would come to faith through the testimony of the disciples and the Scriptures. This highlights the power of faith, as people would believe based on the message, not physical evidence.
1 Peter 1:8-9: "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
This passage, written by Peter, one of the original disciples, speaks directly to those who believe in Jesus without having seen Him. It affirms that their faith is just as meaningful and leads to salvation, just as it did for the disciples.
(MHO)Conclusion: Did the Disciples Have Faith?
Yes, the disciples absolutely had faith, both before and after Jesus's resurrection. While they had the benefit of seeing Jesus and witnessing His miracles firsthand, their faith was still crucial in understanding and accepting His mission. The resurrection challenged their belief, and they needed faith to accept it fully, just as Thomas demonstrated.Additionally, after Jesus' ascension, the disciples had to live by faith as they spread the Gospel, trusting in Jesus’ promises and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Though their faith journey differed in some ways from that of later believers, they still exemplified the same need for faith that Jesus spoke about.
For future believers (like us today), faith is essential because we do not have the advantage of physically seeing Jesus. However, the Bible shows that faith for all—whether the disciples or those who come later—is the foundation of our relationship with God and the path to salvation.
Faith was never intended to come easy with no effort. In fact this was expected by Jesus, in that we would doubt, and not want to work to increase our faith.
So by design we were given " instructions " on how to do this. This is MHO why non-believers struggle.
The Moon landing? The difference is the message is not from man, but God. The message is not to have faith in the disciples. But to have faith in Jesus and the fathers promise of what would be.
Be careful, and be blessed the Lord knew these battles would come, he knew satan was a trickster and manipulator. As look how hard he tried with Jesus!
Paul
