Matthew 10:3, Mark 3:18, Luke 6:15, John 11:16, John 14:5, John 20:24-28, John 21:2

Summary: The apostle Thomas gets the short end of the stick when we read about him and his “doubts” in the Gospel of John. He is more like you and me than we want to admit, and his story affirms it.

When we read of where Jesus chose the Twelve men who would be known as the Apostles, we need to step back for a moment and realize that these men were ordinary working-class, salt-of-the-earth, rough around the edge individuals who had jobs ranging from catching fish to collecting taxes to a host of other occupations that kept a roof over their heads and which took care of their families.

These men were not soft by any means; I have never really liked the mosaics, murals, icons, and stained-glass decorations that have, over time, portrayed them as a bunch of ethereal, pale, anemic, and reverent beings with constant haloes shining around them as if they were somehow higher than us in spirituality and degrees of reverence towards the LORD. Each of these men had one thing in common – they would have remained anonymous and obscure if Jesus had not picked them for the job.

A lot of attention is given to men such as Peter, James, and John, who made up the inner circle of the Apostles. Andrew, Peter’s brother, was known for bringing people to Jesus and is considered the first evangelist. Each of the Gospels makes mention of the Twelve, some given more notoriety than others. Of the twelve, we read very little of those such as Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot, James the son of Alphaeus, but others such as Matthew, Philip and Bartholomew are noted for varied acts of grace and ministry.

I have often wondered why not all of these men, whose names will be on the walls of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:14), did not get more attention over the others, and I believe I know the reason: Not everyone has to be in the spotlight, so to speak, when it comes to the work of the LORD.

The most productive of His servants over the years have been those whose names are known only to Him, anonymous and obscure, yet will receive crowns and rewards for their service and love for the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). Those anonymous apostles, like the others with whom we are most familiar, will testify that they were no more than unworthy servants, obeying their Master and letting us know that it is Jesus Christ who has the preeminence, glory, and honor, not them (Luke 17:10).

A lot of ink and paper has been used to either commend or condemn the words and work of the apostles, and I have heard “ad infinitum” from Christians over the years say that they would never have betrayed the LORD, nor would they have denied Him like Peter, nor doubted Him if they had been in that era of time.

I’ve also listened to sermons that all but condemn one in particular to the edges of hell or to a life of uselessness for what he said and did in the aftermath of the news that Jesus had indeed risen from the grave. That apostle is none other than Thomas. He has been the target of a bad reputation over the centuries for one brief moment in his walk with the LORD, and that was his doubt about what He had heard from the others concerning the empty tomb and the news that Jesus had appeared to the other disciples and the travelers on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35).

While some are quick to criticize him, I applaud him for his skepticism, and I’ll tell you why. Thomas represents all honest inquirers about Jesus throughout history who want to examine the evidence and see whether or not His claims written down in the Scriptures are real and valid before making a total commitment to Him.

Men such as C.S. Lewis, Sir William Ramsey, General Lew Wallace, Lee Strobel, Francis Schaeffer, and Simon Greenleaf began their search as atheists and skeptics. When they examined the evidence, they all concluded that Jesus Christ was Who He claimed to be and that the Bible accounts were accurate and reliable. All of them became followers of Christ and served Him throughout their lives in the fields of education, law, writing, and apologetics. I would encourage you to examine their lives and testimonies and see for yourself (Acts 17:11; 2 Timothy 2:15).

When you go back and read about the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-9; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-8), you will see that some seed fell into stony ground, quickly producing a plant that ended up not having deep enough roots and withered away, representing the false convert who “accepts” Jesus and then finds that following Him will have consequences and persecutions. This false “convert” will then walk away from his “faith” (which he really never had) and wither away with eternal sorrow.

When Thomas was chosen to be an apostle, and after the time he spent with the LORD, I believe that he did not want to be as the seed in the shallow soil but to be able to have the deep roots that are a characteristic of an authentic follower of Christ. We see this journey to faith in Thomas when he was willing to die with the LORD if He was going to return to Judea (John 11:16). I really don’t see an attitude of fatalism in Thomas’ reply, but more of a “LORD, I’m with you, even if this doesn’t turn out well.” It is as if we could also hear him saying in the recesses of his heart, “I’ve come with Him this far. I’m committed now.”

Thomas is like us, seeing the bad more than the good and having a degree of pessimism even when we openly confess to be walking in faith. He has been called the “Eeyore” of the group. Face it; there are days when we are less than jubilant, joyful, and full of light. Thomas’ attitude towards life, faith, and following the LORD is an honest picture of even the best of us at times. He is the face of serious inquiry, examination, and a hesitancy to believe everything we hear, read, or watch.

When Jesus died on the cross, he, like the others, had fled or gone into hiding, scared and uncertain of what was to come. Judas Iscariot had hung himself in remorse. Peter was somewhere weeping hard tears of sorrow over his words of denial. John had accompanied Mary and the other women to the mountain of the skull and witnessed the death of the LORD. Thomas was having a “dark night of the soul,” inwardly grieving over the loss of his dear friend whom He loved and had followed these three years, apparently all for naught. The tomb was sealed, and the days passed. Then came the first day of the week and the news that Jesus was alive again, having conquered death, hell, and the grave.

His mission of salvation and redemption on our behalf was fully completed, with nothing more to add (John 19:30).

Later, all the apostles, save for Thomas, saw the risen Lord and received the commission to spread the Gospel (John 20:19-23). He arrived on the scene eight days later (20:26) and heard of what had happened. It is here where he gets hassled over his apparent “doubts” by some. It was Thomas who, in the Upper Room just a few nights ago, had asked the question about the “way” that prompted the Lord Jesus to give His declaration that He was “The Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John14:6).

When Jesus appeared and told Thomas to touch Him (20:27), this man, who had expressed his doubts that were grounded both in skepticism and grief, now saw with his own eyes the fulfillment of what Jesus had affirmed. He was indeed the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Every promise He made was real, and all of this prompted Thomas to say one of the greatest affirmations of faith and devotion to Christ; “My LORD and my GOD!” (20:29). All skepticism, doubt, sorrow, and tears had been wiped away.

Early church traditions state that Thomas took the Gospel to what would be the nation of India and met a martyr’s death by being run through with a spear. Doubt turned to devotion with Thomas.

I have always considered him my favorite of these twelve ordinary men because of the honest doubts we have at times concerning our walk with the LORD and the assurance that at the end of our own journey, all will be revealed, answers will come, and we will be before the throne of Jesus. I’d rather have honesty than haloes any day.

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Donald was born and reared in the authentic “Cajun Country” of southern Louisiana. He is a graduate of Louisiana College (B.A. in History Education/ Biblical Studies, 1984), New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div. In Christian Education, 1994), and Andersonville Baptist Seminary (Doctor of Ministry, Biblical Exposition, 2000). He has been in the Gospel ministry since 1986, serving as an evangelist, interim and supply pastor, hospital and rescue mission chaplain, high school and college teacher, and pastor in churches in Louisiana and Oklahoma.

In 2018 he began to devote his time to the rich field of internet and social media evangelism and outreach. In 2021 he became a member of the Oklahoma Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists, using his skills as a writer to contribute articles and sermons to websites such as Rapture Ready, Sermon Central, and Inspirational Christian Blogs. He also writes Bible studies and curricula for churches in southeast and central Asia and Africa, the locations of which are anonymous. He can be contacted at: donaldwhitchard@gmail.com for inquiries, information, and speaking/preaching engagements. His website is www.realitycityreverend.com. A copy of his resume is also available upon request.

 

 

Some prophecy teachers claim that there are no signs to look for prior to the rapture, but this is not remotely true.

Although it is difficult to analyze the primary sign, which is apostasy in the church, there is no question that this is the mega- sign of the beginning of the end times.

Any discussion of apostasy in the church makes people very uncomfortable because no one wants to think that their church is a member of the apostate class. Unfortunately, if we are worshipping in a dead church, we place ourselves and our families in grave peril.

The time period that Christians should be looking for is the final great apostasy of the church. That is where things get complicated since there has always been apostasy in the church, so we do not know if this present apostasy is the last one.

The only way to make this determination is to examine the most popular churches in this country and around the world to see if they are actually proclaiming the Gospel. And are these mega-churches influencing smaller churches who are adopting their messages in order to grow their church.

There is plenty of evidence that we are currently under the judgment of God because the vast majority of our churches are apostate. By this, I mean that these churches are preaching false doctrine rather than the Gospel. I can make this determination because Jesus told us what the entire Bible was about, from Genesis to Revelation. Jesus opened the minds of his disciples and all future generations of Christians so that they could understand the Scriptures.

Then he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47).

Those churches that do not proclaim God’s law and His Gospel are preaching a different Gospel, and their pastors are therefore accursed (Galatians 1:9).

There is no question that this nation is currently under the judgment of God. When our own Supreme Court upheld the morality of homosexuality, ordained ‘Gay Marriage,’ and affirmed the existence of transgenderism, these were acts of judgment from God against the apostate church. They are also judgments against this nation as a whole.

“For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God [the church]; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey [preach and live by] the gospel of God?” (I Peter 4:17).

It seems that the spiritual condition of the nation is directly tied to the spiritual condition of the church. If the people are strong in their faith, then the nation rests on a firm foundation, and its institutions are based on truth and righteousness. However, if the faith of the people is weak, then we should expect our institutions to suppress the truth and to begin to prey on the righteous.

If judgment begins in the house of God, then there is no question that the faith of the people of this nation is very weak. Our government and our institutions are outrageously corrupt, and the corruption seems to grow exponentially with each passing day. This may be merely a warning to the church that its faith is poor, or its lack of faith may have exhausted God’s patience, and He is ready to pass judgment upon us.

We know that the great apostasy, or falling away from the faith, precedes the introduction of the Antichrist. We also know that the Antichrist will enter a temple in Jerusalem that has not yet been built so he can proclaim himself to be God. Prophecy writers are prudent to watch for the plans to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem because that act does give us a clue as to how close we are to the rapture.

However, the primary sign that should disturb us is the fact that the faith is being abandoned on our watch.

“Let no one deceive you [Matthew 24:4] in any way. For that day [the day of the Lord] will not come, unless the rebellion [Apostasy, Falling Away from the Faith] comes first, and the man of lawlessness [Antichrist] is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the [rebuilt] temple of God [in Jerusalem, Israel], proclaiming himself to be God” (II Thessalonians 2:3-4).

It is imperative that the true church of Christ call all dead and Laodicean churches to repent before the return of Christ. The problem is, when true Christians stand up and denounce these churches, they are shouted down by those who prefer to cling to false doctrine. Paul warned us about this as well.

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers [pastors] to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (II Timothy 4:3).

If we examine our ‘mega-churches,’ it seems that we have already arrived at the time that Paul described.

The largest ‘congregation’ in the United States is Lakewood Church, with 16,800 seats. They apparently have upwards of 45,000 attendees per week who attend the various services of Joel Osteen. Millions more are probably watching on TV, which offers shows with different languages so that the whole world can receive its messages.

It is doubtful that anyone can find any evidence in Osteen’s thousands of sermons where he preached the Gospel. Paul admonished his listeners, “For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (I Corinthians 9:16) (or if I preach a different one).

When the word ‘Woe’ is used, it usually means that the person it is ascribed to will be spending an eternity in the lake of fire. This is not only true of the person who is preaching false doctrine; it is true of his devoted congregation as well.

Joel Osteen does not preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus. He preaches a different Gospel called the “Prosperity Gospel.” The Prosperity Gospel is not Christ-centered; it is self-centered. If you make the mistake of reading Osteen’s book, “Your Best Life Now,” you will find quote after quote that focuses on you and your drive to be successful in life. Jesus is only an afterthought.

Paul would be shocked to find that people would trade the pure Gospel of Christ for this drivel. Paul stated unequivocally,

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some [false teachers] who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you [repentance for the forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus], let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone [especially a pastor] is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:6-9).

When Christ addresses the seven churches in Revelation, it seems that the first four are now historical churches and the last three are end-times churches.

The church of Ephesus condemns the Nicolaitans, which is probably some cult that is lost in history. The church of Smyrna condemns slanderous Jews, and this has not been a problem since the first or second century. In Pergamum, there was a great leader named Antipas, but he is now with the Lord in eternity, and we know little about him.

Finally, in Thyatira, there was a woman named Jezabel who was causing discord in the church, and now she is lost in eternity.

When we reach the last three churches, however, we see language that is more in keeping with our understanding of the end times. It seems that the rapture is imminent, especially in the churches of Sardis and Philadelphia.

“I know your works. You have a reputation [by man] for being alive but you are dead. Wake up [preach the Gospel], and strengthen what remains [obey the Gospel], and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God [not based on faith in the Word of God]. Remember, then, what you received [the Gospel] and heard. Keep it [do not be ashamed of the Gospel], and repent [of your false teachings].

“If you do not wake up [and proclaim repentance for the forgiveness of sins in my name], I will come like a thief and you will not know at what hour I will come against you [I will be your enemy]. Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments [with false doctrine], and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers [remains in the faith] will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the [Holy] Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3:2-6).

We see the same thing with the Church of Philadelphia, which is the true church of the end times.

“I know your works [the work of God is to believe in the one He has sent]. Behold, I have set before you an open door [to the kingdom of heaven], which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power [your numbers are small], and yet you have kept my word [My Gospel] and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan [who reject the Gospel] who say that they are Jews and are not [Not descendants of Abraham by faith – Galatians 3:7], but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down [in repentance] before your feet [during the Millennium], and they will learn that I have loved you.

“Because you have kept my word about patient endurance [amid persecution], I will keep you from the hour of trial [the tribulation] that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth [I will judge all who dwell upon the earth but the church will be kept from it]. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have [Remain in the faith], so that no one may seize your crown. The one who conquers [remains in the faith], I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3:8-13).

The church of Laodicea, which is the last church that Christ addressed, is one where Jesus is not even welcome. Christ treats these people as if they were heathen who needed to hear the Gospel to be saved. He counsels:

“I know your works [without faith]; you are neither hot [zealous for God’s Word] or cold [outspoken unbelievers]. Would that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm [indifferent], and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth [I will reject you in disgust]. For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing’ [my faith is in my wealth], not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked [Gospel-less]. I counsel you to buy gold [the Gospel] refined in the fire [of the Holy Spirit], so that you may be rich, and white garments [faithfulness] so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen.

“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock [I am outside of your church]. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door [receives the Gospel], I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me [at the Wedding Supper of the Lamb]. The one who conquers [remains in the faith], I will grant him to sit with me on my throne [he will rule with me] as I also conquered [at the cross] and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3:15-22).

Each of these three churches is what we can expect to see when the end times are upon us. The fact is, we can categorize many of the churches that exist today in one of these three groups. Unfortunately, people need to be honest with themselves about what type of church they are in. This is difficult because the church is usually our social circle, and those who make waves are eventually shunned. This is especially true when a member of the congregation challenges the pastor who is not handling God’s word properly.

After all, who are you to challenge the expert?

Be advised that even the laymen can challenge the ‘expert’ if he understands that the entire Bible revolves around the Gospel.

There is no evidence that Joel Osteen spent any significant time preaching the Gospel, if he ever did at all. It is doubtful that there is any record of him calling sinners to repent and be forgiven in the name of Jesus during this entire career. His church can easily be placed in the Laodicean camp.

Since this is fairly obvious, we can further assume that those who attend this church are not so much deceived as they are rebellious. My guess is if they ever attended the Church of Philadelphia, they would be offended or bored and quickly leave. It is highly likely that they would not be comfortable in the true church of Christ and would walk out of it in disgust.

The job of the true church of Christ is to preach the Gospel in season and out of season. That means that whether the Gospel is popular or frowned upon in a society, the church must remain true to its mission. We are not here to build relationships, try to be relevant, or engage in ‘church growth’; we are here to save souls from the lake of fire.

If Lakewood Church is indicative of the spiritual condition of the church in general, then we should expect the spiritual condition of the government to match it. If the church is not engaging in its mission to proclaim the Gospel, we cannot expect the government to engage in its mission to punish the wicked and defend the righteous.

Just as Lakewood ravages the souls of those who attend it, so too will the government crush the lives of those it governs.

gospelist.net

April 17, 2022