Faith, what is it and where does it come from? It is the confidence that is held within oneself that there is a God and that He is the creator of the world. Faith comes from many places. It comes from within when a person is down and feeling that they are all alone, it comes from scripture, and it comes from personal experiences such as with Thomas. Thomas did not believe that Jesus had returned from the dead even though the other disciples told him that it was true. He needed proof that it was true, and he would remain convinced that it was not true unless he saw the proof with his own eyes and felt the scars with his hands. "Thomas was not with them (the eleven other disciples) when Jesus came. "We have seen the Lord!" Thomas said to them, "Unless I see the scars of the nails in his hands and put my finger on those scars and my hand in his side, I will not believe."(John 20:24-25)
Faith is not something that people are born with. Faith is something that has to be found inside oneself on his or her own. The majority of people have faith, they just do not know it because they do not look for it. Faith is most commonly found in the heart. It is a voice that tells oneself right from wrong, it tells oneself when to offer their help to others, and it makes them feel guilty when a sin is committed, it is the voice of God. Faith can be activated by deeds of others, or by proof, whether it happened personally or it is in scripture. Mostly faith is something that is believed to be true. "Faith can give us courage to face the uncertainties of the future"(King).
Having faith gives a person great power, "Faith will move mountains"(Prov.). Having faith gives oneself protection, for God protects those who believe in Him. "Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful"(2 Chron. 20.20). If one does as the bible says and as Jesus and his disciples did, they will be successful and will be left with strength and power. "I get knocked down, but with faith in the Lord I get up again, and with that same faith no one or anything will ever keep me down"(Brown).
If someone has faith in the Lord, they are guaranteed eternal life. When a person with faith dies and leaves the face of the earth, he will be reunited with those believers who have already left the earth. There are two things that prove this to be true. The first, the word of the bible. The second, is ones faith that what the bible says is fact. "A week later the disciples were together again indoors, and Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and look at my hands; then reach out your hand and put it in my side. Stop your doubting, and believe!" Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"(John.20.26-27)
Thomas now believed, he believed that Jesus had been raised from the dead. With the proof that was shown to him, he had secured his faith in God. Everyone can secure their faith in the Lord. Through Thomas, every man and woman can find their faith. With his faith Thomas had great power. He had the power to make others believe in the resurrection of Jesus and with his words he could secure their faith as well. Also with his faith he was granted life after death.
Works Cited
Brown, Brenda. personal interview 30 Apr. 1998
King, Martin Luther Jr. Strength to Love. 1963. Gale’s Quotation’s: Who Said What? Dos vers. 1.0 CD-ROM. Detroit: Gale Research, 1995.
Proverb. Gale’s Quotations: Who Said What? Dos vers. 1.0 CD-ROM. Detroit: Gale Research 1995.
The Bible GatewayTM. 1984 by International Bible Society. Online. Available: http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible. 1 May 1998