I WILL BELIEVE by William Aikman

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 23, 1888

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 14, No. 12.

I WILL BELIEVE.

By William Aikman

"I WILL not believe!" so said the apostle Thomas, unconsciously, perhaps, bringing to bear upon the matter of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus an act of his will. The evidences were entirely sufficient for the fact, and they ought to have produced belief. His will was in the way. Thomas is not alone in this. There are persons the habit of whose minds has brought them into antagonism with all around them in matters of faith, as they touch the gospel. Because so many believe, because friends believe, therefore they will not believe.

The matters of religion may seem too great, too transcendently important, for easy belief; and, because they are so great and important, the man may brace himself, he may throw himself back upon evidences which he himself selects, as did Thomas when he said, "Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, . . . I will not believe," and by a deliberate determination may refuse to receive any other kind.

His state of mind may not be merely passive, and in its passivity unmoved, because the evidences are not strong enough; it is active, and it is fixed in its activity by an act of the will. The man is resolved not to believe. The determination may be unconscious, but none the less real and forceful for that. He is unbelieving because he is determined to be unbelieving.

Here is a state of mind full of interest. Is there any way of meeting its requirements? Let us see. The divine Saviour who knew so well what was in man, took the case of Thomas into his wise and compassionate care. "And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing."

But Thomas did not reach out his finger to feel the wounds in those hands; he did not for a moment think of thrusting his hand into that sacred side. He may have before supposed that he would; but now he would have shrunk in horror from it. There was evidence before him so different, so tender, so convincing, that these gross and fleshly proofs were repulsive in comparison. Indeed, they were quite forgotten in the moment, and turned away from as if they were not in mind. And Thomas answered: "My Lord and my God!" It was not the unhealed scars, it was not the bodily form even, it was that ineffable Presence, all-beloved, of Jesus, speaking in tone and look of love, that appealed to his heart. It created more than the old love. In a moment that love was lifted into a higher region; rather, it lifted Christ into a higher, even a divine position. It was Jesus, and, more than Jesus—"My Lord and my God!" . . .

It is to be carefully considered whether unbelief may not be largely the result of an act of the will, a determination which says, I will not believe. Persons may, unconsciously to themselves, be all the while in an attitude of resistance which, for some reasons—I will not attempt to suggest what they are—determines them in their rejection of the Lord Jesus. They take a secret satisfaction in this determined unbelief, and, while deeming themselves only humble, meekly seeking and willing to accept the truth, are proud, and actively resisting its claims. They are acting as if it were a virtue to withhold, faith from Christ, the Lord.

This resistance, this activity against the Saviour, must be laid aside. It can and it must be laid aside by an act of the will. Instead of having the will help unbelief, the will must be summoned to the support of faith. As the man has been saying, I will not believe, now he must more resolutely say, I will believe. He must bring the determination of his soul to his faith in Christ his Saviour.

Faith is much a matter of the will. In saying this, I am, of course, speaking of the human side of it. No one is passive, in the reception of Christ. The faith does not sweep down upon him, nor does it gently envelop in its benign folds. It is a possession which a man takes, and takes often by an effort which becomes like an act of desperation; he, out of his despair, catches, grasps, clutches it, and then holds it as if in agony. "The kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."

Whoever reaches a Christian hope must sometime and somewhere come to the spot where he, with all the sincerity of which he is capable, and which flashes of light from eternity may call out, shall say to himself, I will believe. Sometime, if ever he is saved, he must take this leap of faith. It may seem to be a leap in the dark, but it must be taken.

We may say to such a man: The Lord Jesus Christ is before you. He is the Saviour of sinners; through him you may obtain pardon and peace with God. He can and he will save you. He can and he will take from you a burdened conscience, and give you a conscious acceptance with God. Think of him as not far away but as living, near and ready to receive and give you all this.

Accept these facts by a determination of your heart. Refuse to yield to your wonted unbelief. Welcome the Saviour to your heart. Look up, and in a recognition of love say, My Lord and my God.

There is an all-encouraging word, which you may take as an inspiration of hope and a call to quicken your step and hold your gaze: "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."—Wm. Aikman, D. D.