Us Lions: Belonging Before Believing

There is a wonderful passage in C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe where the great Lion Aslan, on the eve of battle, says, "Those who are good with their noses must come up front with us Lions to smell out where the battle is."  Another Lion is struck by Aslan's words, "Did you hear what Aslan said? Us lions.  That means him and me.  Us lions.  That's what I like about Aslan.  No side, no stand-offishness.  Us lions.  That meant him and me."

If I had to select the most important passage in the gospels it would be John 20:24-28, which records the Church's first encounter with unbelievers.  For some reason Thomas was not with the other Disciples when the resurrected Christ comes through locked doors.  When he does arrive on the scene there is no waivering, "Unless...I will not believe."  Wow!  What a display.  Describing Thomas as "doubting" is generous.  Can you imagine?  The Disciples have seen the risen Lord, Thomas just back from 7/11 enters a room still aglow with a divine light and he basically says to his best friends, "drop dead - you are nuts!"  This is beyond doubt, this is betrayal - Judas Jr.

Again and again the Bible surprises and this passage is no different.  One would expect the Believers to say to the Doubter, this traitor, "hit the road."  But one little phrase says so much..."one week later, Thomas was with them."  What? One week later!  What was that room like - for a week?   

Of course we don't know, can't know, what happened.  What we do know is that someway, somehow the first believers and the first doubter were together, and were together in such a way that the doubter-traitor didn't bail.  Thomas was allowed to, or invited to, belong before he believed.

This is the very first act of the New Testament Church.  They were "with" Thomas.  The doubter was included until Jesus did what only Jesus can do - he came through locked doors and Doubting Thomas became St. Thomas.  Belong.  Believe.  Become.

Where is this happening today?  Where are the tax-collectors, the harlots, the  zealots?  Is the Church with them?  What would that look like?  In the face of such unbelief and betrayl, does the Church include Thomas?

There is "no side, no stand-offishness."  We would do well, I would do well, to remember that with its first breath the Church proclaimed..."Us lions." 

Didymus

[email protected]

Comments

[MBMc]

A very fine post, Didymus.

[Thomas More]

Didymus-

Would you say that is the most important passage in the gospels, or the most important passage in the gospels as it relates to church behavior?

Meaning, is it the most important thing the church should study in guiding its behavior, or is it universally, on all matters, of primary importance?

If the later, I'm going to nominate: Matt. 28:6.

Thomas More

[Didymus]

Tommy Boy,
I hear you on this. I would say that to have the opportunity to do/say Mt. 28:6 to the world John 20:24 has to be true about the Church. Just to be "with" Thomas is not all that powerful if you have nothing to invite him to...nothing worth belonging to, worth believing in. John 20:24, the first thing. Mt. 28:6 the most important.

Nice clarificaiton T.
Didy

[John]

I've always thought Thomas gets more of a bum rap than perhaps he deserves. In Jn 20:19-20, when Jesus appeared to the other disciples, the first thing he did was to show them his hands and his side. It was only then that the disciples rejoiced. It's hard for me to fault Thomas too much for asking for the evidence that Jesus seemed to understand all the disciples would need.

[Victor]

Excellent thoughts, Didymus!

The kingdom is like a party for pastors, garbage men, presidents and hookers.

[Didymus]

John,
Thank you for your comment. Yes, Thomas did not ask for anything the others hadn't already witnessed...still Jesus has a special blessing for those who believe without seeing - what is that about?

Thanks,
Didymus

[Didymus]

Victor,
Great image of the Kingdom.
Thank You,
Didymus

[Thomas More]

John,

Thanks for that perspective on Thomas. I hadn't thought of that before, and I think you're right.

But part of the bum rap is deserved. Thomas had become close, if not best, friends with these other 10 guys and the women involved over the last three years. To a person, they all tell him the same story about what happened and what they saw. Yet he doubts.

Quite a slap in the face of his buddies I think. Imagine spreading the gospel throughout the whole world if everyone adopted Thomas's approach. In fact, spreading the gospel relies on people believing their friends'--and sometimes strangers'--testimony of what they've seen, heard, or experienced.

[Ed]

John:
"It's hard for me to fault Thomas too much for asking for the evidence that Jesus seemed to understand all the disciples would need."

It seems to me the whole point of St. John's account here is that Judas had reliable witnesses, so why did he still need to see for himself? Most of the church for most of history has asserted that you can trust the witnesses (which includes the Scriptures themselves) so trust the message.

Using Thomas as an example of an unbeliever being welcomed is a stretch. Thomas had seen plenty, and had even made professions of faith of a sort already in John. I think that a better way of looking at the "us lions" approach is that Christians all go through low points in their faith. Thomas wasn't just welcomed, he chose to remain, despite his doubts. There are other passages speaking of unbelievers in worship (as in 1 Corinthians 14) that are more to the point.

I still agree with your overall point, but I'm not sure John 20 is where I'd turn.

[Didymus]

Thanks Ed. Your point is a good one, I'm just taking Thomas at his word, "unless...I will not." Is it possible to be a believer and not believe yourself to be? I recall Augustine has something to say on this. I continue to look at this account as a challenge to the Church. To be sure Thomas should be commended for choosing to hang in there - the question remains to the Church however, are we that kind of community that will find a way to help Thomas linger until Jesus does what only he can do?
Didymus