Can I Have Certainty About Jesus?

For many people today, faith in Jesus might seem like an outdated, irrelevant idea. It's easy to dismiss religion as just a collection of outdated rituals or abstract beliefs that don't fit with modern life. So, when someone talks about Jesus, the automatic response can often be skepticism, doubt, or even disinterest. But what if the invitation to follow Jesus is not about agreeing with a set of doctrines or following a series of rules? What if it’s about something more personal, more real—a journey that starts with simply being curious, open, and willing to engage?

In the Gospel of John, we encounter an intriguing moment when Jesus offers an invitation that challenges the way we think about faith. The invitation is simple, yet profound: “Come and see.”

This invitation wasn’t extended in a religious service or during a lecture on theology—it was offered during an ordinary moment in the middle of a crowd. John the Baptist points to Jesus and calls him “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Two of John’s disciples are intrigued by this statement and decide to follow Jesus. Jesus, noticing them, turns and asks, “What are you looking for?” Instead of diving into some philosophical explanation, they ask, “Where are you staying?” Jesus responds, “Come and see.”
On the surface, this sounds like a simple, maybe even vague, answer. But when we look closer, it reveals something deeper about the nature of Jesus’s invitation—and about how we approach questions of faith today.

For many people, the natural approach to faith or religion is about getting answers. If someone is curious about Jesus, they might want to know: What does he believe? What are the rules? What’s the “right” thing to do? Jesus’s response to these two curious disciples is surprising in that it isn’t focused on giving an immediate answer, but on inviting them to experience life with him. “Come and see.”
This is important because it highlights a crucial point: Jesus wasn’t interested in convincing people through arguments or giving them all the right answers right away. Instead, his invitation was to spend time with him, to enter into his world, and to discover things for themselves. The emphasis wasn’t on intellectual assent, but on a relationship.
This approach contrasts sharply with the way we often think about religion today. Many churches and believers focus heavily on teaching doctrine and imparting knowledge, and while these things aren’t without value, they can sometimes overshadow the more fundamental question: Who is Jesus?
The truth is, many of us can spend years in church or religious communities and still not have a deep, personal understanding of what it means to follow Jesus. We might know all the right answers, but we haven't experienced Jesus for ourselves. The invitation to “come and see” calls us to step beyond our assumptions and beliefs, and enter into an experience that is personal, authentic, and transformative.

Jesus’s invitation—*“Come and see”—*is an invitation to experience, not just to understand. It’s an invitation to spend time with him, to get to know him, and to discover the truth of who he is through our own eyes. This is a refreshing alternative to a faith that is simply about learning rules or holding intellectual beliefs.
Let’s be honest: many people today are not looking for another set of beliefs to add to their mental checklist. In a world where we’re constantly bombarded with information, what we might be yearning for is a genuine encounter—something real, something we can experience for ourselves.

Jesus’s approach invites us to leave behind our assumptions and find out for ourselves who he is. It’s about moving beyond the "head knowledge" of religion to a place where we can see Jesus in action—whether that’s through reading his words, experiencing his love through community, or seeing how he transforms lives.

The story in John continues with Philip, one of the disciples, who has just spent time with Jesus. Excited by what he’s experienced, he immediately goes to find his friend Nathanael. When Nathanael expresses skepticism—questioning if anything good could come from Nazareth—Philip doesn’t argue or try to convince him with facts. He simply says, “Come and see.”

This is a crucial moment. Philip doesn’t try to “sell” Nathanael on Jesus. He doesn’t try to overpower him with arguments or expectations. Instead, he invites him into the same personal experience he had just encountered. “Come and see” is a simple, yet powerful, invitation to share an experience—something personal, something genuine.

For anyone who might be skeptical of religion or doubtful about Jesus, this invitation remains just as relevant today. “Come and see” is not about jumping into a set of beliefs without questions or doubts. It’s not about blindly accepting everything that religion says. It’s about taking a first step toward experiencing something for yourself.

If you’re unsure about faith or have doubts about religion, the invitation to “come and see” means you don’t need to have all the answers right now. You don’t need to have everything figured out before you begin exploring. The starting point is not intellectual certainty, but curiosity and openness—an openness to the possibility that something real might be waiting for you.

This approach is freeing because it’s not about having all the right beliefs right away; it’s about being willing to engage, to ask questions, and to experience what Jesus is really about.

The invitation to “come and see” is also an invitation into a journey. As we continue spending time with Jesus, our understanding deepens. We learn more about who he is, what he cares about, and how his message transforms lives. But the journey doesn’t end with just one encounter—it continues as we keep discovering more about him, day by day.
For those who have already encountered Jesus, this invitation also offers a challenge. We’re not called to pressure or force others into belief, but to simply invite them to “come and see”—to experience Jesus for themselves, just as we have. Our lives, our relationships, and our communities can be places where others can come and encounter Jesus in a real and meaningful way.

So, what does it mean to “come and see”? It’s an invitation to move beyond religion as a set of rules or beliefs, and to begin exploring Jesus not just as a figure in a book, but as someone who is real, who is worth discovering for yourself. It’s an invitation to experience, to ask questions, and to take a step toward something more—something that might just transform your life.

In the end, “come and see” is not a call to religious certainty, but a call to adventure, to curiosity, and to personal discovery. And perhaps, in a world that often feels distant and disconnected, that’s the kind of invitation we all need.