For we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

We walk by faith, not by sight.  This verse is justly famous, used plentifully in sermons and articles and in conversation.  The statement gets right to the heart of the distinction between the life of the believer and the life of someone in the world.

Yet, in context, it is an aside explanation.  Paul has been talking about the resurrection and the desire believers have to be fully clothed and in the presence of God (2 Corinthians 4:16-5:4).  We are to be of good courage despite being absent in the Lord while home in the body, even though we are willing to be absent from the body and at home with the Lord (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8).  We walk by faith because we are absent from the Lord.

We recognize that Paul is not trying to say that we literally walk by faith and not by sight.  Christians should watch where they are going just as much as everyone else, and need their maps and GPS to know where they are going like others do.  Paul’s concern is based in one’s perception of life and where they place their trust.  Do they trust in God, that is, to walk by faith, or do they trust in appearances, that is, to walk by sight (Greek eidos, better understood in terms of appearance or form; cf. Luke 9:29, 1 Thessalonians 5:22).  Where is our trust really founded?

It is good for us to consider the depth of the power of this verse and the idea behind it.  It seems almost customary in our reason-worshiping society to minimize faith and maximize what can be “proven.”  We try to make the case that believing in God is eminently reasonable.  We try to make the “leap of faith” to be as small as we can.

That may have some value when presenting the message of the Gospel to the world.  It is true that believing in God and His work as revealed in Jesus the Christ and in Scripture can be defended by reasonable and rational argumentation (cf. 1 Peter 3:15), but tension remains between reason and faith.  In the end, we cannot “prove” God’s existence, the resurrection of Jesus, or any such thing according to standards of empirical science.  Even the attempt would be sorely misguided!  We walk by faith, and there should be no shame in that.

It does not really take a lot of faith to believe in something that goes along with your way of thinking.  It really does not even take a lot of faith to believe in God when things are going well and you believe that you are blessed.  It is in the midst of trial and difficulty, be it through physical, mental, or emotional distress, or persecution, or some other such thing, that we demonstrate where we have placed our trust.

It may be true that by all appearances there is no God, there is nothing but suffering and misery, and life is pointless.  It is in those times that we must remember that we are to walk by faith, not by appearance. It may be true that by all appearances the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer.  It is in those times that we must remember that we are to walk by faith, not by appearances. It is entirely true that by all appearances Christians are old-fashioned, believing in a God and miracles and all kinds of things by faith without much physical evidence at all.  And that is right, for we do not walk according to appearances, but by faith.

• We must trust that if we love God and do the right thing, all things will work out for good (Romans 8:28).
• We must trust that if we suffer for doing good, we are blessed, for we are following in the Master’s footsteps (1 Peter 2:19-25).
• We must trust that the God who was willing to suffer the loss of His Son is willing to give us all things (Romans 8:32).

It is easy to say that we walk by faith, but it is something entirely different to actually walk by faith.  It is always easier to trust in appearances – to place our trust in our own skills, our own ideas, our own attitudes, our own perspectives.  We know that Jeremiah says that it is not within us to direct our own steps (Jeremiah 10:23), and yet what do we do in good times and bad?  Do we truly depend on God and trust in His ways or do we first try to accomplish whatever we seek to accomplish by our own strengths and only then turn to God when all else fails?  Do we seek to persuade men based on men’s standards or do we proclaim only Christ and Him crucified (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:2)?

Appearance always gives reason for doubt, apprehension, fear, misgivings, and excuses.  Faith trusts, emboldens, and, ultimately, liberates.  Where will we place our trust? Let us truly walk by faith and serve the Risen Lord!

lesson by Ethan R. Longhenry