2 Corinthians 5:7 New
International Version (NIV)
“For we live by faith, not by sight.”
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THEME: The
Christian’s destiny
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AIM:
This verse presents a metaphor between a country and its citizens in exile or
far away from home. The Lord is the distant homeland believed in but unseen.
Travelling on, advancing by steps in the real course of life, Christians go on
with bliss of our strong belief, trust and loyalty to our God.
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INTRO:
This second letter to Corinth occasssioned by events and problems that
developed after Paul’s first letter to them. The letter is rich and varied in
content. It tells of a crisis between Paul and the Corinthians, the resolutions
and defense of Paul to his ministry.
WALKING
BY SIGHT
This gives the ability to
see those worth seeing, which may be absurd or disorderly—an occasion for no
joy or belief.
a.
The world at present is entangled into all
kinds of wickedness and impiety as it features a bad character of unadulterated
(pure) mischief and sin. Psalms 37:10 says, “For yet a little while, and the
wicked shall be no more. Indeed you will look carefully for his place but it
shall be no more. All that is seen today will before long be consumed.
b.
All the pursuits of men as can be seen today
will soon perish. James traverses the outline of the sun “no sooner as it rose
with a burning heat withers the grass and causes the flower to fall,” so will
the strength in performing all the habitual means of accumulating abundant possessions
and display of material wealth (James 1:12).
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Walking by faith
We have a strong conviction
and firm belief in something for which there is no proof.
a.
The believer does not direct his eyes mainly
in wickedness and abundant wealth, both having a tendency to get in the way of
his attention for he considers these as one serving only for a limited time and
provisionary. He, however, directs his vision to things not seen, which are
eternal having infinite and abiding fellowship with God (2 Corinthians 4:18).
b.
Hope that is not seen makes an addition to
the Christian walking by faith. He cherish by desire with anticipation and
eagerly awaits for it with perseverance.The chance of something good to happen
in the future with Christ is the trustaccompanied by his belief of fullfilment
(Romans 8:24).
CONCLUSION:
Christians conduct ourselves
in our course of life with orientation to the things which are unseen, and not
with reference to the things which are seen. By faith, we believe in the those
things which we do not see. We believe in the existence of objects which are
invisible, and we are influenced by them. To walk by faith, therefore is to
live in the positive hope of things that are to come; in the belief of the
existence of unseen realities; and suffering them to influence us as if they
were seen.
