Living by Faith, not by Sight
devotional sessions *001*
For we live by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5.7
In 2 Corinthians, it is important to remember Apostle Paul had a close relationship with his audience. As the author, he was writing not only to church members, but friends and fellow leaders in kingdom ministry.
Many issues and concerns are addressed by Paul in this letter, though we won’t cover those here. Today, I want to focus on 2 Corinthians 5.7, one of my favorite verses in Scripture. For me, this verse gives clarity concerning not only the teachings of Jesus, but the way we are to live as His followers.
In the original language of this passage, faith means a firm persuasion, a belief in the truth of someone or something. Remember Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 1.12: “I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.” Apostle Paul’s faith was a firm belief in the truth of Jesus Christ.
The word sight in Cor. 5.7 means appearance, fashion, or shape. This is straight forward. If we choose to live by sight, we are watching the world and what’s happening around us. It’s living by what we see right in front of us, no faith required, right?
We don’t always understand the way of faith. As Christians, there will be days when we question God’s plan. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do wars have to take place? Why must we endure sickness, pain and hard things?
Still, we choose to put our faith in God, knowing He is writing our story.
Recently, I read the transcript of an interview with a well-known actor of our day. He was asked about his faith, and how it had changed over the years. In response, he spoke about breaking his faith down and working through things. This is not meant to be a critique, but he was sort of all over the map in answering the question.
While the actor did say he believes in God and attends church each week (praise the Lord), I think I was hoping for more. After I finished reading the interview, I thought of 2 Corinthians 5.7— “I live by faith, not by sight.” What a great opportunity this was for a person with a massive following to simply say, “My faith is non-negotiable. I am more concerned about pleasing God than living by the world’s standards.”
In choosing Jesus as Lord, we take it by faith. We’re no longer watching the world for cues, directions, or answers. Our life is based on faith in God and His Word. This is what I’ve chosen to base my life on. What about you?
—Karlene