LIVING BY FAITH 2nd Cor 5:7
The
life of a Christian is such that is totally different from any other phase of life
on earth because every other aspect of life is built on it. It is a life hinged
on faith in God. All parts of the walk is faith dependent for, “we are saved by
grace through faith” (Eph 2:8), “we are made righteous through faith”
(Rom3:22), “we are justified (made right) through faith” (Rom 5:1), “we are
called children of God through faith” (Gal3:26) and “we receive the promise
through faith” (Gal3:2). Thus, Christian Living is a life, born out of faith,
lived by faith and based on faith.
Since
faith is an important factor of our lives as Christians, it is pertinent we
consider how it is applied in our walk. In our scripture of consideration 2nd
Cor5:7 we are charged to walk (live) by faith and not by sight, thus one who is
not walking by faith is clearly living by sight.
To
live by faith is to allow our lives and the decisions we make in life be based
upon our faith (belief) in God while living by sight is to make life decisions
based on what we see, feel and touch (the realm of the physical). In our world
today, sight seems to be a better option because the sights we see tend to
counteract our faith. We see things that negate our faith yet we ought to live
by faith not by sight. This begs the question; what is the problem with living
by sight?
The
problem with living by sight can be learnt from Jesus’ encounter with Thomas
Didymus as described in John 20:19-29 and God’s dealing with Abraham and Lot in
Gen13:10-11 and listed below:
1) It is a limitation (vs 27-28):
Thomas believed because he saw, felt the nail marks and touched the sides of
Jesus. His mind was reduced to these three dimensions; seeing, feeling and
touching. These are not bad in themselves because they make one sure of what he
or she is doing but they come with a limitation. They make belief in the
supremacy of God and supernatural impossible. They makes you live in the realms
of men and not the heavenly, thus making you live in total disbelief of the
word of God. Dr Yongi Cho in his book “The Fourth Dimension” teaches that man
lives in the realm of three dimensions but God, His Spirit and works exist in a
dimension he called The Fourth Dimension. Living by sight (Seeing, Feeling and
Touching) does not recognize this fourth dimension and cannot live by it and
anyone who come to God must come believing that He exist.
2) Miss the blessing of Living by Faith
(Vs29). : There is a blessing (an impact from the divine) attached to living by
faith. This, I believe, is seen in the quality of the decision made when made
in faith compared to that made by sight. This blessing eludes anyone who
chooses to live by sight. Every decision has its own consequences. Decisions
made based on sight (see, feel and touch) no matter how carefully made lacks
the blessing of the most High thus its quality when tested never stands.
3) Leads to destruction (Gen
13:10-11, Gen3:6): Lot Abram’s nephew was to make a choice on where to live and
he LOOKED around casting HIS EYES on the plains of the Jordan and choose it. He
never knew that was Sodom and Gomorrah a place that had a stench before God.
The land he chose already had an outcry reaching God and God was going to
destroy it a few chapters later but at the moment it appeared watered and Lot
chose it based on what he saw. Sometimes we make life decisions based on what
we have seen without consulting anyone even God, not knowing we are headed to
destruction. In Gen 3:6, Eve LOOKED and SAW that the fruit on the tree was good
for food and PLEASING to THE EYE then, she concluded that it was desirous for
gaining wisdom. A decision that led to fall of all mankind made on sight.
SELAH!
Holydynamite.
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