“For we walk by faith not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7). This statement applies to Christians as can be seen from the surrounding context. It is not a command, but rather an assumption that Christians walk by faith. In other words, walking by faith is the way to walk, and not the things we see, hear or perceive with our physical senses. Our physical senses – eyes, ears, touch, taste, smell were given to us to enable us relate with our physical environment, but as Christians, we should walk by faith not by sight. Before the fall man related with God by faith, but after the fall man started living by sight. When you get born again, that relationship with God is restored. In actual fact, we are placed on a better pedestal than Adam who did not have eternal life or the Spirit of God.
Faith is the way to live for the Christian. Outside faith, living the Christian life would be extremely burdensome and near impossible. It is faith that enables us live in our natural environment – the kingdom of God. From John 3:5, Col 1:13, the believer has been brought into God’s kingdom – and in His kingdom we are to relate with him by faith. The two reasons why we find the Christian life difficult are: when one is not born again; and when the Christian walk is lived or approached by sight. Hebrews 11 focuses exclusively on the subject of faith. Not only can one not be born again outside faith (Eph 2:8-9), walking as a believer is also by faith, and not the physical senses (sight). Science furnishes us a good example of walking by sight, as well as Thomas who demanded physical proof of the resurrection of Jesus before believing He was risen (John 20:24-29). However as Christians we cannot afford to relate with God on the basis of sight. Walking by sight is actually unbelief in the living God.
Faith is described as the “substance” and “evidence” (Heb 11:1). We can understand the phrase “substance” from the idea of Jesus being described as the express image of God’s person. When Jesus spoke, it is tantamount to God speaking to men, as seeing Him was/is equivalent to seeing the Father – because He is the very substance of God. Faith is the “evidence” of what you are things unseen. A banking illustration would help understanding this. The possession of a bank draft is evidence of the fact that there is money in an account, and that the recipient of the bank draft will receive the cash. The bank draft is as good as the money and evidence of the money not physically seen.
The foregoing runs contrary to the idea that faith is stupid, illogical, or blind etc. Blind faith is foolishness. Real faith is not blind, but is hinged on the spiritual logic of God’s word. Faith does not deny physical evidence. Rather it believes God, in spite of the physical evidence. Abraham was confronted with physical evidence – the deadness of his own body and Sarah’s womb, but he chose to believe God (Rom 4:17-21). How do you know there is a God, or explain creation of the world, by science? Or do we take the place of the fool that says there is no God? (Ps 14:1,53:1) No! We know these through faith (Heb 11:3, Heb11:6), for creation itself evidences God (Rom 1:19-20)
2 Cor 4:16-18 speaks of looking at things not seen. “Things not seen” does not mean things that are unreal. Looking at things unseen is only possible through faith. It cannot be done through science which is based on physical evidence, focuses on things temporary, and is therefore based on shaky foundations. Through faith we focus on things eternal and permanent that never changes.
Faith is based on spiritual logic – on an understanding of the truth of God’s word. This is its foundation. It based in a reality of God’s word, even though we cannot see it. We have to realize that the physical realm is more tangible than the physical realm, even though we cannot see it. The physical realm is a product of the spiritual realm. Faith works based on the realities of the spiritual realm. It comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Rom 10:17). Hearing in Rom 10:17 does not mean listening, but THE THING HEARD i.e the message anchored on the word of God. The message has to be understood and received. When that occurs, faith is born in the heart. It is not the hearing that brings faith, for one can hear and not have faith. Rather when what is heard (the message) is embraced, received, believed faith is born. Even though one may not see any physical proof yet, there is peace and assurance in believing (Rom 15:13).
God is the object of faith
We associate faith with when we need to get something we desire that we do not see. Most times people only say they have been living by faith when in the midst of sufferings and lack or difficult circumstances. The danger inherent in this is that when things were good people could have the tendency to live by sight and not by faith. For example there is an inclination for people to set their hearts ad eyes on riches. It was because of this Paul instructed Timothy to warn the rich about the dangers of making riches the object of their faith, but rather let God be the object of faith (1 Tim 6:17-18).
Everyone has faith, but the issue is – what is that faith in? God is the object of faith, and faith is only as strong as the object on which it is based. When it is based on sight or symptoms, then it produces unbelief. Faith should be a lifestyle adopted whether things are good or bad (Dan 3:16-18), because it is anchored in an object that never changes – God. Paul’s faith was strong amidst turbulence at sea because it was anchored in God who had told him He was had an appointment to keep with Caesar at Rome (Acts 27:25). Never make man the object of your faith, for the same man God used for you in time past may turn against you subsequently e.g Nebuchadnezzar with regard to Daniel and his friends.
Faith is the prerogative of the believer
It is the choice of the believer to exercise faith in God and to believe what God has said or done. The unbeliever in incapacitated to truly walk by faith in God because he is blinded (2 Cor 4:3-4). However, after being born again by grace though grace as a gift (Eph 2:8-9), the believer has a choice to exercise faith in God. We must learn to choose walking by faith in simple things. We should not claim that our faith is weak so we cannot. A mustard seed is over a 100 times smaller than the seed of beans –it is like a speck of dust, yet Jesus used it to illustrate the point that faith is about the object of faith (the quality) and not the quantum (Luke 17:5). Strong faith is faith anchored in God, while weak faith is the opposite, one not anchored in God – which is actually unbelief. Anyone can choose to believe God e.g Peter walked on water Mt 14:22-23. Believers must choose to exercise child-like faith in God leading to obedience. The things we know physically- our experiences with people, experiences in the world, and natural knowledge may be an obstacle to this. Nevertheless we need to learn to exercise faith in God. That was why Jesus, in his interactions with men was always instructing men to that effect.
If faith is risky, thee alternative (unbelief) is costlier
God rewards faith. Faith shows regard for God (1 John 5:9-10, Num 23:19), while unbelief is the primary thing that grounds Christians. Unbelief is costly as exemplified by the example of the Israelites who could not enter the Promised Land (Heb 3:11-19, 4:1-3). Entering the Promised Land symbolized enjoyment of the blessing of God’s redemption, and not exclusion from heaven – for even Moses did not enter the Promised Land. Their unbelief was the primary sin primary sin which excluded them, and we stand the risk of not experiencing the blessedness of redemption/Christianity if we do not exercise faith as a lifestyle.
Illustrations of Faith from Hebrews 11
Abel’s sacrifice was better than Cain’s not because it was an animal sacrifice instead of produce from the cursed ground as erroneously claimed, but because of the faith factor (Heb11:4). Abraham’s going out without knowing where he was going, seems foolish to the world, but He did it by faith and obedience in God who knew his destination and had the master-plan (Heb 11:8). It is good to plan, but those plans must be emanate from God’s will (James 4:13-16). Sarah could never have given birth without faith in Him who had promised (Heb 11:11-12)/ Abraham’s determination to offer Isaac was motivated by faith in God who He believed would have raised him in whose Abraham’s Seed was to come. Prompted by faith, Moses forsook that which was good and inconvenient, and looked to a reward beyond the realm of sight (Heb 11:6). On the other side of the divide were those who died, were tortured, suffered, were sawn in two, and suffered unimaginable hardships without any apparent positive results. In contemporary “christianity”, they would be described as failures and faithless – but God’s word uses them as examples of faith (Heb 11:35-38). All those in Hebrews 11 were all natural men – flesh and blood. We are better placed because we are new creatures with the life and Spirit of God ( 1 Cor 2:13-16).
Conclusion
We should learn to exercise faith in God in all facets and at all times of our lives (James 1:6-9). In difficult circumstances we should choose to adopt David’s attitude who encouraged himself in the Lord; or Mary who believed in God to perform (Luke 1:37-38,45).
Pastor Teju Fagbeja