Introduction
“Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight.”
– 2 Corinthians 5:6-7
The Apostle Paul is an example of one who walked by faith, not by sight. He did not throw caution to the wind or plough headlong in spite of obvious obstacles in front of him. Instead he learned the ‘secret’ of how to meet his material responsibilities. He engaged earthly life on its terms, successfully working through the normal ups and downs and vicissitudes of earthly life, and courageously encountering the unfair atrocities that were visited upon him, all the while vigorously carrying out his ministry to the best of his ability. (Philippians 4:10-13) He was able to do this because he never lost sight of the prize – namely, to be with the Lord in the heavens. (Philippians 3:13-14)
The heavenly prize is, of course, unseen. It is ‘what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.’ (Hebrews 11:1) Yet, living our lives in complete confidence that we will attain the prize, as did Paul, is how we will be able to successfully maneuver through this life, no matter what is thrown in our paths. Walking by faith teaches us how to step over stumbling stones, move around road blocks, walk through facades, superstitions and illusions created by ignorant and dishonest people, and enduring the cruelty of those who do not know the love of God. Walking by faith IS the secret of success.
Walking by faith does not mean that we abandon reason or logic. Quite to the contrary! Walking by faith requires that we apply reason and logic in abundance. We are told to have “trained themselves to distinguish good from evil’ (Hebrews 5:14), to receive wisdom and accurate knowledge (Ephesians 1:17), to examine all things (1 Corinthians 2:15), to keep asking, seeking and knocking (Matthew 7:7-8), to may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight’ (Philippians 1:9), to ‘to test and approve’ the perfect will of God (Romans 12:2). By applying reason and logic to our faith, our faith will be purified of superstition and gross error, we will be less likely to be misled by false prophets or fall into the snare of idolatry of men and their greedy and selfish machinations, and we will uncover truth. So what does walking by faith entail? Let’s examine a few aspects.
