Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

 

In the arid landscapes near the Dead Sea, between 1947 and 1956, explorers unearthed a treasure trove of ancient manuscripts hidden in clay jars within secluded caves. These Dead Sea Scrolls, preserved for millennia, evoke a profound Biblical imagery from the Apostle Paul's second letter to the Corinthians. In 2 Corinthians 4:7 (ESV), Paul writes, "But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." Here, the "treasure" is the gospel of Jesus Christ, entrusted to fragile human vessels, us. We are those earthen jars, prone to cracks, breakage, and the wear of life's trials. Yet, Paul urges resilience: "So we do not lose heart" (2 Corinthians 4:16, ESV), for our hope rests in an eternal dwelling prepared by God (2 Corinthians 5:1). This eternal perspective culminates in the exhortation of 2 Corinthians 5:7: "for we walk by faith, not by sight" (ESV). It is a call to live not by the tangible evidence of our senses but by unwavering trust in God's unseen realities.

This verse echoes the life of Abraham, the patriarch whose journey exemplifies faith amid impossibility. When God promised Abraham descendants as numerous as the stars, despite his and Sarah's advanced age, Abraham believed "in hope against hope" (Romans 4:18, ESV). His faith, lauded in Hebrews 11:1 as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen," mirrors Paul's teaching. In this blog post, we will delve deeply into 2 Corinthians 5:7, exegeting key phrases from the original Greek, while drawing parallels to Abraham's story. We'll explore the Biblical context, linguistic nuances, theological implications, practical applications, and even edge cases where faith falters or flourishes. By examining these from multiple angles, historical, exegetical, devotional, and eschatological, we uncover how walking by faith transforms our earthly fragility into eternal strength.

Exegeting 2 Corinthians 5:7: A Dive into the Greek

To grasp the depth of Paul's words, we must turn to the original Greek text of 2 Corinthians 5:7: γὰρ περιπατοῦμεν διὰ πίστεως, οὐ διὰ εἴδους. This concise phrase packs profound theological punch, contrasting two modes of existence. Let's break it down word by word, phrase by phrase, using the ESV as our English anchor.

The verse begins with γάρ ("for"), a conjunction linking it to the preceding context. In 2 Corinthians 5:6, Paul states, "So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord" (ESV). The γάρ explains this courage: it stems from a faith-driven life rather than one reliant on physical presence or visible proofs. This connective word implies causation, our separation from the Lord's immediate presence necessitates faith as our guiding principle.

Next, περιπατοῦμεν ("we walk") derives from περιπατέω, a verb meaning to walk about or conduct one's life. In Biblical Greek, it often metaphorically denotes one's manner of living or ethical conduct (e.g., Ephesians 5:2, where believers are to "walk in love"). Here, Paul uses the present active indicative, emphasizing ongoing, habitual action. Walking isn't a one-time event but a daily journey. The ESV captures this with "we walk," implying progression through life's terrain, trials, joys, uncertainties. Nuances include the idea of peripatetic movement, suggesting not stagnation but dynamic advancement despite obstacles. In a broader Pauline corpus, this verb appears in contexts of transformation (e.g., Romans 6:4, "walk in newness of life"), highlighting that faith-walking renews our fragile vessels.

The preposition διὰ ("by" or "through") appears twice, governing the instrumental case. It indicates the means or agency by which we walk. First, διὰ πίστεως ("by faith"): πίστις is faith, trust, or faithfulness. In Koine Greek, πίστις encompasses belief in God's reliability, often rooted in His covenants. Paul's use here echoes Habakkuk 2:4 (LXX: ἐκ πίστεως), quoted in Romans 1:17, where the righteous live by faith. Theologically, this πίστις isn't mere intellectual assent but relational trust, as in Galatians 2:20: "the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God" (ESV, using ἐν πίστει). Implications abound: faith as the lens through which we interpret reality, shielding us from despair in affliction (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). Edge cases? Consider when faith wavers, Peter walking on water (Matthew 14:31), yet even faltering faith invites divine restoration.

Contrasted is οὐ διὰ εἴδους ("not by sight"). The negation οὐ is absolute, ruling out sight as a viable alternative. Εἴδους, from εἶδος, means form, appearance, or visible shape. In philosophical Greek (e.g., Plato), it relates to visible phenomena versus eternal ideas; Paul adapts this to distinguish temporal sights from eternal truths. The ESV's "sight" aptly conveys sensory perception, what eyes behold, ears hear, hands touch. Yet, nuances reveal εἶδος as outward form, implying deception if over-relied upon (e.g., 2 Corinthians 11:14, Satan disguising as an angel of light). Theologically, this warns against empiricism in spiritual matters; sight can mislead, as in Israel's wilderness grumbling despite visible miracles (Numbers 14).

Together, the phrase urges a paradigm shift: from εἶδος-dependent living to πίστις-guided walking. Historical context? Corinth's church faced persecution, false apostles, and worldly temptations (2 Corinthians 11). Paul's affliction, thorn in the flesh (12:7), modeled this faith-walk. Implications for today: in a visually saturated culture (social media, virtual realities), we must prioritize unseen eternal weights (2 Corinthians 4:18: "we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen," ESV).

The Broader Context

Paul's exhortation doesn't stand alone. In 2 Corinthians 4:7-18, he contrasts human weakness with divine power. We are "afflicted... but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair" (4:8-9, ESV), because our focus is eternal. Verse 18: "as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal" (ESV). This parallels 5:7, reinforcing that sight fixates on the transient, while faith grasps the eternal.

Moving to 5:1-10, Paul speaks of our earthly tent being destroyed, yet we have "a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (5:1, ESV). God "has prepared us for this very thing" (5:5, ESV), giving the Spirit as ἀρραβών, a down payment or pledge. In Greek, ἀρραβών (used in modern Greek for "engagement ring") signifies a binding guarantee, ensuring full inheritance. This Spirit infuses confidence (θαρροῦμεν, "we are confident," 5:6,8), enabling faith-walking amid bodily absence from the Lord.

A poignant illustration: Imagine a man amid trials observing a stonemason chiseling a block for a church steeple. "I'm shaping it down here so it will fit in up there," the mason says. So God shapes us through afflictions for heavenly fit. Nuances: Not all suffering is preparatory; some stems from sin or evil (Job's friends erred here). Yet, Romans 8:28 assures all works for good. Implications: Confidence isn't stoicism but Spirit-empowered assurance, even in depression or doubt, edge cases where faith feels absent, yet God's guarantee persists.

Abraham is the Archetype of Faith-Walking

Abraham's life vividly illustrates 2 Corinthians 5:7. In Genesis 12:1-4, God calls Abram (later Abraham) to leave Ur: "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you" (ESV). The Hebrew לֶךְ-לְךָ ("go for yourself") from הלך (halak, to walk) implies a faith-journey, leaving the seen (home) for the unseen (promised land). Abraham obeys, walking by faith.

Central is Genesis 15:5-6: God promises offspring like stars. Abraham "believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness" (ESV). Hebrew אָמַן (aman, believed) roots πίστις in the LXX (ἐπίστευσεν). Despite Sarah's barrenness, Abraham trusts. Romans 4:18 exegetes: "In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told" (ESV). Greek ἐλπὶς ἐπ' ἐλπίδι ("hope against hope") highlights faith defying sensory evidence, Abraham's aged body (Romans 4:19: "as good as dead").

Hebrews 11:8-19 lauds Abraham: "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going" (ESV). Not εἶδος but πίστις guided him. He sojourned as a foreigner, looking to "the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God" (11:10, ESV), eternal, unseen. Even offering Isaac (Genesis 22), Abraham reasoned God could raise the dead (Hebrews 11:19), trusting beyond sight.

Parallels to Paul: Both faced impossibility, Abraham's childlessness, Paul's afflictions. Both received guarantees: Abraham, covenant (Genesis 15:18, Hebrew כָּרַת בְּרִית, "cut a covenant"); Paul, Spirit as ἀρραβών. Nuances: Abraham's faith wasn't flawless, he lied about Sarah (Genesis 12:13), took Hagar (16:2). Edge cases teach: Faith grows through failure; God's faithfulness endures (Genesis 21:1-2, Isaac's birth).

Theological implications: Justification by faith (Romans 4:3, quoting Genesis 15:6). Abraham's πίστις prefigures ours in Christ, whose resurrection we trust unseen (1 Peter 1:8: "Though you have not seen him, you love him").

Living the Faith-Walk Today

How do we embody this? First, cultivate eternal focus. Colossians 3:2: "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth" (ESV). In daily routines, work, relationships, ask: Am I walking by πίστις or εἶδος? Example: Financial hardship. Sight sees lack; faith trusts Philippians 4:19's provision.

Second, rely on the Spirit's guarantee. When doubts assail, pray for fresh filling (Ephesians 5:18). Spurgeon notes: "The work of the Holy Spirit in the soul is the bud of heaven." In grief, like losing a loved one, faith assures "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8, ESV), refuting soul sleep or purgatory.

Third, emulate Abraham in obedience. Step out despite unknowns, missions, career changes. Nuances: Discern God's voice via Scripture, not whims. Edge cases: When promises delay (Abraham waited 25 years for Isaac), persevere; Hebrews 6:12 urges imitating faith-patients.

Socially, faith-walking challenges materialism. In a sight-driven world (advertising, metrics), value unseen character. Implications for community: Encourage one another (Hebrews 10:24-25), sharing testimonies of faith triumphs.

Eschatologically, this prepares for glory. Absent from body, present with Lord, perhaps in intermediate state (Revelation 6:9-11) or timeless eternity. Either way, no bodiless limbo; we're "clothed" eternally (2 Corinthians 5:2-4).

When Faith Meets Reality

Faith isn't blind optimism. Abraham questioned (Genesis 15:2-3); Paul despaired (2 Corinthians 1:8). Yet, they pressed on. Edge cases: Chronic illness, sight sees pain; faith sees redemptive purpose (2 Corinthians 12:9, "power made perfect in weakness"). Cultural pressures: In secular societies, faith-walking invites ridicule, yet yields witness (1 Peter 3:15).

Theologically, balance: Faith doesn't negate reason; Abraham considered his body (Romans 4:19) but trusted God more. Implications: Integrate science and history with Scripture, e.g., the Dead Sea Scrolls affirm biblical reliability.

Devotionally, meditate on promises. Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (ESV). Greek ὑπόστασις (assurance) means substance; faith substantiates unseen.

The Eternal Invitation

Walking by faith, not by sight, transforms fragile jars into glory-bearers. Like Abraham, we trust promises amid barrenness, journeying toward the unseen city. Paul's γὰρ περιπατοῦμεν διὰ πίστεως, οὐ διὰ εἴδους calls us to confident living, Spirit-guaranteed. In trials, remember: We're shaped here for there.

May this truth ignite your faith. As Spurgeon said, live common actions by faith, cooking, working, loving. Heaven's joy? Unhindered presence with the Lord. Until then, walk boldly, eyes fixed on the eternal.