For we live by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7
2 Corinthians 5:7 is a powerful verse that speaks to the nature of faith and trust in God. On a surface level, this verse means that our perception of the world around us is not limited to what we can see with our eyes. Faith allows us to believe in the unseen, to trust in something beyond our physical senses. This is particularly relevant for Christians, who believe in a God that is omnipotent and omnipresent, but cannot be seen with the naked eye.
But there is a deeper meaning to this verse that is worth exploring. The context of this verse comes from a letter that the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth. In this letter, he is addressing a number of issues that the church was facing, including false teachers, moral and ethical concerns, and disagreements among believers. In this particular passage, Paul is encouraging the Corinthian believers to look beyond their current struggles and focus on their eternal destiny.
He explains that the Christian life is not about living for the here and now, but for the life to come. He compares our earthly bodies to tents, and our eternal bodies to buildings made by God. He then says that we are “confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). In other words, our ultimate goal is not to simply exist in this physical world, but to be with God in heaven.
This is where the verse “For we live by faith, not by sight” comes in. Our physical bodies and our physical world are not all there is. We must have faith in the unseen, in the promise of eternal life with God. This faith should inform the way we live our lives, the decisions we make, and the priorities we set. We should not be focused solely on what we can see and touch, but on what is eternal and lasting.
In conclusion, 2 Corinthians 5:7 is a powerful reminder that our lives are not defined by what we can see with our eyes. As Christians, we must have faith in the unseen and trust in God’s promise of eternal life. This faith should inform every aspect of our lives and give us hope and confidence in the midst of life’s struggles.
