2 Corinthians 5:7

2 Corinthians 5:7

I. We walk by faith, in the conviction that what is right must end in peace, and what is wrong must end in misery. This assumes that there is a living and true God; that there is a real kingdom on earth a government over men so constituted that right must come right, and wrong must come wrong; that by no possibility by no combination of circumstances, by no power of men or devils can wheat bring forth tares, or tares wheat; that never can there be separated the consequences from evil so long as evil continues; nor can anything but good and peace come from welldoing.

II. We walk by faith in reference to the agencies which God employs for the regeneration and salvation of man. (1) First and chief of these is the gospel of Christ. It is not that the gospel saves, but Jesus Christ of whom the gospel speaks, by reconciling the sinner to God, through faith in His atoning blood, and by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. Sight is opposed to this. To lose faith in the gospel, to have faith in anything else accomplishing the things the gospel proposes, is to lose faith in Christ Himself, in His power, in His mercy, and in His will. (2) The Church of Christ is another agency the power or efficacy of which demands faith. Very often the agency is very poor intellectually as well as spiritually. But walking by faith and not by sight, I perceive that the Church is the very best and purest society on the face of the earth. With all its dross it has the most gold. With all its darkness it has the most light. With all its earthly elements it is the best representative of heaven upon earth. Two thoughts of practical weight suggest themselves here. (1) One is this encouragement in our duty. The great Captain of our salvation has tolerated us, borne with us, and not cast us off. He who sent such messages to the Seven Churches, recognising their standing and calling, and their glorious privileges, whilst revealing to them their sins, the same Lord who walks amongst the candlesticks does not put out our light. (2) Another thought is one of shame and confusion when we think how weak our faith is, and how slow, how unconstant our walk accordingly is as members of the Christian Church in fulfilling our Lord's calling.

N. Macleod, Penny Pulpit,new series, No. 12.

Walking by Faith.

In St. Paul's hand these words were the key to what the heathen, who had no thoughts or desires beyond the present world, must have regarded as an enigma: note, not the resignation only, but the cheerfulness with which he and his fellow-Christians suffered wrong, though despised and obscure; the spoiling of their goods; how they sought death rather than shunned it, and rushed in the face of the King of Terrors, and gathered crowds as they went to the scaffold or stake, singing, rejoicing, radiant as a bride to the arms of her bridegroom. Paul speaks of scourging, stoning, prisonings, exiles, death itself, with a sort of Divine contempt. He calls them light afflictions: "Our light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." And the reason why is given in our text: "We walk by faith, not by sight."

I. The believer walks by faith in the work and cross of Christ. By faith Noah, by faith Abraham, by faith David, and by faith many other Old Testament saints won themselves a place in the cloud of witnesses. The truth is that the faith of the humblest believers nowadays is, in some senses, a higher attainment than theirs, and there is no flight of human genius I ever saw like the faith of the poorest, weakest, humblest Christian.

II. The believer walks by faith in the providence of God. "Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night teacheth knowledge of Him;" and this in every tongue savage or civilised. The whole world is vocal with His praise; nor is there any ear so deaf as may not hear that, as well in the songs of the happy birds as in the voice of the tempest and the peals of thunder. Though that may be true of the general providence of God, what may be called His special providence, at least so far as regards His own, is very often with them much more a thing of faith than it is a thing of sight.

III. The believer walks by faith in and to another world. It is no easy thing to walk by faith, not by sight; amid the things seen to love the unseen; to be in this world, and not of it; but we have the blessed promise, "As thy days, so shall thy strength be."

T. Guthrie, Penny Pulpit,new series, No. 571.

The principle of walking by faith, not by sight, is reasonable and right,

I. Because the principle of faith is more excellent in its object.

II. Because the principle of faith is more excellent in its effect upon the character and heart.

III. Because to walk by faith produces happiness.

J. N. Norton, Golden Truths,p. 377.

References: 2 Corinthians 5:7. Church Sermons,vol. ii., p. 289; Preacher's Monthly,vol. iv., p. 73; vol. vii., p. 65; F. E. Paget, Sermons for Special Occasions,p. 1; Bishop Westcott, The Historic Faith, p. 173; Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xii., No. 677; J. L. Davies, ChristianWorld Pulpit,vol. xxxv., p. 244. 2 Corinthians 5:8. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. vii., No. 413; G. Bainton, Christian World Pulpit,vol. x.,p. 205; H. W. Beecher, Ibid.,vol. xxiii., p. 266; G. Brooks, Five Hundred Outlines,p. 113. 2 Corinthians 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:9. S. G. Green, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xx., p. 177. 2 Corinthians 5:9. Plain Sermons by Contributors to "Tracts for the Times,"vol. ii., p. 160.