Paul McKenzie

Memory Verse, Thursday, December 18, 2 Corinthians 5:6b-7

"We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight."

I don't know whether the deliberate separation of this sentence was made to isolate "for we walk by faith, not by sight" as unique by itself, but when put it in context with the beginning of the sentence where it belongs, we could save a lot of trouble in its meaning.

A lot of "faith" people have pulled and stretched those eight words to manipulate them into all sorts of exaggerations and mis-applications, and many have suffered from it, ending in spiritual depression and even a loss of faith.

People equate the word "faith" with "super-power", as if their "faith" commands God to act as they desire. What we see here is completely contrary to that type of thinking. Instead of commanding God and "walking in victory", it is faithfulness through suffering, and contentment in any situation, knowing that we live with an eternal perspective in a transient, sin-soaked world.

I know. I struggled in my early Christian years with this type of thinking. We "Jesus-people" were readily accepted by the "seed-faith" and "health and wealth" teachers, and not so much by the more strict denominations who wanted our hair cut, put on suits, and drink sour lemonade, sticking our noses up to this sinful world.

It was naivete on one end, and self-righteousness on the other end. One made faith into a super-power and the others based their faith on works, lack of love and disdain for others.

What I found was that both missed the point. I think our Pastor hits the point when he reminds us that the Greek word for "faith" and "believe" are the same word. And that this is centered on the Person, not on some sort of magical incantation or powerful command.

It is integrally connected to hope—to an eternal goal—an eternal perspective. It's not centered on power and self-righteousness, but on the Love of God. "Faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13)

And that "love" is based on this: "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known." (13:12)

Do you see how this gives you the true insight of what walking by faith, not by sight, really means? It is a longing—a desire that we are so in love with our Savior, grateful for His wondrous grace and mercy that we strive with all our hearts to please Him.

Once wretched sinners in weary mortal bodies, now saved, yet still stuck in them. We know that He has promised us new bodies like His; resurrection bodies, being guaranteed by the Holy Spirit with a deep-rooted assurance no one can take from us, where we will be clothed in such a way to dwell in the absolute Presence of the Holy of Holies!

And we groan, GROAN, when this realization really hits! And because we walk by faith, we see the unseen, and the unseen is actually more real to us than what the world sees. All they see is a dismal world with vestiges of what once was magnificent, being destroyed by sinful people. We see a Kingdom coming, a NEW WORLD coming, a New Heaven and New Earth!

This is why it is so important to read the full context of these isolated verses that are sewn on pillows and designed with lovely calligraphy, yet miss the whole point.

And we don't walk with disdain of those "sinners" in the world. We're too busy looking up! We should be so longing for the beauty of the new creation that we can't help but point those lost souls to the Word of Life!

"For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 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" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

That's how this chapter is prefaced. Now memorize this verse with the full context in mind!

Today if you hear His voice, harden not your heart.

*ESV used unless noted*

Memory Helps:

"WE KNOW that
WHILE WE are at home in the body
WE ARE away from the Lord, for
WE WALK by faith, not by sight."

I have capitalized the "W" phrases, where three contain "WE". If you first memorize that order, the rest of the verse will come easily. "WE KNOW, WHILE WE, WE ARE, WE WALK"

I used the tune of the first verse of "Oh Danny Boy" to remember these two verses. If you know the tune, you should be able to follow my beat pattern below:

So we are AL, ways o-f go-od CO-ur age
We know that WHILE, we a-re a-t HOME;
In the bo DY, we are awa-y FROM the Lord,
For we WALK by, faith, no-t b-y SIGHT.