We live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV) Thus Paul explained the Christian life. It makes perfectly good sense to a born-again Christian. It makes no sense to a non-believer. Our society has been raised on the cynical adage “seeing is believing”. The Christian replies: “believing is seeing”. In fact, Jesus said “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29 NIV)
A. W. Tozer, a preacher from the past, described Christians who live by faith like this: “A real Christian is an odd member anyway. He feels supreme love for one whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to someone he cannot see, expects to go to Heaven through the goodness of another, empties himself in order to be full, admits he is wrong so he can be declared right, goes down in order to get up, is strongest when he is weakest, is richest when he is poorest, and happiest when he feels worst. He dies so he can live, forsakes in order to have, gives away so he can keep, sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, and knows that which passes all understanding.”
Jesus calls us to a lifestyle that contradicts every rule that society teaches us. It is one of the reasons why Christians are hated so much around the world and churches are burned. Only those who take “the leap of faith” (Kierkegaard) can experience the life-changing power of the Ressurection. “Faith has its reason that reason knows not of” declared Christian philosopher Blaise Pascal.
Religion is easy to explain because man created it. Indeed, it can be called a crutch or an opiate. On the other hand, a lifestyle is total and complete and that’s what Jesus of Nazareth gave the world. Will you dare live by faith? Jesus calls you now: “Follow me.”
“Thank You, Jesus, for showing Yourself to those who want to
see You. Increase our faith to see You more and more. Amen”
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