Walk By Faith, Not By Sight
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So we are always of good courage. 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.
Three Kinds of People
Three Kinds of People
Natural Person
Natural Person
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
Atheist, agnostic, materialist, humanist person
Most atheist try their best to explain spirituality and the idea of a human soul as our brain’s natural mechanism for dealing with death.
As self-aware creatures, death frightens us. So, in order to avoid the stress of dealing with thoughts of a final end, we created a story that death is not the end to make ourselves feel better about our inevitable end.
Carnal (Fleshly) Person
Carnal (Fleshly) Person
But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?
Christians who lean on the flesh
1st nature response to trouble
Has not truly grown beyond the elementary teachings of Christ
Their walk in Christ is primarily motivated and generated by sight - what they can see
Rather than by faith
Spiritual Person
Spiritual Person
But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.
Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
1 Corinthians 2:15 (ESV)
The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.
God’s word is the standard by which the spiritual person judges all things
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord.
Only the Spiritual Person Walks by Faith!
Only the Spiritual Person Walks by Faith!
A questions to ponder
1. Are you living by sight at the expense of walking by faith?
1. Are you living by sight at the expense of walking by faith?
Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
2. How many of you believe that is more blessed NOT to see Jesus physically and believe - than to actually see Him and believe in Him?
2. How many of you believe that is more blessed NOT to see Jesus physically and believe - than to actually see Him and believe in Him?
Human (carnal) nature says “if only”
Hall of faith in Hebrews 11
How do we get Faith?
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Why does God not want us to walk by sight?
Eyes deceive us
Sun rises in the east and sets in the west
Thousands of years people believed that the earth was the center of the universe and the sun revolved around the earth.
Feelings and perception can deceive us
Earth rotating 1000 mph
Airplane example
The standard of what you hear is God’s word because - what you hear can also be deceiving
Have to know how distinguish otherwise the sound rolling around your head is noise
Physical ear
hearing is a function of sound traveling thru 3 parts of the ear
outer part receives sound waves
middle ear takes the sound waves and turn them into vibrations through the beating of 3 bones. hammer avil and stirrup
inner ear where the vibrations go through a Cochlea that turns into nerve signal that is interpreted by the brain
Tenitus (ringing in the ear)
There are not vibrations it is an illusion.
Two Important Rules of Faith
Two Important Rules of Faith
Faith receives and never generates
Faith is God’s word does not come or is generated before you hear it
Noah built the ark after receiving instructions
Children crossed the Red Sea after it was parted
2. Presumption generates but never receives (spiritual tinnitus)
Tinnitus is your ear hearing something without actually functioning
Spiritual Tinnitus goes by the name of presumption
You are doing things that your perceive to be spiritual when in fact God never initiated
God spoke to me, God told me, God showed me
Faith responds to what God initiates.
Presumption initiates and expects God to respond.
so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.