What does it mean to walk by faith and not by sight?
To walk by faith and not by sight is to live our lives trusting God's word and promises rather than what we can currently see or feel. It is the normal posture of the whole Christian life, rooted in the assurance of things hoped for, lived out in daily trust and obedience, and held patiently because we will one day see what we now believe. Faith does not ignore reality; it interprets it by God's promises.
This question arose from studying What is faith, exactly? and What does it mean to be justified?.
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What the Scripture says
Walking by faith is God's call for the whole life
Faith is not only how we begin the Christian life; it is how we live it. Paul says flatly, 'we walk by faith, not by sight.' The gospel reveals that 'the righteous shall live by faith,' the very words the prophet Habakkuk used and that the New Testament returns to again and again. From first to last, from the moment of salvation to the end of the road, faith is the way God's people relate to Him.
for we walk by faith, not by sight.
For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.”
Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith.
Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, “The righteous will live by faith.”
Faith is assurance of things not seen
The writer of Hebrews defines it: 'Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.' And he adds the urgency of it: 'without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.' Faith lays hold of what is real but unseen, and makes it the ground of how we live.
Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.
Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.
Abraham walked without seeing the way
The great example is Abraham. 'By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went,' looking for a city whose builder and maker is God. When the promise seemed impossible, he did not waver in unbelief but was fully assured that God was able to do what He had promised. Walking by faith means obeying God even when we cannot see the road ahead.
By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went.
For he looked for the city which has the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Yet, looking to the promise of God, he didn’t waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God,
and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was also able to perform.
Faith lives by the Son of God
The object of this walk is a Person. Paul describes it at its center: 'It is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.' And Jesus pronounces blessed 'those who have not seen, and have believed.' Our faith is not confidence in an idea but trust in a Person who gave Himself for us, and whom we love though we have not seen Him.
I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.
Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me,you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed.”
whom not having known you love; in whom, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory—
It means living for the unseen, in daily obedience
Walking by faith looks like a daily choice to live for what is eternal rather than what is merely seen. Paul says we fix our eyes not on the seen but on the unseen, for the seen is temporary and the unseen eternal, and he makes his aim, whether at home or away, to please the Lord. And John says this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. When feelings and circumstances say otherwise, faith holds to God's promise and obeys Him.
while we don’t look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Therefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him.
But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed.
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith.
As you read, you may wonder…
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Verses to meditate on
for we walk by faith, not by sight.
Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.
For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.”
I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.
Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.
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