For by faith we are walking, not by perception.
2 Corinthians 5: 7, Concordant New Testament
Just about everyone knows what it means to be blindsided. To be surprised by a situation or event we did not see coming. I've been blindsided more than my share in my own life. Is being blindsided a common practice for us? Are we destined to go through life not knowing what lies ahead? I would disagree with that line of thinking. As believers, we already are assured of the very nature of our own future. We know what's coming. How is it that we are so assured of our future in the Lord? Because we know by faith that what God proclaims is true. That Jesus is the only One by which all are saved {John 3:16, Acts 4:12, 1 John 4:14}. By this we know that we have been assured of a future in the Lord {Romans 6:8, Galatians 2:20}. I believe that there is nobody who can come along to blindside us into believing that God has rejected us. Of course, our accuser never ceases to try to convince us otherwise. But if we walk by faith, by what we know in our heart to be true, the words of the accuser will not take root. I believe this is what the apostle Paul was speaking to in his letter to the church at Corinth. Walk by faith, trust in what you know to be true {2 Corinthians 5:7}. But what about those who try to deceive us? Certainly there have been far too many false prophets in our time. In hindsight, we realize that these are not the voices of the Lord but of the accuser {1 John 4:6}. It is not too difficult to imagine that, having been created in Gods own image, that we carry Him within us. Again, Paul spoke to this in Galatians {Galatians 2:20}. Knowing this, we can trust that we often hear His voice within us. How are we able to discern the voice of the Father? My mother had a excellent phrase whenever I would question her on her faith. She would simply say, "I know that I know." She knew the Fathers voice and trusted His words in her heart. But far too many believers have fallen prey to those who try to imitate the voice of God. In my life I have seen multiple events where innocent people fell victim to someone claiming to proclaim the word of God. The 900 victims of the Jonestown mass suicide are the most violent example. But we don't need to be deceived. The apostle John tells us to "Test the spirits" whether they are of God {1 John 4:1}. Obviously, if someone tells you that God has revealed to them that you are to do something you know to be wrong, run away!
Now faith is an assumption of what is being expected, a conviction concerning matters which are not being observed; for in this the elders were testified to. By faith we are apprehending the eons to adjust to a declaration of God, so that what is being observed has not come out of what is appearing.
Hebrews 11: 1-3, Concordant New Testament
I love the concordant New Testament translation of the iconic verse on faith which we find in the beginning of Hebrews. I can visualize Paul speaking to this explanation of what true faith is. Because we cannot walk by faith if we do not understand it to begin with. What is faith? Faith is assuming that what we expect will come to be. We may not be able to see how a situation will unfold, but through our faith we trust in God that He will bring it about. By faith we trust that all we see was created by the Father. Despite the scientists proclaiming that we are descended from simple pond slime, my own faith tells me that God has created all. By our faith, we are trusting in the Father. Trusting in Him to do as He has declared. Trusting in Him above all else. A good friend of mine once used the examples of gravity and a park bench to describe faith. We know that when we toss a rock in the air that it will fall back to earth. This is engrained in our knowledge. Nobody is going to come and convince us otherwise. Also, when we come to sit on a park bench, we trust that the bench will support us. We know this to be true. This is the essence of trust, and the basis of our faith in the Father. Walking by faith is walking in the assurance of the Lord. Knowing that He is and that He hears us {Hebrews 11:6}. We already know what we see, faith is being assured of what we cannot see {2 Corinthians 4:18}.
At our not noting what is being observed, but what is not being observed, for what is being observed is temporary, yet what is not being observed is eonian.
2 Corinthians 4: 18, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
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