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2 Corinthians 1:24
Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

2 Corinthians 4:18
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seenare temporal; but the things which are not seenare eternal.

Deuteronomy 12:9
For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth you.

not by sight
This part of the verse contrasts faith with sight, suggesting that the Christian life is not based on what is visible or tangible. In the cultural context of the Corinthian church, which was heavily influenced by Greek philosophy and a focus on empirical evidence, this statement would have been countercultural. The emphasis on faith over sight is a call to trust in God's promises and His unseen work in the world. This aligns with Jesus' teaching inJohn 20:29, where He blesses those who believe without seeing. The Apostle Paul, who wrote 2 Corinthians, often faced challenges and persecutions that required him to rely on faith rather than visible success or comfort (2 Corinthians 4:18). This reliance on the unseen is a hallmark of the Christian hope, looking forward to the eternal and not just the temporal.

- “For” links verse 7 to the flow of thought in2 Corinthians 5:1-6. Paul has just spoken of our earthly tent being destroyed and our longing for the heavenly dwelling.

- The conjunction grounds his earlier assurance: because eternal realities are certain, our present manner of life is shaped accordingly (see2 Corinthians 4:17-18;Romans 8:18).

- When Paul says, “For we walk…,” he signals that what follows explains why believers can face affliction with confidence.

- “Walk” is a Hebrew-style idiom for daily conduct. It pictures a continuous journey, not a single step (compareEphesians 4:1;Colossians 2:6).

- Paul includes himself—“we”—embracing every follower of Christ. The Christian life is communal as well as personal (Philippians 1:27).

- This walk involves choices, habits, and attitudes that line up with God’s revealed will (Psalm 119:105).

- Faith is trust in God’s character and promises, anchored in the finished work of Christ (Hebrews 12:2).

- It relies on what God has said rather than what circumstances suggest (Hebrews 11:1).

- Living by faith means:

• Accepting God’s Word as truth in every situation (John 17:17).

• Acting in obedience even when outcomes are unseen (James 2:22-23).

• Drawing strength from the Spirit, not self-effort (Galatians 2:20).

- Such faith anticipates the unseen eternal home Paul has just described (2 Corinthians 5:1-5).

- “Sight” stands for what can be verified by natural senses and human reasoning (John 20:29).

- The world walks by sight, evaluating life only by what is visible and measurable (1 John 2:16-17).

- Believers refuse to let temporary appearances control them:

• Suffering does not disprove God’s goodness (Romans 8:28).

• Delayed answers do not negate His faithfulness (Habakkuk 2:3-4).

• Worldly success is not the ultimate reward (Matthew 6:19-20).

- Paul himself demonstrates this perspective: though outwardly wasting away, he sees inward renewal (2 Corinthians 4:16).

- Prayer becomes essential conversation with the unseen Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

- Scripture is treated as the sure compass over shifting feelings (Psalm 19:7-11).

- Hope focuses on Christ’s return and the resurrection of the body (Philippians 3:20-21).

- Courage replaces fear because the worst that can happen in this life cannot rob the believer of eternal life (Matthew 10:28;2 Corinthians 5:8-9).

2 Corinthians 5:7 calls believers to a lifestyle grounded in the certainty of God’s promises rather than the uncertainty of visible circumstances. Paul reminds us that our entire journey—our “walk”—is governed by faith: confident trust in the unseen yet utterly reliable God. Sight, with its fleeting and often misleading impressions, no longer dictates our responses. Instead, we order our choices, endure trials, and cultivate hope based on the sure revelation of Scripture and the glorious eternity awaiting us.