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Readings: Numbers 13:1-3, 17-33; 14:1-24, 31-34; 2 Corinthians 5:7; John 20:28-31
In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Christians walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Cor. 5:7) The world says seeing is believing. But it’s not. Seeing is a way of knowing, and “knowing” is not believing. Our eyes and our five senses show us all sorts of things. In the kingdom of the Left Hand (of God), which is ruled by law, by government (Rom. 13:1-7), we ought to trust our eyes. We need to see the facts on the ground. We need to make sensible choices. But in the kingdom of the Right Hand—God’s kingdom ruled by the Man who sits on His right hand, Jesus Christ our ascended saviour—we walk by faith and not by sight. For faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Heb. 11:1) How can you have assurance about what you can’t see? Well, faith comes by hearing, hearing the word about Christ. (Rom. 10:17) So faith does come from the eyes, by seeing. But from the ear, by hearing. Which is why St. Paul says, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel—that good news I’ve heard about Jesus—for it is the power of God unto salvation.” (Rom. 1:16) Remember that Paul before believing in Jesus persecuted believers in Jesus. He forcibly entered their homes. He threw them in prison. (Acts 8:3; 9:1-2) He stood by smiling after inciting a mob to stone to death Stephen (Acts 7:58-8:1), one of the first seven pastors of the Church. (Acts 6:1-6) And then Paul was converted by what He heard. (Acts 9:4-6, 17-18) He couldn’t even see it. (Acts 9:8) But the Holy Spirit called him by the Gospel (Acts 9:15-16), enlightened with His gifts (Acts 9:16-17), sanctified and kept him in the true faith. When this happened Paul was literally blind. It was hearing the Gospel that converted him. That opened his eyes. (Acts 9:17-18)
In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Christians walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Cor. 5:7) The world says seeing is believing. But it’s not. Seeing is a way of knowing, and “knowing” is not believing. Our eyes and our five senses show us all sorts of things. In the kingdom of the Left Hand (of God), which is ruled by law, by government (Rom. 13:1-7), we ought to trust our eyes. We need to see the facts on the ground. We need to make sensible choices. But in the kingdom of the Right Hand—God’s kingdom ruled by the Man who sits on His right hand, Jesus Christ our ascended saviour—we walk by faith and not by sight. For faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Heb. 11:1) How can you have assurance about what you can’t see? Well, faith comes by hearing, hearing the word about Christ. (Rom. 10:17) So faith does come from the eyes, by seeing. But from the ear, by hearing. Which is why St. Paul says, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel—that good news I’ve heard about Jesus—for it is the power of God unto salvation.” (Rom. 1:16) Remember that Paul before believing in Jesus persecuted believers in Jesus. He forcibly entered their homes. He threw them in prison. (Acts 8:3; 9:1-2) He stood by smiling after inciting a mob to stone to death Stephen (Acts 7:58-8:1), one of the first seven pastors of the Church. (Acts 6:1-6) And then Paul was converted by what He heard. (Acts 9:4-6, 17-18) He couldn’t even see it. (Acts 9:8) But the Holy Spirit called him by the Gospel (Acts 9:15-16), enlightened with His gifts (Acts 9:16-17), sanctified and kept him in the true faith. When this happened Paul was literally blind. It was hearing the Gospel that converted him. That opened his eyes. (Acts 9:17-18)
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