"For we walk by faith, not by sight" (II Corinthians 5:7). Since we are discussing the meaning of a word, we need to understand that Bible use of words sometimes differ from common usage.
One may say, "I know it is raining now, but I believe it will quit by tomorrow." This statement puts "believe" and "know" as appositives. The word "know" refers to something held with certainty, and the word "believe" indicates that which is held without certainty. Now this is a legitimate use of the word believe since it is commonly used this way in formal English.
However, this is not the word we find in the Bible regarding convictions held by faith. The word faith as it is used in the Bible never conveys an element of doubt.
One of the reasons for the misunderstanding regarding faith is that the testimony of someone, must contain an element of doubt because testimony is never completely trustworthy. It is agreed that quite often human thinking is not completely reliable. However, sight is not always trustworthy since information gained through the senses sometimes results in errors.
But the Bible is the inspired word of God (II Timothy 3:16-17). To say that the Bible is God's word is to say that it can be trusted completely to teach the truth. Since God cannot lie (Titus 1:2), then the Bible cannot lie--that is, it cannot teach errors.
"So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of god" (Romans 10:17). It is clear that when we do not have testimony from the Scriptures, we cannot "walk by faith."
We read in John 8:32, "and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Then in II Corinthians 5:7, "For we walk by faith and not by sight." Surely, these statements refer the some system, and walking by faith embodies knowing the truth. Bible faith is a matter of knowledge.
Faith is contrasted with sight, not knowledge. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). Where there is not evidence there can be no faith.
Sight is a means of obtaining knowledge. Testimony is also a means of obtaining knowledge. It is possible to come to knowledge is either or both ways.
Faith is not contrasted with knowledge but with another means of obtaining knowledge. Faith is knowledge obtained by the testimony (evidence) of God's word.
Walking by faith means walking by the word of God, not by experience. The body of knowledge which makes us free comes through God's revealed word and not through experiences.
Thus, faith is not a leap in the dark, but rather a "walk in the light" (I John 1:7).
"If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God" (I Peter 4:11).
Don H. Noblin
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