Faith as Spiritual Eyes

 

Faith as Spiritual Eyes

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."

Hebrews 11:3 "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command."

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 "What no eye has seen...these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit."

Hebrews 11:13 "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance."

Numbers 13:31-33 The spies said "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are"

2 Peter 1:5-8 "Add to your faith goodness...if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective."

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?...They do it to get a crown that will not last."

Ephesians 2:8-9 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."

2 Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Hebrews 11:39-40 "These were all commended for their faith."

 

Analysis Dimension	Physical Eyes	Faith  (Spiritual Eyes)	Biblical Foundation & Explanation
Essential Definition	Physical sensory organs for seeing visible things	Spiritual organs for seeing invisible spiritual realities	Ephesians 1:18 "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you."
Range of Vision	Limited to material world, temporal things	Encompasses spiritual world, eternal things	2 Corinthians 4:18 "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
Cognitive Foundation	Based on sensory experience and environmental evidence	Based on God's Word and Holy Spirit revelation	Romans 10:17 "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ."
Judgment Standards	Appearance, surface, human standards	Heart, essence, God's standards	1 Samuel 16:7 "People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." John 7:24 "Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly."
Action Principles	Acting by sight, relying on visible evidence	Acting by faith, relying on God's promises	2 Corinthians 5:7 "For we live by faith, not by sight." Romans 4:17 "Abraham believed in the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not." Joshua 14:12 Caleb said "Give me this hill country that the Lord promised me"
Response to Difficulties	Fear and retreat when seeing difficulties	Overcome difficulties, seeing God's power
Time Perspective	Focus on present, limited to now	Eternal vision, seeing the future	Hebrews 12:2 "Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."
Functional Utility	Navigate material world, handle daily affairs	Connect to spiritual world, gain heavenly wisdom	Proverbs 29:18 "Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom's instruction." 1 Corinthians 2:14 "The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God." 1 Corinthians 13:12 "For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face." Matthew 6:22-23 "If your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness." John 20:29 "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Hebrews 11:6 "Without faith it is impossible to please God."
Limitations	Will decay, finite, easily deceived	Incomplete in this life but can grow
Practical Case Studies	Negative Examples: • Israelites feared giants (Num 13:31-33) • Thomas needed to see to believe (John 20:24-25) • Peter feared the storm (Matt 14:30) • Sarah doubted due to old age (Gen 18:12)	Positive Examples: • Abraham saw God's provision at Isaac's sacrifice (Gen 22:8) • Moses saw the invisible God (Heb 11:27) • Gideon's 300 saw God's victory (Judg 7:20-21) • Daniel's friends saw the fourth man (Dan 3:25)
Application Principles	Must be used cautiously, not completely relied upon	Needs cultivation and practice, combined with God's Word	Romans 10:17 "Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ."
Ultimate Goal	Serves  temporary physical life	Pursues  eternal spiritual life	Philippians 3:13-14 "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal."
Relationship with God	May become obstacle to trusting God	Bridge to establish relationship with God	John 14:1 "Trust in God; trust also in me." Hebrews 11:6 "Anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come."
Spiritual Growth	Does not directly promote spiritual growth	Key element of spiritual growth
Key to Victory	Depends on external circumstances and conditions	Relies on God's power and promises	1 John 5:4 "For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith."
Final Outcome	Inevitably fails and decays	Brings eternal rewards and glory	2 Timothy 4:7-8 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness."

 

 Key Points:

• Faith serves as spiritual eyes that enable believers to see beyond physical limitations
• Physical eyes focus on temporary, visible things while faith perceives eternal, invisible realities
• Biblical examples consistently show faith triumphing over sight-based judgments
• Spiritual growth requires developing faith while properly using physical sight
• The ultimate goal is eternal life achieved through faith, not temporary success through sight

Conclusion:

This comprehensive analysis reveals that faith functions as spiritual eyes, providing believers with the ability to perceive God's truth beyond physical limitations. While physical eyes serve important practical functions, they must be balanced with spiritual vision that comes through faith in God's Word. The biblical pattern consistently shows that those who live by faith rather than sight experience God's power and achieve eternal significance.

 

*Please refer to the June 2025 Summer Training, General Topic: Experiencing, Enjoying, and Manifesting Christ (Part 3), Chapter 8: Looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of Our Faith