This John Wesley sermon dates back to December 30th, 1788. Wesley sets out to reveal the differences between walking by faith and walking by sight.
“We walk by faith, not by sight” -II Corinthians 5:7
Wesley, states that these few words sum up a real Christian. He declares, “But before we can possibly walk by faith, we must LIVE by faith, and not by sight.”
This life he speaks of is a life that the world doesn’t know. It’s a life imperceptible by our normal senses. When we become Christians, God gives us new senses. SPIRITUAL SENSES.
These spiritual senses are “senses exercised to discern spiritual good and evil.”
People who are not born again are walking by sight, one of the natural senses. This sense is limited by its very nature. For example, we can only see so far. Wesley states,
“By sight we take knowledge of this visible world, from the surface of the earth to the region of the fixed stars. But what is the world visible to us, but “a speak of creation,” compared to the whole universe? To the invisible world”
Given that there are countless objects that are so far away we can’t make them out, it’s only logical to believe there are countless things “too delicate in nature to be discerned by any of our senses?” Likewise, until the microscope was created, there were thousands of things we couldn’t see there either.
In other words, Wesley is saying, look at how limited your senses are. Your eyes will only take you so far.
Wesley declares, “Millions of spiritual creatures walk the earth. Unseen, both when we wake, and when we sleep”.
Paragraph seven from the sermon:
“Nothing is in understanding that was not first perceived by some of the senses. Consequently, the understanding, having here nothing to work upon, can afford us no help at all”
In other words, these senses of ours are of no help when it comes to the INVISIBLE and ETERNAL world. All they know how to do is walk by SIGHT and view the temporal. They aren’t adapted to view the invisible and eternal.
Faith is our aid when our natural senses cannot help us. Faith goes beyond what these natural senses are capable of. God through his grace “pours divine light” into our soul….enabling us to see this invisible realm. Enabling us to see the things of God with our spiritual senses.
What does it mean to Walk By Faith?
Wesley answers this with:
“They regulate all their judgements concerning good and evil, not with reference to visible and temporal things, but to things invisible and eternal.”
Walking by faith is putting your focus on things eternal, the things of God that last. As Colossians 3 states, “Think on things ABOVE and not on things ON EARTH.” Thinking on things above is walking in faith.
Wesley goes on to state that those who walk by faith weigh things according to “What influence has it on my eternal state?” This is the standard they regulate their actions and behaviors by.
In typical Wesley fashion, he uses questions to drive home his point about walking by faith:
What am I seeking day by day?
What am I pursuing? Earth or Heaven?
The things seen or the things not seen?
Fix the eye of your soul on “Him that is invisible.”….then shall your “whole body be full of light”
He contrasts faith with the THINGS OF THE WORLD:
- Desire of the flesh
- Desire of the eye
- Pride of Life (Desire of wealth or honor of man)
These things are the focus of the world, not eternal. When you are walking by sight, these are the things you chase after.
What is Religion?
Wesley, nears closing with this home run statement on religion: Religion is:
“no less than living in eternity, and walking in eternity: and hereby walking in the love of God and men, in lowliness, meekness, and resignation. This and this alone is the LIFE WHICH IS HID WITH CHRIST IN GOD”……this alone is doing his “will on earth as it is done in heaven.”
The close
Wesley closes by urging the listener to “Look not at the things seen but at the things not seen.” Fix your eyes on Christ who sits at the right-hand of God.
Hopefully, you find this sermon and the notes up lifting. Go through your week, walking in faith by having an eternity-driven mindset.