1For we know that if(A) the tent that is(B) our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God,(C) a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2For in this tent(D) we groan, longing to(E) put on our heavenly dwelling, 3if indeed by putting it on[a] we may not be found naked. 4For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal(F) may be swallowed up by life. 5He who has prepared us for this very thing is God,(G) who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
6So we are always of good courage. We know that(H) while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7for(I) we walk by faith, not(J) by sight. 8Yes, we are of good courage, and we(K) would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to(L) please him. 10For(M) we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,(N) so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
I love this! Shows us how God is the one at work in our lives. It is God and God alone who works faith in us through His Holy Spirit. Verse 5 tells us that God has given us His Spirit as a guarantee. The NIV uses deposit and I really like that translation. Think of it this way: God by His grace deposited faith into you by way of His Holy Spirit. Faith is a gift, as free as can be. All we do is receive it and believe. There are no special prayers we have to say. There are no works we need to do, there are no restrictions. To put it into worldly terms, it's like someone depositing a sum of money into your bank account. That is a gift, and you receive such gifts. You can reject it and thereby offend the giver, but most people would receive the funds into their accounts. In a similar way with God, He deposits faith into us at our baptism. Well then why aren't all people still believers after baptism? Some people abuse the gift and in time reject it. That is a sad fact of sin unfortunately. Otherwise, the one having faith with them forever it is a gift of God depositing it or guaranteeing it for them.
As much as I love that, my particular favorite aspect of this passage is verse 7. In just about every English translation it says "for we walk by faith, not by sight." The Greek word for "by" is "dia." That word can mean other things then "by." Greek is a much fuller language than English, so it is a shame a lot of the concepts so strengthened by the Greek cannot be translated into the English. One of the words "dia" can mean is "through." Although an awkward sounding English translation, "We walk through faith, not through sight." It really hammers home the idea that we live through our faith. Saying "by" implies we may have something to do with it. Rather the idea is that God works that faith THROUGH us and THROUGH that faith we walk, we live.
What do you have to do? Just live.
"For we walk THROUGH faith, not THROUGH sight."
Amen.
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