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While We Look Not...

by Rabon Byrd
4/20/2011 / Bible Studies

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. - 2 Corinthians 4:18

Paul, in every epistle, declares that we who are born of the Spirit, have by union with Christ, been brought out of the earth, out from the natural and earthly. We have been brought from that age of observable elements and external symbolisms to the Spiritual Substance in view of whom all of those elements stood and by reason of whom they existed. One place Paul says this is in Galatians 1:4, "Who did give himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of the present evil age, according to the will of God even our Father." He is speaking to them concerning their having been raised, up out from that evil Old Covenant age. What made it an evil age? We know that it was not evil as long as its testimony was legitimate, but it ceased being a valid testimony and became an evil perversion when the elements of it were held to and Christ, their spiritual meaning and fulfillment was disregarded. They held to the external elements that testified of the perfection of Christ and had intruded into those things attempting to become the intended measure of their testimony. In other words, they had held to the righteousness they perceived themselves to possess through their external observances and actions, but had refused the inward and unseen reality embodied in the person of Christ Himself. Paul said that it was a "present evil age", so what did he mean by present? He meant that the visible elements of that age, which God had put away by the Cross, were still standing among them possessing an external and material presence. However, the Galatians had been brought into a spiritual and eternal fulfillment which had no earthly or natural evidence at all, but that into which they had been brought was evidenced only by Faith; which is to say "God revealing The Son in them as the spiritual consummation of every testimonial element that stood before them". The external and material edifice of that system, which God had by His Cross abolished, remained visibly present. God did not take away, those visible elements immediately.

There is a school of Theology that teaches that the New Covenant, The Kingdom, Full Salvation, etc. did not actually come and was not actually available until the visible emblems of that Old Covenant system were destroyed in 70AD. However, that is not true at all. If it is, Paul was declaring a Salvation that was not yet available, an indwelling Kingdom that had not arrived, a New Covenant that was still on hold. Yet, that disregards the finished work of the Cross and the sufficiency of the indwelling of Christ in our souls. Paul was always praying for the Church that they would inwardly experience, inwardly come to the realization and enjoyment of that present perfect salvation given in the Person of the indwelling Christ. You see, His soul was experiencing a reality that superseded anything that could be erected by man, any edifice that stood, any external observance that continued, or event that would take place. His comprehension of reality and his confidence in its validity was not contingent upon any external, physical manifestation or natural destruction. The rites, ceremonies, and edifices of that system of externalities, did not have to be removed from eyesight for the soul to experience that better thing, that greater glory that Christ is made unto it.

What does this have to do with us? Why have I interjected such an example? I believe that the same condition that is sited above is a condition that is prevalent in the church world today. The verse with which I started this article states what should be the perspective of the believer. It sounds unnatural does it not? That is because it is not natural at all. Such a view, such a perspective is called Faith. I recently heard someone define faith as looking at "heavenly, unseen things", until they become visible in the earth. However, that is a misconception? Faith is a God given comprehension and perspective, which peers into that eternal realm into which the natural faculties cannot reach. Faith beholds the substance and the evidence that CANNOT be evidenced or observed by the eyes of man.

I say this because the Christian religion is bound to external manifestations and bound to outward measurements that they can perceive with their natural eyes. Such a condition keeps the heart looking at the improper object (that which is seen) and inhibits the soul to ever see, know and experience the Life that can only be perceived by Faith, can only be seen when God reveals that Life (Christ) IN US. Sooner or later, spiritual reality has to supersede visibly evident things in our hearts. The Righteousness which is of Faith has to finally replace, in our comprehension, that which I judge to be Righteousness because it meets with my concept of Righteousness and I naturally perceive the attributes that I believe to be attributes of Righteousness. Righteousness is never achieved or perceived by us, but is revealed in us.

Just as Abraham, we have come into the "land" that must be SHOWN unto us! The characteristics of this realm of Spirit and Truth can only be known by those in whom the source and substance of that realm is made known or revealed. Again, in Galatians you see Paul experiencing a transition in his soul from the external elements of the religion of the Jews, to the overriding spiritual fullness of the indwelling Christ. Such a transition took place when God revealed His Son in Paul. Many do not believe that Love, Righteousness, etc. have true validity until they are observed by the natural eye, but the true essence of these SPIRITUAL attributes are not defined, measured, or validated by observable manifestations. Just as with those who believe that the destruction of the external elements of the Old Covenant system made the New Covenant a valid and available entity; many believe that our observable demonstrations of "spiritual" attributes validate the reality itself. Yet, I believe Paul is saying that external things never determine spiritual reality. What is externally observable (manifestations, buildings, events, etc.) does not determine the efficacy of the reality of the Spirit.

The Spirit of God works in our souls upon the basis of that eternal and unseen substance that Christ is. Not so that we can ultimately manifest it externally, but so that our souls will be fully occupied in and transformed by that unseen reality of Christ which supersedes anything that is outwardly observable. I do not mean to imply that external actions and activities will not result from beholding the eternal reality in the face of Jesus Christ. I am simply saying that none of them give "evidence" to the spiritual reality that Christ is in us and is being known to be in us. Our single desire, the one unto which our affection should be set is the inward revelation of Jesus Christ. We should not waste our time debating, imagining, or attempting to define what the resulting effects of that revealing will be. I assure you that they will always be totally other than what we have imagined. The revealing of Christ will first be devastation to my measurements and definitions. The way I have supposed righteousness, love, holiness, etc. to "look" will be fully erased in the Light of the excellency of Him. Whatever actions that may result from such an inward realization and judgment will be rightly seen to be but a by product of the true manifestation of Christ taking place in us. They will not be perceived to be the intended end and emphasis of the work of the Spirit.

It is important to notice the basis of such a statement as, "we look not" 2 Corinthians 4:6 -For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Not looking at that which is seen (by ocular evidence) is not something we decide to do, but is an automatic in the soul that has seen and is seeing the superseding excellence of the Eternal Son of God. May we who are above, set our affection upon that which is above; that which is only known and experienced by the Faith of the Son of God working in us.

Rabon Byrd is a Bible Teacher, writer, and editor at the C.M.I. Bible Research Center in Leslie, Arkansas. For more Christ-centered writings, audio and video teachings from Rabon and fellow laborers in Christ, visit cmintl.org or rabonbyrd.blogspot.com. Feel free to email him at [email protected]

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