The Eye of Faith.

From: The Believer's Monthly Magazine: Volume 1

MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS, ―I am sure you would find it both a pleasant and profitable exercise to consider of what great value to you is your natural eyesight. It is the means by which you enjoy the sights around you, while you are able to usefully employ the knowledge you thus obtain. By simply closing your eyelids how many of the sights of the world you can shut out. Thank God that you are able to open them again, and what you lost for a moment, you have not lost forever.

But there is a spiritual eye as well as a natural eye; and it is of the vision of the soul that 1 wish to say a word. But I must first speak of another kind of sight, which I will call mental vision. I mean that in a natural way we are able by means of the imagination to see objects without the aid of our eyes. For instance, I now see the inkstand before me. I close my eyes, but I still see the inkstand, and could describe it to you if I wished. It is therefore possible because of the marvelous powers of the mind to see natural objects that are not immediately before us.

Now in a similar way, though in a far higher sense, the Christian sees what the world reeks nothing Of. By faith he is able to behold what is otherwise invisible. When the Lord Jesus was on Mount Olivet (Acts 1), surrounded by His disciples, He was visible to them in the same way as other objects around them. But when He was taken up from them, and a cloud received Him out of their sight, it was in vain that they looked steadfastly up into heaven. He was hidden from natural eyes. Yet the apostle Paul who had not known Christ after the flesh (2 Cor. 5:16¹⁶Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. (2 Corinthians 5:16)) declared for himself and for all believers, “ We see Jesus ... crowned with glory and honor” (Heb. 2:9⁹But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9)).

Here then we have the soul triumphing over the body. It is not a natural sight that now bolds the Saviour, but faith; as it is said in the same epistle that faith is “the evidence [or conviction] of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1¹Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)) The very heavens themselves are not proof against the “transpiercing eve” of faith; for it looks even to the right hand of the Majesty on high and there discerns its loved One.

How wonderful it is that we should have the ability of thus seeing the Lord Jesus. Faith makes the person of Christ very real. It enables us to have to do with Him day by day as our Friend. We see His activity on our behalf as our Advocate with the Father, as our Great High Priest in the presence of God.

But it is well for you to remember that it largely depends upon yourself to what extent you make use of the power of faith. You are exhorted to be “looking unto Jesus” (Heb. 12:2²Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)). So you must be careful lest you relax in the intentness of your gaze. Even naturally you know that some people make far better use of their eyes than others. It was said to them of old time, “A wise man’s eyes are in his head” (Eccl. 2:14¹⁴The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all. (Ecclesiastes 2:14)), and, again, “The eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth” (Prov. 17:24²⁴Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth. (Proverbs 17:24)). By which, I suppose, it is taught that wisdom lies in making good use of one’s own eyes, and folly in allowing one’s attention to wander in butterfly fashion the wide world over. There is a vast difference between the glance of intelligence and the stare of stupidity. There are some people who look at everything, but yet see nothing; for they give neither interest nor attention to what is before them.

Now in spiritual matters there is even far greater call for undivided interest and attention. The eye of faith must be single (Matt. 6:22²²The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. (Matthew 6:22)). Strive. to have the Lord Jesus before you continually. Seek to serve Him and Him only. It is the tireless effort of the enemy to interpose some object between your soul and Him.

But the word of God is the great medium by which the person of Christ is kept in view. The scriptures testify of Him. Therein He speaks to you. There He lives before you. Keep up therefore a constant communion with Him by means of the word. The moment you cease to be watchful and careful, something else will intervene; and the eye of faith will be dimmed.

It is certain the effect of gazing on Christ is that we become like Him. This is the true Christian position; for it says, “But we all, looking on the glory of the Lord with unveiled face, are transformed according to the same image from glory to glory” (2 Cor. 3:18,¹⁸But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18) J.N.D.)

In the chapter from which this verse is quoted, the apostle contrasts the privileges of believers at the present time with those possessed under the old covenant. The children of Israel were unable to behold the glory of Moses’ countenance when he had been before the Lord. For this reason the mediator had to, cover his face with a veil when he was before the congregation (Ex. 34:29-35²⁹And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. ³⁰And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. ³¹And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them. ³²And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him in mount Sinai. ³³And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face. ³⁴But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded. ³⁵And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him. (Exodus 34:29‑35)).

On the contrary, every Christian is entitled to behold the glory of the Lord without the medium of a veil. See the verse (2 Cor. 3:18¹⁸But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18)) as correctly rendered above. The result of this action of faith is that we become transformed after His image from glory to glory. Carefully compare the case of Stephen as given in Acts 6:15; 7:55¹⁵And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. (Acts 6:15)
⁵⁵But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, (Acts 7:55). Let it be your prayer and mine:—

“Oh, fix our earnest gaze

So wholly, Lord, on Thee,

That with Thy beauty occupied,

We may transformed be!”

I am,

Yours faithfully “YOD.”

2 Corinthians 3:2²Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: (2 Corinthians 3:2). —The old covenant was glorious, i.e., it was accompanied by glory, a transitory burst. For God cannot act at all without some display of “glory and beauty,” whether in things spiritual or natural. But the new covenant has a glory incomparably greater; it is not a transient glimpse (see Ex. 33:22, 23²²And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: ²³And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen. (Exodus 33:22‑23)), as of that which was being done away, but it is abiding and established in glory.

R. B. JR.

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