Fixing Our Eyes on the Things Not Seen

Yesterday we read in 2 Corinthians 3:18 how the Spirit works so that we are transformed while, in God's Word, we behold the glory of God as in a mirror.

In 2 Corinthians Paul returns to the same theme.

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (4:17-18)

Here Paul teaches that the faithful, victorious enduring of temporal afflictions can produce in us, as believers, results of great and eternal glory; but he adds the same qualification as in the previous chapter. This working out of spiritual glory within us is only effective while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen (v. 18).

If we once take our eyes off the eternal things, our afflictions no longer produce the same beneficial effects within us. It is in the mirror of God’s Word that we behold these eternal things. Therefore, it is in this mirror that we must continue steadfastly to look.

For example, notice how Moses endured forty years of exile in the wilderness after he fled from Egypt.

“By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.” (Heb. 11:27)

Note the source of Moses’ power to endure affliction: “he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.” It was Moses’ vision of the eternal, invisible God and Saviour of his people that gave him faith and courage to endure and to triumph over all his afflictions. The same vision can give the same faith and courage to us today. Where shall we find this continuing vision of God in our daily needs and testings? In the wonderful spiritual mirror which He has given us for this very purpose – that is, the mirror of His own Word. The secret both of transforming grace and of victorious living lies here – in the use that we make of God’s mirror. While we use the mirror aright, God’s Spirit works out these effects in our lives.