Faith enables Christians to live with an eternal perspective, focusing on unseen realities rather than temporary earthly circumstances only. This heavenly perspective enables believers to trust God’s promises for the future while living in present hope of knowing that God will provide.
The biblical view of life, which reaches into eternity and has heaven as its destination, transforms believers understanding by expanding our vision to include God’s full picture of eternal life.
Faith looks for more than the place called heaven, faith looks for Jesus Christ. Paul emphasises this when writing to Titus by reminding him that we are waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ… (Titus 2:13). Christians live in a physical world, with real struggles and circumstances, yet faith always has its attention partly looking for Jesus to return.
Paul’s encouragement to Titus reveals the importance of having a correct understanding of who Jesus is and allowing the greatness of Jesus to guide our thoughts and desires. Yes, Jesus is our great God and Saviour. And yes, Jesus is glorious! But Jesus should always be thought of as near to us. He is near through His indwelling Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16). He is near through the living and abiding word of God, the Bible (1 Peter 1:23). And He is near to us through faith inspired hope of His return to catch up His bride, the church.
When Jesus returns it will be a glorious appearing. His appearing will not be silent, and it will not be invisible. Jesus’ divine glory shall light up the skies with the brilliance of His heavenly splendour as He catapults through a portal from heaven to earth’s atmosphere. Satellite cameras around the earth will view and record our creator re-entering the clouds to snatch up His beloved church.
By faith we believe Jesus’ promise of John 14:3, if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. Christians believe this, and faith causes us to look past the present physical life we endure to His great return. The apostle Paul excitedly reminds us of this in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Notice that it shall be Christ alone who descends, no horse, no angels, no heavenly hosts, just the glorified Lord Jesus Christ in this loud and unmistakable event.
Therefore, we Christians fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18). In this way we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). At present, while we live in fleshly bodies on this earth, we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known (1 Corinthians 13:12).
Knowing that His time on earth was short, Jesus taught His disciples, blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed (John 20:29). Faith enables us to experience the spiritual presence of Jesus Christ now while intentionally looking to our future with Him. Faith creates the real expectation of Jesus soon return. Faith builds internal security of eternal life in an eternal home with our eternal Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience (Romans 8:24-25).
