2 Corinthians 4:18 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… I. THE THINGS THEMSELVES. The Christian man looks at the outward fluctuation of life-at what is done, endured, enjoyed; but amidst all, his eye is fixed upon those great eternal principles, which come directly from the God that is above him; and he feels His great government to be a living power, pressing perpetually upon him, and making him to be what he is. II. THE CONTRAST BETWIXT THESE TWO CLASSES OF THINGS. Very different degrees of duration belong to "the things which are seen"; but none of them possess perpetuity. 1. If you take that which has the longest duration — the material universe — still, we are taught by Scripture that it is temporal, and reason confirms the idea. The eternity of matter would make matter to be God. The whole universe is but the material manifestation of God, and the time will come when the great God, having for ages worn this splendid regal robe, sparkling with its innumerable lustrous lights, will just put it off, fold it up, and lay it aside; while He Himself changeth not, but is ever the same, from everlasting to everlasting! So that you see, compared with God, that which has the greatest duration is yet temporal and transitory. 2. Again, there is greater duration belonging to the structure than to the race who inhabit it; and to that greater duration God has opposed His own eternity. Humanity has a less duration than the universe, the habitation; and the individual has a much less duration than the race. But contrasted with this, there is the "spirit in man" — the "inspiration of the Almighty, which giveth him understanding," and which partakes of the indestructibility of God. 3. Again, the great things that make life what it is — the bustle, activity, ambition, the sweat and stir of mankind — why, they are not even so long as life itself. The little child outlives the things which to his age are "the things which are seen," and which please while they last. So is it with the youth, and with the young man, and with the man of "full age." So you find it with men everywhere; they outlive the things for which men live — they often outlive even the capability of enjoying them if they had them. All the particular forms of human action, virtue, glory, temptation, suffering — all these are temporal and transitory; but the principles connected with them all are eternal. I do not expect to have to buy and sell in heaven; but whatever I do there, I must do justly and uprightly — the principle that must regulate my buying and selling here. III. THE RELATION OF THE CHRISTIAN MIND AND HEART TO THESE. "We look," etc. This language implies — 1. A perfect persuasion that these things are. Everywhere the thoughtful have thought — surely, there is a great Spirit; surely, I myself have a spirit. And not only so, but that there is a difference between this thing and that; I call the one right and the other wrong, this bad and that good. But there have been doubt, scepticism, and uncertainty — mingled with all this — reason, wanting satisfaction on authority. And the very condition of our nature here, as being in a state of probation, demands that principles of this sort, the great ruling laws by which we ought to be regulated, should not be overpowering in their manifestation. But the Christian man believes, on the authority of the declaration of God, that there are these unseen existing things and persons and principles. 2. That he looks at them attentively, regards them habitually, realises the fact of his being surrounded by these unseen things, and acts in relation to them. IV. THE RESULTS OF THIS CONDITION OR RELATION OF THE CHRISTIAN MIND AND HEART TO THESE THINGS. 1. It elevates and dignifies all things. The world and man are no longer mere material; life is no longer little or mean, for everything is capable of being associated with these eternal, infinite, unseen things. Your poets and novelists can sit and laugh and snarl at human life. But why? Because they look only at what is seen, at what is little, mean, degraded. But there is no littleness even in the follies and vices of society, when we regard their aspect to God and to eternity. 2. It affords the Christian a firm footing for the fulfilment of duty and the resistance of temptation. Duty — what is that? "Whatever thy hand findeth to do," do it, because the principle is an eternal thing. Temptation — what is that? "Child of mortality, turn aside, take thy present pleasure, enjoy it now!" But the man whose eye is clear, and whose heart is true, says, "No, no! I see through it, I understand it, it is all hollow, false, empty." Temptation is nothing to the man that sees it is but the bubble rising to the surface of the stream, and knows that though it looks beautiful for a moment, in the sunbeams that are falling upon it, it shall perish and pass away, but that he has to do with things real, Godlike, and enduring. 3. It is the great secret of the inward life, by which we may bear sorrow, and get good out of anything that may come upon us. It is thus the apostles were sustained. They could sing in the gaol, because they could glory in tribulation, looking at "the things which are not seen." They could say, "Our light affliction which is but for a moment," etc. (T. Binney.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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