Seeing is Believing and Believing Is Seeing

I have been reading A.W. Tozer’s book, The Pursuit of God, over these past few weeks. This is my first venture into the vast array of Tozer-authored books and I am glad to have found him. Tozer’s words flow out of the book like poetry. In that way, he reminds me of C.S. Lewis. (As a side note, maybe you have to use the initials to become a incredible author. Perhaps I will start going by L.C. Wurschmidt and see what happens.)

Tozer brings up a “dramatic story in the Book of Numbers [where] faith is seen in action.” After a series of events, God instructed Moses to create a bronze replica of the poisonous snakes that were killing the Israelites. If any Israelite was bitten by a snake they only had to look upon the bronze replica and they would live (Numbers 21:4-9).

Jesus then aligns this passage for us with how we can be saved (John 3:14-15).

14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.

Tozer continues by stating that looking and believing are synonymous terms.

‘Looking‘ on the Old Testament serpent is identical with ‘believing‘ on the New Testament Christ… [and] while Israel looked with their external eyes, believing is done with the heart.

Through this, here is one definition of faith: it “is the gaze of a soul upon a saving God.”

Wow, what a great description of faith! Based on the aforementioned text, faith is not something we do just one time and then let it rest. Faith is continually looking at our saving and merciful God and Savior with fixed and adoring eyes.

This is a great definition of faith, but I know there are more definitions. What are some that you have discovered? If you do not have a good working definition of faith then would suggest checking out Hebrews 11.

Until next time, may the Lord be with you and give you continual peace and joy. – LW