Have you ever had the experience of being somewhere very different, very strange. Someplace where you just simply didn't fit in? Maybe their culture was different or maybe their language, maybe they were "northerners" and you were a "southerner", maybe you grew up in the big city and they grew up on a farm. Maybe you felt almost like a stranger in the earth. Most of us have some experience with not fitting in. Peter has something to tell us about this. In I Peter 2: 11-12 he says,
"Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation."
Depending on the translations the word may be aliens, strangers, exiles or foreigners. The idea is identical. You (Christians) don't belong here. You are travelers, strangers that are passing through this world. Your home isn't here. You feel almost uncomfortable here. This place is so different from what is "normal" for you that you can sense you don't belong.
Our True Home - Heaven
Hebrews 11: 8-10 reminds us that Abraham, full of faith, journeyed to a foreign land, to the Promised Land. There he was a stranger, but what was he really looking forward to? He was really looking forward to a city built by God - a Heavenly city. When we look back at the Old Testament, we see in Exodus 2:22 the birth of Moses first born son. The name he is given, Gershom, literally means "a stranger in a strange land". He was born in Midian, not his true home. His home was the Promised Land. Our home also is not here, it is in Heaven with our Lord and Savior. If there ever is a time in your life when you begin to feel at ease here, when you start to feel as if you belong - beware. Peter begs you to not to give into sinful desires because these desires, these lusts, wage war against your very soul. This is a war we must win.
Transformed by the Holy Spirit
At one time, before the Lord transformed you by His Holy Spirit you did belong. But since you have been changed, since you have become a "new creation" (2 Corinthians 5: 17), we can no longer fit in. We should not even try to be part of that old world. But this is hard. We may find ourselves still wanting to sin, but now, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the ability to resist. Peter is encouraging us in our battle against sin.
Filled with Good Works
The world will view us as odd, perhaps even bad people, for not participating in what is considered normal behavior, but even while these unbelievers are saying this they should be seeing the lives we lead. Our lives should be filled with good works. Our loving kindness towards people who persecute us has an effect on the world. When unbelievers see these good works, some will ultimately glorify God.
Be An Example
Paul tells Timothy much the same thing in I Timothy 4: 12-13. He tells Timothy to be a an example in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity. There is an old expression I am sure you have heard, "Your life is the only Bible many people will ever read." Everything we do is being watched, especially if those around us know we call ourselves Christian.
Honorable Conduct
Just as the Jewish people exiled in Babylon were "strangers in a strange land" and yet returned to Israel and rebuilt the temple, so today, a small people, of little account and worth, are the ones God chooses to do incredible things. God sees the extraordinary in the insignificant things of the world. He sees the difference we can make when we have, as Peter says, honorable conduct.
Overcome Evil with Good
In 2 Corinthians 5:20 Paul calls us "ambassadors for Christ". We are sent out into a world that is no longer ours to accomplish the purpose of the One who we represent. In Romans 12:21 Paul tells us to "overcome evil with good". We don't overcome evil by violence, we don't overcome evil by marching in the streets, we don't even overcome evil by going to church; but we do overcome evil by being the opposite of it, by being good.
A Stranger in the Earth
When someone travels to a foreign land they usually miss their family they have left behind. They write letters, send emails, or FaceTime so they don't lose the connection to the one's they love. In this strange land we Christians live in how do we keep our connection to our true home. Psalm 119:19 explains how. The psalmist says,
"I am a stranger in the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me."
To stay connected to our true home, the will of God and His word need to be present to us. We need to understand how God would use us in this strange land we live in because we know that where He is is our true home. To overcome evil we have to stay connected to our source of love. In this way we can truly love others and do good to them. Our connection to our Father helps us to win this war for our soul that Peter talks about.
Enjoy, This World is Not Home, by the great Jim Reeves.
Comments