1 Peter 2:11-12; Heb. 11:13-16, War (1)

These two verses are the transition from the wonderful doctrinal foundation Peter has laid in 1:1-2:10 and the very pointed application in 2:13-5:14.  We have just been told that we, those who have come to Christ, were called out of darkness into the light of God in order that we might proclaim the praises of the One who called us.  Now he is about to give us some instruction as to how we ought to live as children of light who still live in the world dominated by darkness.

In order to do this we must have the proper perspective about where we live.  We were called out of darkness; yet we still live in the darkness.  We have come to Christ; but we have not yet joined Him in the place He is preparing for us.  The key to living in this situation is presented in four words: as sojourners and pilgrims. 

o      Sojourner: someone who lacks the right and rights of citizenship.

o      Pilgrim: one who comes from a foreign country into a city or land to reside there by the side of the natives.

As we are writing we are in a time in the USA where the discussion of a border wall is quite hot as well as concern about illegal immigrants.  We have absolutely nothing to say about any of that except to say that it helps us understand our situation.  Heaven, according to the description of the Heavenly Jerusalem in Rev. 21, is a city with a wall.  Only qualified citizens are allowed to enter (Rev. 21:8,27).  The world in which we live is a city so to speak.  It is a place where there are full fledged citizens who buy into the philosophy of the world.  The world’s philosophy is diametrically opposed to the philosophy of Heaven.  We are citizens of Heaven (Phil. 3:20) but we live on this earth where we used to have full citizenship. 

Think about that.  We have decided that the administration of this earth is not for us and we have become subject to another King.  Occasionally you will hear people say, “If so and so is elected president then I’m moving to Canada” or some other country.  When they say such things they are roundly criticized.  People get offended.  They might say “go ahead; our country will be better off without you.”   But in the case of a Christian, one who has come to Christ, this is a problem.  It’s a problem first, because we still live physically in this world; and second, because the very ones to whom we are to proclaim the praises of God are the citizens of this world.  And yet we are telling them that we have opted for a better country, a heavenly country (Heb. 11:16).  How will we be able to get along with them enough to tell them about our great King without either offending them so they won’t listen or becoming like them and thus returning to the very life we decided was not the life for us when we came to Christ?

It begins with how we view ourselves.  We are sojourners and pilgrims.  We do not have ownership in this world.  Our deepest loyalty is not here.  Peter will explain in more detail how we live here day to day.  For now we must consider ourselves according to the Word of God: we are temporary; we are non-citizens.