Live your life as strangers in this world

Read 1 Peter 1:13-25

“Therefore, prepare your minds for action;

 be self-controlled; 

set your hope fully on the grace to be given you

 when Christ is revealed.” 

                                                                                   1 Peter 1:13
How are we to live as Christians? Peter here makes it clear.

 be self-controlled,
 set your hope fully on Christ,
 be obedient to Christ,
 do not conform to evil desires,
 be holy in all you do,
 live your life as strangers in this world, with reverent fear.


As Christians we are now strangers in this world. Like someone living in a foreign land.
This is something many Christians don’t understand, I think largely because most have never lived in a foreign land.
I live as a landed immigrant here in Canada. While my wife and family are Canadians and have by right of birth all the rights Canada has to offer. For me those rights are a privilege extended to me as long as I live at peace in this country.
As a landed immigrant in Canada I am afforded the freedom of speech and may say within reason what I wish. I cannot vote in an election or have say in what laws are made.
If I violate the law I cannot only be thrown in prison but deported to my country of origin.
It is obligatory for me as a guest within this country to pay my taxes, obey and work within the laws of Canada. If I do not it is only fair for them to remove me from the country.
This is what Peter is saying about the Christian in the world.
When we accept Christ into our life we become citizens of heaven. We thus are no longer citizens of the world. We however are guest of the world and must live within the law of the world.
We can minister the word of God but we must respect the rights of others to disagree with us.
Sadly many Christians, especially it seems those with a pulpit in the media want to scream at the top of their lungs what the government should be doing. And that the government is not acting in a “Christian” manner.
No government on this earth in this century is Christian. They are simply secular governments doing what they feel is right. Be that right or wrong in the eyes of a God they may or may not believe exists.

Something to think about.

As foreigners in this world as I have said we must obey the laws of the land we are in. We can minister the Word of God. That is our duty as Christians.
We must also accept the fact that in doing our duty to God we can at times be thrown into prison. Or sent home to be with the Lord.
Let us therefore be sure that if these things happen to us, they happen for the right reasons.