Peter addresses his first epistle to “God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia…” The word for "scattered" is the Greek word diaspora. The diaspora or "dispersion" is often a technical expression for Jews who were living throughout the Roman world. These Jews were scattered in tiny isolated communities who looked forward to a future time when they would be reunited with the people of God.
For Peter, Christians are God's true diaspora. So he writes to encourage us to live boldly and faithfully as strangers in the world—
- We are to live our lives here as strangers in reverent fear (1:17).
- We are to resist temptation as aliens and strangers in the world (2:11).
We live today as God’s people scattered throughout a world that is not our own. We live in America, but we are first of all citizens of the kingdom of heaven. Thus, to live as a Christian is to live as an alien, a stranger and a pilgrim.
This status of Christians as a minority group in a world that is not fully theirs comes across vividly through an unknown apologist in the second century who wrote a work known as The Epistle to Diognetus. Let these words inform how you live today in this world in which you are a stranger and pilgrim—
For Christians cannot be distinguished from the rest of the human race by country or language or custom. They do not live in cities of their own; they do not use a peculiar form of speech; they do not follow an eccentric manner of life. This doctrine of theirs has not been discovered by the ingenuity or deep thought or inquisitive men, nor do they put forward a merely human teaching, as some people do. Yet, although they live in Greek and barbarian cities alike, as each man's lot has been cast, and follow the customs of that country in clothing and food and other manners of daily living, at the same time they give proof of the remarkable and admittedly extraordinary constitution of their own commonwealth. They live in their own country, but only as aliens.
2 comments:
We are Taking Tomorrow, we are a Christian band. Please check out our blog and comment and blog.
God Bless,
Taking Tomorow.
Why not band together, own land, open stores and sell what is needed, do not support the sell of cigarettes and such things that are harmful? Why not? Open and operate schools that teach Christian values instead of tolerance for anything that is politically correct? I know that the majority of people live as if there were no God looking over their shoulders but the truth is he sees everything and all people will know (some day) God is Lord and his son died for all people and his spirit lives among us. Even if we are outnumbered we can not lose (fight the good fight) not for the praise of others but for the one we should be talking to everyday (as we pray before Him). Listening to the words written by those who were appointed by him. The word of God has been revealed and made available. We must do our best to understand (it is such a simple mystery that even children can know and obey the word of God) noone is beyond redemption who will accept and share his mercy. Those who follow this world will be with the majority. We must set ourselves apart from this world and live in piece as we are able. We are commanded to fellowship and we should pull together as we scatter ourselves abroad to grow and produce good fruit (We should keep a clear head (flee from the childish passions of youth, become strong maturing Christians) and even if all we can do is pray, pray for the saints of today and tomorrow) That the victory will be expedited through the prince of piece as His corse will be made swift through the land, do not offer resistance to the cause of Christ!
Post a Comment