Sunday, May 24, 2020

Living in Exile

All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth (Hebrews 11:13).

   It seems an odd way to think of ourselves, but living in exile is exactly how Scripture depicts the Lord's redeemed people in this world.  It reminds us, first of all, of who we are - "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession..." (1 Peter 2:9).  This is, in fact, why Peter goes on to urge believers "as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul" (1 Peter 2:11).  We once were strangers to God and entirely at home in this present evil age.  Now, having been purchased with the precious blood of Christ, we belong to the Lord and increasingly find ourselves out of place and ill at ease in a world that "does not know God" or "obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus" (2 Thess. 1:8).  True believers are holy people in an unholy place.

   It reminds us, secondly, of where we belong.  Estranged from the life we knew and the course of sin we previously followed, the world we loved so much is no longer our home.  Having given us the Father's Word, Jesus declares in His High Priestly Prayer that "they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world" (John 17:14-16).  Yet we have never been more at home than we are through faith in Christ when we hear Him assure His church that "just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom..." (Luke 22:29).   According to Paul, then, there is nothing left for us to conclude but that "our citizenship is in Heaven" (Philip. 3:20).  This is what defines us here and now - who we are and where we belong - and why our lives are no longer about settling in and conforming to our surroundings, but watching and eagerly waiting for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, "who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself" (Philippians 3:20-21).  Amen.       




3 comments:

  1. SEGA GENESIS - GAN-GAMING
    SEGA GENESIS. GENESIS-HANDS. Genesis aprcasino (JP-EU). NA. NA. https://sol.edu.kg/ NA. SEGA GENESIS-HANDS. NA. SEGA GENESIS. ventureberg.com/ NA. GENESIS-HANDS. febcasino.com NA.

    ReplyDelete
  2. And while mBitcasino works with 카지노 numerous recreation developers, all gameplays are fair since they provide gamers a fair probability to win giant using tried-and-true methods. It is mostly beneficial that gamers should avoid gambling with money they can't afford to lose. Bankroll administration helps gamers by preserving them from going broke and stopping them from chasing their losses. By setting guidelines, limits, or boundaries for themselves ahead of time, it’s a lot less likely that a player will go into the pink after shedding classes. To see if gambling is legal in your country, have the ability to|you presumably can} verify via your country’s law. Gambling licenses are granted by the federal government the place the casinos operate.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Compression continues until the inner-lobe space becomes exposed to an outlet port, through which the air is discharged larger than atmospheric strain into the intake manifold that sits atop the engine. Whipple Superchargers’ more superior rotor machining high precision machining course of means its energy adders have turn out to be stronger. This offsets the cutter by its radius depending on the direction of cut.

    ReplyDelete