Christian Living

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December 1, 2011 – Aliens or Citizens?

11 Beloved, I implore you as aliens and strangers and exiles [in this world] to abstain from the sensual urges (the evil desires, the passions of the flesh, your lower nature) that wage war against the soul. 12 Conduct yourselves properly (honorably, righteously) among the Gentiles, so that, although they may slander you as evildoers, [yet] they may by witnessing your good deeds [come to] glorify God in the day of inspection [when God shall look upon you wanderers as a pastor or shepherd looks over his flock]. – 1 Peter 2:11-12 AMP

I grew up on a tobacco farm in Eastern North Carolina. During the hot and humid summers, when the time was near for the harvest, our family would employ several farm hands from the country of Mexico. These workers would come north for about twelve to fifteen weeks, earn their wages, and many times return home until the following year. The federal government considered these workers “resident aliens,” which gave them the right to come into the United States from another country and work. But the whole time they were here, they were strangers in a strange land.

First Peter was written to Christian believers scattered throughout the country of modern day Turkey. Peter calls them aliens in this world and tells them that in being aliens they should abstain from evil desires and conduct themselves properly. Peter knew the importance of living a godly life as well as how it could serve as a witness to others. It’s sad to say, but hundreds of years later, Christians and churches alike are no longer living as strangers to the world.

Unsaved people should see the good deeds of a Christian. It’s a godly quality to have good deeds. However, if you volunteer at the local homeless shelter or orphanage, but afterwards drive fast and recklessly on your way home, your witness is hardly effective. Our good deeds are not limited to helping those in need or even things like keeping the nursery at church. Our good deeds should be seen in all we do, not just in the things we do.

Christians make themselves more like the world every time they compromise God’s Word. Some Christians still use profane and inappropriate language. Some Christians are still addicted to drugs and alcohol. Some Christians have extramarital affairs. Some Christians withhold their tithe out of greed. Why do Christians do such things? They do them because they are not strangers to the world: they belong to the world.

I lived as a citizen of the world for many years – even after I was saved. I didn’t want to live out God’s will for my life because it all seemed to legalistic. There were rules against everything. I couldn’t curse. I couldn’t drink. I had to raise my children a certain way. I didn’t like being told what to do as a child, so why would I want another set of rules when I was grown? My attitude was basically this: if God wanted to be in charge if my life, that was fine; he would just have to come down here and wrestle it away from me. What a mistake that was! After being beaten, bruised, and battered by too many trials of a worldly life, I decided I couldn’t do it by myself. I needed God. He may have gotten along fine without me, but I sure didn’t do well at all without Him. I renounced my citizenship to an immoral world and became an alien to it.

Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t renounce my United States citizenship. I am not saying that any of us should forsake our rights as citizens, regardless of what country we are from. Whether you live here in the United States, Russia, Nigeria, or anywhere else on earth, most of the time you have basic human rights as a citizen of your country. If Christians started renouncing our citizenship we would be seen as a bunch of whacko religious freaks. It’s just a guess, but I do not believe such actions would be effective in leading others to Christ. What I am saying is that all Christians should stop living worldly lives and start living godly lives.

I think it’s also important to point out that churches are making more inroads toward worldliness rather than godliness. It happens when churches hire a homosexual pastor. It happens when pastors water down the Word and do not preach the complete Truth. It happens when church leaders condemn some members for publicly displaying their faith because they are afraid of offending others. And it happens when revealed sins inside church walls are not confronted. Churches like this are serving the world around them and not God. Look at what Jesus says about this.

24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever else is trusted in). – Matthew 6:24 AMP

Where are you in your walk with God today? Do you even have a walk with God? Do you trust in yourself more than you trust in God? Are you a stranger in a strange land, or are you inhabited in immorality? Are you an alien of this world, or are you a citizen of society? Whatever your case, always remember: whether your deeds are good or bad, someone is always watching. It could be your unsaved neighbor, your friend from church, your children, or just God Himself. Will your deeds help others come to glorify God? Or will your deeds show you as someone who says it but doesn’t live it? The deeds, as well as the choices, are all yours.

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