The Sojourning Christian Life
The Sojourning Christian Life
As followers of Christ, we are very blessed to enjoy the tremendous blessings God provides during our lives here on earth. We, of all people, have come to know the abundant life found only in Christ Jesus. Jesus said in John Chapter 10 that he has come so that we may have abundant life. We, of all people on earth, have come to know the true source of life and have been given new life in Christ that never ends. The life we have been given by faith in Christ is eternal life. Scripture teaches that Christians will have trials in this world, but take heart, for Christ has overcome the world. We are reminded that the best is yet to come. We are waiting for the fullness of what eternal life will bring. We are, as Paul writes, “waiting for our Great God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him to subject all things to himself.” Philippians 3:20-21 reminds us that this world is not our home: “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it, that is, heaven, we await our Savior.” Christian, you have been made a citizen of heaven. For this reason, as you live in this world, you have a deep longing for a homeland, like someone displaced from their home and people; you long for home. You feel estranged, like an exile scattered abroad in a foreign land that his not your home. We enjoy so many wonderful blessings in this life, yet we look and long for home. This has been true of God’s people throughout the millennia, beginning with Abraham, the father of those justified before God by faith. Hebrews records this about many men and women of faith in God who have already run their race of faith. Hebrews 11:8-10 “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” Abraham was not living for this world, but he was looking forward to something much greater; he was looking forward to the city of God. He was longing for home. The writer of Hebrews continues, writing about the faithful people of God. “These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.”
Men and women of faith have always acknowledged that they were aliens and sojourners on the earth. In his first letter, Peter addresses his audience in much the same way. 1 Peter 1:11: Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh which wage war against your soul. The Greek word for exiles is paroikos, meaning a by-dweller, someone living close to others as a temporary dweller, i.e., in a specific locale as a non-citizen with limited rights. We live in the world, but we are no longer of the world. We are temporary dwellers here on this earth. Peter used a second word to describe the Christian experience on earth. He referred to these Christians as sojourners. The Greek word for sojourner is parepidémos, meaning a resident foreigner, "passing through," a pilgrim, with a personal relationship with the people in that locale. People who reside in a land that is not their true home. It underscores a transitory earthly status and a permanent heavenly citizenship.
From a Biblical perspective, the world does not consist of 195 different countries spread over 7 continents, but rather all people are citizens of and belong to only one of two kingdoms. There is the kingdom of this world, under the power of the prince of the power of the air. Secondly, the Kingdom of God in Christ Jesus. All people are born into the kingdoms of this world, but God sent his Son to provide the way for mankind to be reconciled to him, and by faith in Christ, deliver us from enslavement to the kingdom of darkness and transfer us into the Kingdom of Christ, God the Eternal Son. Christian, if you are feeling a deep longing for home, it is because we are not home yet. We are as Paul writes in Titus 2:13 “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,” Brothers and sisters in Christ, be encouraged as you work and serve Christ in this life, the King is coming!
In Christ,
Pastor John
As followers of Christ, we are very blessed to enjoy the tremendous blessings God provides during our lives here on earth. We, of all people, have come to know the abundant life found only in Christ Jesus. Jesus said in John Chapter 10 that he has come so that we may have abundant life. We, of all people on earth, have come to know the true source of life and have been given new life in Christ that never ends. The life we have been given by faith in Christ is eternal life. Scripture teaches that Christians will have trials in this world, but take heart, for Christ has overcome the world. We are reminded that the best is yet to come. We are waiting for the fullness of what eternal life will bring. We are, as Paul writes, “waiting for our Great God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him to subject all things to himself.” Philippians 3:20-21 reminds us that this world is not our home: “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it, that is, heaven, we await our Savior.” Christian, you have been made a citizen of heaven. For this reason, as you live in this world, you have a deep longing for a homeland, like someone displaced from their home and people; you long for home. You feel estranged, like an exile scattered abroad in a foreign land that his not your home. We enjoy so many wonderful blessings in this life, yet we look and long for home. This has been true of God’s people throughout the millennia, beginning with Abraham, the father of those justified before God by faith. Hebrews records this about many men and women of faith in God who have already run their race of faith. Hebrews 11:8-10 “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” Abraham was not living for this world, but he was looking forward to something much greater; he was looking forward to the city of God. He was longing for home. The writer of Hebrews continues, writing about the faithful people of God. “These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.”
Men and women of faith have always acknowledged that they were aliens and sojourners on the earth. In his first letter, Peter addresses his audience in much the same way. 1 Peter 1:11: Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh which wage war against your soul. The Greek word for exiles is paroikos, meaning a by-dweller, someone living close to others as a temporary dweller, i.e., in a specific locale as a non-citizen with limited rights. We live in the world, but we are no longer of the world. We are temporary dwellers here on this earth. Peter used a second word to describe the Christian experience on earth. He referred to these Christians as sojourners. The Greek word for sojourner is parepidémos, meaning a resident foreigner, "passing through," a pilgrim, with a personal relationship with the people in that locale. People who reside in a land that is not their true home. It underscores a transitory earthly status and a permanent heavenly citizenship.
From a Biblical perspective, the world does not consist of 195 different countries spread over 7 continents, but rather all people are citizens of and belong to only one of two kingdoms. There is the kingdom of this world, under the power of the prince of the power of the air. Secondly, the Kingdom of God in Christ Jesus. All people are born into the kingdoms of this world, but God sent his Son to provide the way for mankind to be reconciled to him, and by faith in Christ, deliver us from enslavement to the kingdom of darkness and transfer us into the Kingdom of Christ, God the Eternal Son. Christian, if you are feeling a deep longing for home, it is because we are not home yet. We are as Paul writes in Titus 2:13 “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,” Brothers and sisters in Christ, be encouraged as you work and serve Christ in this life, the King is coming!
In Christ,
Pastor John
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