Tag: integrity

Strangers in Our Own World

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for Life2 Comments

In October 2019, the Pew Research Center released a major new report called “In U.S., Decline of Christianity Continues at Rapid Pace.” The research said that while 65% of Americans still nominally identify as Christian, the alarming thing is that this was a 12% decrease in only ten years.

This may be hard for Christians to hear, but it really will be to our benefit when we face up to the reality of how hostile our world is to biblical Christianity. When we downplay this, we are only making it harder for ourselves to know how to respond. The simple fact is, we may enjoy certain legal protections as Christians still, but our world is increasingly hostile to our faith, the values  we stand for, and the Christ we proclaim as Lord. Rather than putting our head in the sand like an ostrich, we want to be like the men of Issachar who “understood the times and knew what Israel should do” (1 Chronicles 12:32, NIV).

Strangers and Exiles

In the Book of Hebrews, the author recounts the incredible faith of godly men and women who stood out from the world around them because of their serious commitment to God. He then sums up their lives like this:

“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.” (Hebrews 11:13, ESV)

When he calls them “strangers and exiles on the earth,” he’s not only talking about the likes of Noah, Abraham, and Sarah. He’s talking about all who belong to the one true God. Similarly, the Apostle Peter uses the word “exiles” to describe all his fellow believers scattered throughout modern day Turkey (1 Peter 1:1; 2:17).

So this is not a designation for a select few. This is us. As followers of the risen Jesus, we too are strangers and exiles in our own world. The Greek term for “exile” (παρεπίδημος, parepidemos) usually referred to a traveler from a foreign land, only staying in a certain place for a limited duration. So Peter calls Christians “elect exiles” (1:1) and “sojourners” (2:17) to remind us that we are not permanent residents of this world.

As the old hymn goes, “This world is not my home. I’m just a-passin’ through.” Some Christians might object, “But aren’t we destined to live on a restored earth in real resurrected bodies?” Absolutely, we are! But Peter’s point is that the world as it now is—fallen and corrupted by sin—is not our home. This is an identity statement.

When Christ sets you free through faith, you come to see that your new identity in Him will never be embraced by the world. You’ll never fully fit in with the world. You’ll never be totally at home here. We are strangers. It’s essential for us to recognize this because too often we can forget our calling. We can forget why we’re here. We’re not here primarily to soak up as many worldly pleasures as possible. God has a much bigger view of joy than we do.

Citizens of Heaven

So what does that mean for us? We shouldn’t let our roots go too deep. We should keep a loose hold on the things of this world. We need to remember and embrace the truth that “this world in its present form is passing away” (1 Corinthians 7:31, NIV).

If we think of this world as our permanent residence, we will begin to live like citizens of the world rather than citizens of Heaven. We’ll start to live like the world, embrace the world’s values, and forget our purpose here is not merely to “live it up because you only live once,” but to live for Christ.

I want to encourage my Christian brothers and sisters to be mindful of this and not be caught off guard. Following Christ makes you different in this world—you are a sojourner and an alien in a world that rejects Him.

We tend to think that if we are living faithfully for Christ, people will automatically be drawn to us. The sober truth is that when you live for Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit and faithfully obey His commands, you will be at odds with the world around you. On the night before He was crucified, Jesus told His disciples:

“If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” (John 15:19, NIV)

What was true of the disciples then is true of us today. “In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12, CSB).

Between Two Worlds

Peter calls the church “God’s elect exiles” (1 Peter 1:1, NIV). In other words, believers have been chosen and set apart by God. That is something to marvel at: that God would graciously choose us who were once His enemies. On the other side of the coin, being God’s elect—or God’s chosen people—inevitably estranges us from the world around us.

To live as an exile means you’re living between two worlds—the world you are inevitably enmeshed in and the world to come, the world to which you now belong.

But what does it mean to live between two worlds?

Let me illustrate this principle. When Whitney and I had our firstborn, Logan, our world became very different. In one sense, we still lived in the old world. We were still married. We still had the same friends and other interests. But, on the other hand, we had just entered the very new world of parenting. We now had a new schedule, with much of our time and interests wrapped up in the eating, sleeping, crawling, and babbling of our little bundle of joy. Oftentimes, new parents find themselves a bit alienated from their other friends who don’t yet have children, because they suddenly have less in common and their schedules are totally different from what they used to be. You are still you, but your life has totally changed.

Peter was writing to former pagans who worshiped dozens of gods who have now become followers of the one Lord, Jesus Christ. And that is a much bigger change than entering the world of parenting. Peter is writing to assure them that their new identity as followers of Jesus will set them apart from the world they inhabit.

In chapter 4, Peter will tell them, “You used to live like pagans, but you’re different now.”

“You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols. Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you. But remember that they will have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone, both the living and the dead.” (1 Peter 4:3-5, NLT)

Those first Christians Peter is writing to had entered another world. And because they had committed themselves to Jesus, their worldviews were now diametrically opposed to their pagan friends. In the same way, your old party buddies might wonder the same about you. “What’s with you now? Why don’t you like to get drunk with us anymore? Why do you take sexual purity so seriously? And why have you become a Jesus freak? It’s like you can’t stop talking about Him!”

Every follower of Jesus should come to terms with this. It doesn’t matter what your upbringing might be. There are certain practices, groups, and lifestyles we are called to leave behind. There are many things where we must, in personal conviction from the Spirit, say, “I can’t be a part of that anymore.” As strangers in our own world, there are times we have to say, “I won’t entertain myself that way.” We must never forget that we have been set apart because Jesus shed His blood and atoned for our sins.

What about you? What is Jesus calling you to leave behind? Let me encourage you, whatever it might be, if it’s contrary to the faith, give it up for Jesus. There is blessing in embracing your new calling. While many will reject you, God will use your living testimony to draw others to Himself.

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!

Photo of Portland, OR taken by Matthew Bacher.

Faithful, Not Flashy nor Fickle

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional1 Comment 
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:31, NIV)

I don’t know what comes to mind when you hear the word faithfulness, but for me the word conjures up the image of faithful men and women I have known personally who have proven themselves trustworthy and loyal for many years. With such people I can share my burdens without fear of betrayal or rejection.

I know I’m biased, but I think of people like my dad, who has remained true to his convictions throughout his many years as a pastor and has held the course morally. I think of my mom, too, who has been faithfully by his side through thick and thin times in ministry. I also think of people I know who right now are overseas and have literally given their lives to the mission of reaching people across the world with the saving message of the gospel.

I also think of people who have been doggedly committed to Jesus Christ throughout church history. Men like Martin Luther, Jonathan Edwards, and Charles Spurgeon. And women like Hannah More, Susanna Wesley, and Corrie Ten Boom. And many, many others who were mocked, maligned, and sometimes murdered for their unashamed commitment to Christ above all else.

I wonder who comes to mind for you when you think of those you consider to be outstanding examples of faithfulness. There’s something about these people that we just can’t help but admire.

A Rare Quality

Faithfulness is a word I don’t hear all that often outside of Christian circles. In fact, it’s listed as a fruit of the Spirit, meaning it’s something that God the Holy Spirit produces in us (Galatians 5:22). If I was to boil faithfulness down to one definition, I’d say this: Faithfulness describes you if you are consistently loyal to the persons, principles, and plans to which you have committed yourself.

While “faithfulness” might sound like a religious word, even secular people are drawn to this type of person. People may use words like “reliable” and “dependable,” but even better than that is one who is “faithful.” And you know something? While people can’t help admiring the genuinely faithful person, the reality is that such people are somewhat rare.

“Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?” (Proverbs 20:6, NIV)

Hypocrisy doesn’t look good on anyone. But for the Christian, our integrity matters even more so, because we aren’t merely representing ourselves. We are ambassadors of Christ, representing His Name wherever we go.

That reminds me of the young man who came to his boss and asked for the day off to attend his grandmother’s funeral. His boss said, “Of course, you can.” The next day, the young man walked into the office, and his boss said, “Say, do you believe in resurrection from the dead?” The young man said, “Yes, in fact, I do.” His boss replied, “Interesting. Because after you left work yesterday, your grandmother came to visit you!”

Not Flashy nor Fickle

Faithfulness can be a powerful testimony of the Lord’s work in our lives, but we should be clear about something. Faithfulness is not about making a huge impact in the world. It’s not about getting your name in the paper or winning some Pulitzer Prize. Our motivation for faithfulness is Christ, and the fuel of our faithfulness is the faithfulness of God. God is supremely faithful to us. This is essential to get right, because we live in a world that values convenience much more than faithfulness.

Many people are motivated by the approval of others. It can be tempting for us to think, What others don’t know about me can’t hurt me. But the truly faithful person aspires to follow Christ even when no one is looking. Or even when obeying Him might earn us the disapproval or mockery of others. When you begin to hunger for the world’s approval, remember this exhortation:

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. (Hebrews 12:3-4, ESV)

Others may have abandoned you, but God has promised to never leave you nor forsake you. Others may have deceived you, but God has never lied to you and never will.

Despite our best efforts, we will never master faithfulness in this life. I know that might not sound super encouraging, but the point is that this is something we always need to grow in. So, if you’re looking for the perfect example of faithfulness, don’t look at Billy Graham—though he was a great example of faithfulness—but instead look to Jesus Christ, the only One who was perfectly faithful.

People have all kinds of motives for wanting to do what is right. Maybe it’s that they don’t want to get in trouble. Maybe they want to look good in front of others. But for Christians, we have a much higher motivation. We should want to do what is right out of faithfulness to Christ. He’s our motivation! We are not our own; He has bought us with a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Wherever He Has You

So, even though we want to love a lost and hurting world, we really shouldn’t be seeking the world’s recognition. If your motivation is the approval of others, your faithfulness will only extend as far as people are willing to applaud you. Seeking the world’s acceptance has led many Christians down the dangerous road of compromise.  Certainly, we should care about our testimony, but ultimately we live for an Audience of One. And we are called to be faithful to Him wherever He has us.

The story is told of a man taking a long walk down at the beach when he noticed a young man picking up a starfish and hurling it into the ocean waves. The older man was a little amused, so he asked, “Son, why are you doing that?” The youth told him that the stranded starfish would die if left on the beach in the morning sun. The man smiled and said, “But the beach goes on for miles, and there are millions of starfish. How can your efforts make any difference?” The young man looked at the starfish in his hands and then threw it into the safety of the waves. “It makes a difference to that one,” he said.

We are called to make a difference where we are. Wherever you live, work, and have your being, God has sovereignly orchestrated the circumstances so that you can be a light in a dark world. That’s why God uses the entire church in His kingdom work on earth. The failure or success of the kingdom does not ride on the shoulders of any one of us. Christ promised, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18, ESV). But if we are faithful in the place that God has called us, it will make a difference that will find its echo in eternity.

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!