So, I’ve been called a lot of things in my life…
…alien, stranger and exile are interesting labels that got
me to pause when reading I
Peter 2 (Amplified) this morning
(see verse 11).
Peter implores us to conduct ourselves properly among
the Gentiles (peoples of the world). Okay. I’ve heard the phrase “living in the
world not of the world,”[1]
and I have tried to do my best in this regard.
I’m also familiar with the thoughts that Christians are “strangers in
this land,” “just passing through” and that “this world is not our home.”
But, this verse 11, with this description of Christians
being “aliens, strangers and exiles” evoked a curiosity to look at the original
Greek words[2] Paul
used to see what further meaning I could discover in these interesting
descriptions of, well, ME!
The Greek word used for “aliens” and “strangers” is
Paroikia. It has the following meanings:
- Sojourning
- Dwelling in a strange land
or temporary residence
- Dwelling as strangers
The Thayer’s Greek Lexicon says, “A stranger/foreigner who
lives in a place/land without rights of citizenship.”[3]
Whoa. I’ll get back
to this.
The Greek word used for “exiles’ is Parepidemos. It has the following meanings:
- Passing through
- One who comes from a
foreign country to a country or land to reside alongside the natives
- Pilgrim
- Stranger
- Sojourning in a strange place
“A sojourner or foreigner who is passing through but
still with a personal relationship with the people in that locale (close
beside). This temporary but
active relationship is made necessary by circumstances.”[4]
Whoa. I’ll get back
to this, too!
Sometimes I feel totally out of place in the world. Sometimes I get weary. It is, at times, hard living— here in this
world, and, yes, I do feel like a “foreigner or stranger in this land.” I don’t belong here, my home is elsewhere, and
therefore there is this constant rub against the grain of the world that is
uncomfortable, awkward and sometimes difficult.
This weird, un-comfortableness should not surprise us. It is all because we are temporarily living
in this land without rights of citizenship.
Rather, we share a citizenship with “God’s own
people…belonging to God’s own household.” Ephesians
2:19
Sidebar: THIS…THIS is why it is so important to be
active in a community of believers. Don’t be alone, out there in this foreign land
(the world), by yourself. Christians
were not meant to be islands.[5] Reading on in Ephesians 2, verses 20-22, Paul reminds us that we each are built
upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ Himself
being the cornerstone. Paul says, “the
whole structure is joined, bound, welded together and continues to rise, grow
into a holy temple…In Him, and in fellowship with one another, you, yourselves
are being built up into this structure, with the rest, to form a fixed abode,
dwelling place, of God.”
Though we are sojourners and foreigners just passing
through, we should have “active,” “personal” relationships with the people of
the locale…those “close beside” you. I
wonder what “this temporary but active relationship is made necessary by
circumstances” means? Perhaps these
“relationships” are necessary to conduct business…to live harmoniously. In order to live successfully in a foreign
land, one has to work actively together with those around them to create
a peaceful, safe and thriving community.
Thus, we’re back to Peter imploring us to conduct ourselves properly
among the Gentiles.
A lot packed into these three words— aliens, strangers and
exiles. Though we will always feel “not
at home” here and sometimes living as exiles will be uncomfortable, God
instructs us to live in close, active relationship with “the locals” and in
witnessing your good deeds they will “come to glorify God in the day of
inspection.” I
Peter 2:12
[1] Great blog on this subject http://www.compellingtruth.org/in-world-not-of-world.html
[2] Jamee, you would be proud!
[3] Thayer’s Greek Lexicon © 2002, 2003, 2006, 2011 by
biblesoft, Inc.
[4] HELPS Word-studies ©1987, 2011 by HELPS Ministries,
Inc.
[5] Swift kick in the butt for Cindy regarding her
sometimes erratic church attendance
