Answer: The people of God are aliens and strangers in
the world, (verse 11).
MORE INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
The word
"aliens" is from the Greek word paroikos.
It means "having a home near." The person who is
NOT in his "near home" is a "by-dweller (alien
resident)". He or she is therefore a "foreigner,
sojourner, stranger." For children of God, whose near
home is heaven (the Father's land, so to
speak--fatherland), we have no status as citizens in this
world. This is the opposite of our status as citizens of
heaven:
1 Corinthians 2:12-13: "We have not
received the spirit of the world but the Spirit Who is from God,
that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is
what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in Words
taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual Truths in spiritual
Words."
1 Corinthians 10:1-5: "By the
meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you--I, Paul,
who am 'timid' when face to face with you, but
'bold' when away! I beg you that when I come I
may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who
think that we live by the standards of this world. For though
we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the
contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We
demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against
the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it
obedient to Christ."
Ephesians 2:17-20: "He [Jesus] came
and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who
were near [Jews and non-Jews]. For through Him we both have
access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no
longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people
and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief
cornerstone."
Hebrews 11:13: "All these people
were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the
things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a
distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on
earth."
1 John 3:1: "How great is the love
the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of
God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know Him."
The word
"strangers" is from the Greek word
parepidemos. It means "an alien
alongside," that is, "a resident
foreigner." This is translated as "pilgrim"
or "stranger." For children of God, our
pilgrimage, or our stay, in this world is transitory (not enduring,
temporary, fleeting). Therefore, we are not to
be conformed to the standards of conduct prevailing in the world,
since these "sinful desires" "war against your
soul." There IS a war between the prince of this age
and God:
Romans 12:1-2: "Therefore, I urge
you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as
living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your
spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the
pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's Will
is--His good, pleasing and perfect Will."
Ephesians 6:10-12: "Finally, be
strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full
armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's
schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but
against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of
this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the
heavenly realms."
1 Peter 1:13-17: "Therefore,
prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope
fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is
revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil
desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He
Who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is
written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.' Since you
call on a Father Who judges each man's work impartially, live your
lives as strangers here in reverent fear."
1 John 2:15-17: "Do not love the
world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love
of the Father is not in him. For everything in the
world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and
the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the
Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass
away, but the man who does the Will of God lives
forever."
