Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth

A Christian's responsibility to maintain his/her separateness/aloofness from this world's systems (especially those of a political nature) has been a constant theme on this blog. Moreover, in light of the two posts which immediately preceded this one, I thought it would be important to underscore the importance of this principle for anyone who claims to be a Christian. Nevertheless, although most Christians would acknowledge that this principle has strong Biblical support, the exact nature of that separateness/aloofness has been much debated.

Indeed, the extent of a Christian's separation from the world has engendered a number of questions down through the centuries. Questions like: Should Christians gather together and cloister themselves away from the worldly communities which surround them? (Some sects have certainly interpreted the principle in that way.) Should Christians avoid any friendships or socializing with the "wicked" of this world? (Unfortunately, some Christians have shunned the immoral "dregs" of society - the very folks to whom Jesus sent them as his messengers) Should Christians avoid all cultural contact with the world? (Once again, we have more than a few Christians who have interpreted the principle to rule out any enjoyment of "worldly" music, television, movies, plays, books, art, etc.) Should Christians avoid participating in the governments and politics of this world? (Indeed, some have suggested that Christians shouldn't vote, hold office or serve on juries.) The list of questions could go on and on, but we get the point - such questions have generated a great variety of opinion within the Christian community about the extent to which this principle should be applied to its members.

Even so, I believe that an open-minded look at the scriptures which establish the principle will also supply us with answers to our questions about the extent to which a Christian in 2022 should apply it to his/her particular place and circumstances. Moreover, I am not ashamed to admit that my own exploration of this subject has engendered some soul-searching of my own and has modified my own outlook on the appropriate answers to many of the questions which I mentioned earlier as having been associated with the topic. Finally, as I find to be the case with most issues, I believe God's truth in the matter can be found in careful deliberation and moderation. In other words, the truth is rarely found in the extremes. 

In Matthew's gospel account, we are informed that Christ said: "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:19-21) Hence, from the perspective of the founder of our religion, it appears that he believed that our focus and energy should be directed at God's Kingdom - not on the accumulation of the shiny things of this temporal life which we currently enjoy. Within the context of this same thinking, we are also told by Matthew that Christ offered this further instruction: "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other." (Matthew 6:24) Hence, for Christ, the importance of focus (the question of where all of our attention and energy is directed) was all important. In other words, are we primarily focused on this world or God's Kingdom?

In John's gospel, however, we are informed that Christ never envisioned that his followers would be completely removed from the precincts of this world. When approaching his death and praying for his followers, we are told that Christ said: "I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world." (John 17:14-18) Notice that Christ is sending his disciples "into the world," but he is appealing to the Father to protect them from being overwhelmed by its evil influences. Hence, we can see that cloistering in Christian communities was NEVER envisioned by Jesus Christ as being any part of the separateness from the world that he had in mind.

Nevertheless, from the other writings of the New Testament, we can see that that concept of separateness was clearly picked up by the men he had chosen to carry his message to the world. Paul wrote to the Christians at Rome to not be "conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:2) Once again, there is a recognition that the Christian is in this world, but Paul warns them not to adopt its mindset. Indeed, when we are reading Paul's remarks here, we hear the echo of Christ's admonition to his followers that "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) In other words, Christ overcame the world, and we can too!

In the first general epistle of John, we see the same principle at play. He wrote: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." (I John 2:15-17) Once again, although we are clearly in the world, John warns us not to fall in love with the world, and he admonishes Christians that the things that the world has to offer us are only temporary - that they will pass away.

This sense of Christians not allowing themselves to get too close to the world is also found in the epistle of James to the twelve tribes. He wrote: "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." (James 4:4) Once again, the necessity for maintaining a disconnectedness to the world is enjoined upon Christians.

When writing to Timothy, the Apostle Paul likened the Christian's predicament to a soldier serving in an army. He wrote: "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier." (II Timothy 2:3-4) Once again, we hear the echo of Christ's admonition that it is impossible to serve two masters simultaneously. The New International Version renders the passage as "No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs." The clear implication being that we don't want to get entangled by/in this world. Again, we hear the echo of the repeated admonition to not get too involved in this world.   

Likewise, in the book of Hebrews, we are provided with a list of the faithful of God down through the ages, and then we are informed: "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city." (Hebrews 11:13-16) Hence, for the Christian, all of the authors of the New Testament make clear that his/her primary focus and allegiance must be on/to God's Kingdom. They all anticipated that a true Christian would live in this world like an alien - obeying the laws and residing peacefully among the inhabitants of the land but maintaining their own connectedness to a different place and system.

Which brings me back to a question that I have wrestled with more than any other: What is my proper relationship to the place I currently reside - the United States of America? After all, as a citizen of the U.S., I have been given a small voice in what is decided here - a vote. And, after reviewing all of the scriptures we have just discussed, it seems reasonable to me for a Christian to conclude that it would be appropriate for him/her to exercise that franchise to make some positive contribution to the place where they currently reside. However, having said all of that, it also appears very clear to me that the traditional notions of patriotism, nationalism, capitalism and socialism are NOT productive things for a Christian to be preoccupied with!

As someone who should recognize that ALL human systems are flawed and fall short of the solution (which is represented by God's Kingdom), it is unproductive for me to seek to perpetuate any system which God's Kingdom will replace. In reviewing all of those scriptures, I also find myself reaching the inescapable conclusion that it would be completely inappropriate for me to give my loyalty, service and devotion to ANY nation of this earth. As a Christian, I must always remember that my primary and undivided allegiance belongs to God and his Kingdom. In other words, Christians must always be strangers and pilgrims on the Earth!