Introduction. Jesus was very open with all who would be His disciples. The cost of full commitment is much higher than many imagine, potentially damaging all previous relationships. Jesus said “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, ... and ‘a man's enemies will be those of his own household.’” (Mt. 10:34-37). As we carefully digest these words, coming from the “Prince of peace,” they are hard to understand. Yet as we witness it happen, it is evident Jesus was not speaking of His will or intent, but only of consequences. When forced to choose His will over the desires of friends and family, we will indeed make “enemies.”
This is as simple as our family planning a gathering on the first day of the week only to hear that we would rather worship with our brethren than be with them. This easily kindles jealousy, bitterness and resentment. It could also be a situation where the family continues to drink alcohol, engage in immodest behavior, watch a vile movie, or anything else we know our Lord condemns. When we choose to stand with Him against sin and ungodliness, the price will often be rejection and even hatred: “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (Jn. 15:18-20).
As we grow in our walk with the Lord, it becomes more and more clear to us that we are becoming increasingly out of step with those around us. As we stop “being conformed” and begin to “transform,” the “light” we project becomes as distasteful to those in darkness as the light of Jesus we are reflecting: “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. (Jn. 3:19-20)
This is as simple as our family planning a gathering on the first day of the week only to hear that we would rather worship with our brethren than be with them. This easily kindles jealousy, bitterness and resentment. It could also be a situation where the family continues to drink alcohol, engage in immodest behavior, watch a vile movie, or anything else we know our Lord condemns. When we choose to stand with Him against sin and ungodliness, the price will often be rejection and even hatred: “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (Jn. 15:18-20).
As we grow in our walk with the Lord, it becomes more and more clear to us that we are becoming increasingly out of step with those around us. As we stop “being conformed” and begin to “transform,” the “light” we project becomes as distasteful to those in darkness as the light of Jesus we are reflecting: “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. (Jn. 3:19-20)
After entering the narrow gate leading to life, the farther down the difficult path we travel the fewer fellow travelers we will find. Lot found himself alone in Sodom, Jeremiah found himself alone in Jerusalem, and Jesus, even in the fullness of time, found only a small handful. Many are truly “strangers and exiles” even in the midst of their own friends and family. As “they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you,” we become more and more isolated. (1Pet. 4:4). Yet as we grow in the faith our choices become clearer and easier to make. As we learn that “friendship with the world is enmity with God, Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (Jas. 4:4), and “all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world.” (1Jn. 2:16), we will find ourselves needing to avoid the terrible choice our loved one’s force us to make. So many who have lived before us made the wrong choice: “they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” (Jn. 12:43). Jesus expects much more of us than to make such a choice: “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” (Mt. 10:37). Yet when our loved ones put us in this position and when we love Him more, the results Jesus described above will surely come.
As we put off the old man and put on the new man, we become more and more in step with the Lord and His people, but also have less and less in common with those who remained in the world, no matter how much we loved and respected them. As “old things pass away and they become new” our consecrated walk with God leads us to become more and more out of step and strange to those who once knew us when we lived as “the old man.” After we “were raised with Christ” in baptism and began to “seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God,” how could we fit in anymore? When we “set our mind on things above, not on things on the earth,” and “put to death our members which are on the earth,” our influence becomes less and less palatable with those who have no intention of making such changes.
Paul made it clear that not only do we reflect Christ’s light as we walk in the midst of those in darkness, but we also have a distinctive smell that being in fellowship with Christ imparts. “We are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.” (2Cor. 2:15-16). Yet it is made clear that the odor differs among those who smell it. For those who stand with God, it is a fragrance of life. But for those in the world, the fragrance of the Christian is a fragrance of death. Both our “light” and “fragrance” are pleasant and joyous to our fellow sojourners. But for those who are still in and of the world, the light is odious and the fragrance foul and bitter indeed. This is why they said of Lot: “This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” It was Lot’s responses to their sinful actions and his refusal to participate and even to try stopping their sinful behavior that had not gone unnoticed. They could sense he “was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds).” (Gen. 19:9; 2Pet. 2:7-8).
The dilemma we face is not new! It has been the lot of all who came out, since the very beginning. After they freely “confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth,” this price had to be paid. This was the price Moses was more than willing to pay when he “refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.” (Heb. 11:13-27). We must pay the same price today. God has demanded that we “come out from among them and be separate.” There can be “no fellowship between light and darkness” when the darkness either hates or seeks to overwhelm the light. Truly, “evil companions do corrupt good morals,” even if they are old friends or family members. (2Cor. 6:14-18; 1Cor. 15:33).
We made a choice when we became a Christian. When we learned that we were “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world,” we obeyed the gospel to change our citizenship and allegiance. At that time, God “delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” Now, we are just like those who lived before us. We too are “no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” (Eph. 2:12-20; Col. 1:13).
This was the choice Jesus described in the treasure hidden in the field. We had to sell all that we had to buy that field. We sold our citizenship and allegiance in this world to become citizens of the kingdom of heaven. Now, “our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body,” (Phil. 3:20-21). But we must live as “strangers and pilgrims” here in this world, never forgetting that just as those before us we too face the same danger: “if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.” We can’t fit in here. If we try, we just buy up our opportunity to return.
Conclusion. “God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them” is the promise for all who are truly “strangers and pilgrims” to the degree described in this lesson (Heb. 11:16). Jesus was very comforting when He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.” (Lk. 18:29-30). The loss of friends and family along with the terrible price of persecution and tribulation are the lonely and bitter lot of strangers and pilgrims, but what a small price to pay to have God proud to be our God and a wonderful city waiting just beyond the horizon of this life.
As we put off the old man and put on the new man, we become more and more in step with the Lord and His people, but also have less and less in common with those who remained in the world, no matter how much we loved and respected them. As “old things pass away and they become new” our consecrated walk with God leads us to become more and more out of step and strange to those who once knew us when we lived as “the old man.” After we “were raised with Christ” in baptism and began to “seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God,” how could we fit in anymore? When we “set our mind on things above, not on things on the earth,” and “put to death our members which are on the earth,” our influence becomes less and less palatable with those who have no intention of making such changes.
Paul made it clear that not only do we reflect Christ’s light as we walk in the midst of those in darkness, but we also have a distinctive smell that being in fellowship with Christ imparts. “We are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.” (2Cor. 2:15-16). Yet it is made clear that the odor differs among those who smell it. For those who stand with God, it is a fragrance of life. But for those in the world, the fragrance of the Christian is a fragrance of death. Both our “light” and “fragrance” are pleasant and joyous to our fellow sojourners. But for those who are still in and of the world, the light is odious and the fragrance foul and bitter indeed. This is why they said of Lot: “This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” It was Lot’s responses to their sinful actions and his refusal to participate and even to try stopping their sinful behavior that had not gone unnoticed. They could sense he “was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds).” (Gen. 19:9; 2Pet. 2:7-8).
The dilemma we face is not new! It has been the lot of all who came out, since the very beginning. After they freely “confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth,” this price had to be paid. This was the price Moses was more than willing to pay when he “refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.” (Heb. 11:13-27). We must pay the same price today. God has demanded that we “come out from among them and be separate.” There can be “no fellowship between light and darkness” when the darkness either hates or seeks to overwhelm the light. Truly, “evil companions do corrupt good morals,” even if they are old friends or family members. (2Cor. 6:14-18; 1Cor. 15:33).
We made a choice when we became a Christian. When we learned that we were “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world,” we obeyed the gospel to change our citizenship and allegiance. At that time, God “delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” Now, we are just like those who lived before us. We too are “no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” (Eph. 2:12-20; Col. 1:13).
This was the choice Jesus described in the treasure hidden in the field. We had to sell all that we had to buy that field. We sold our citizenship and allegiance in this world to become citizens of the kingdom of heaven. Now, “our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body,” (Phil. 3:20-21). But we must live as “strangers and pilgrims” here in this world, never forgetting that just as those before us we too face the same danger: “if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.” We can’t fit in here. If we try, we just buy up our opportunity to return.
Conclusion. “God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them” is the promise for all who are truly “strangers and pilgrims” to the degree described in this lesson (Heb. 11:16). Jesus was very comforting when He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.” (Lk. 18:29-30). The loss of friends and family along with the terrible price of persecution and tribulation are the lonely and bitter lot of strangers and pilgrims, but what a small price to pay to have God proud to be our God and a wonderful city waiting just beyond the horizon of this life.