Alienation (2)

Alienation from God because of sin

Sin causes separation from God

Those seeking to justify themselves cut themselves off from Jesus Christ’s saving work;

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Seen in discomfort in God’s presence

Genesis 3:8–10 KJV 1900

And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

See also ;

Seen in defeat in battle

Deuteronomy 1:42 KJV 1900

And the Lord said unto me, Say unto them, Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies.

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Seen in unanswered prayer

Isaiah 59:1–2 KJV 1900

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; Neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, And your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

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Seen in unaccepted worship

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Seen in lost closeness with God

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A sense of alienation from God

Feelings of alienation

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See also ; ; ; ; ; ; Jesus Christ’s alienation from God as he bore the consequences of human sin was felt and actual.

The reassurance of God’s concern

Isaiah 49:15–16 KJV 1900

Can a woman forget her sucking child, That she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, Yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; Thy walls are continually before me.

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Alienation from others

Alienation caused by a third party

Proverbs 16:28 KJV 1900

A froward man soweth strife: And a whisperer separateth chief friends.

See also ; False teachers in Galatia tried to drive a wedge between Paul and the church.

Examples of alienation

Man and woman; Cain and Abel; Jacob and Esau; Saul and David; Job and his family and friends; the psalmist and his family; Jeremiah and his family; Paul and Barnabas; Jew and Gentile

Overcoming alienation

Being reconciled to God

Colossians 1:22 KJV 1900

In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

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Reconciliation with others

Colossians 3:13 KJV 1900

Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

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Examples of reconciliation

Jacob and Esau; Joseph and his brothers; Jew and Gentile

God’s people are aliens in the world

John 15:18–19 KJV 1900

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

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Responsibility to the alien

God’s concern for the outsider

Psalm 146:9 KJV 1900

The Lord preserveth the strangers; He relieveth the fatherless and widow: But the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.

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The example of Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ welcomed those who had been alienated by the rest of society.

See also Jesus Christ touched the “untouchable” man with leprosy;

Equal treatment for the alien

Leviticus 19:34 KJV 1900

But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

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Ensuring justice for the alien

The weaker members of Israelite society are of special concern.

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Special provision for the alien

God makes special provision for the poor so that they will have a share in the blessings of the land.

See also ; ; The third year’s tithe is shared with those without inheritance in the land.