The Politic of a Sojourner: How The New Life and New Citizenship Informs Our Politic

Intro: 2020 has come and is almost gone, But before we bid farewell to 2020, in just a few days, Nov 3rd many will gather around there TV’s, phones, social media to gain any insight on who will be the next President of the United States.

The road to Nov 3rd 2020 has been quite the roller coaster, we have a whole host of people weighing in and throwing their hats in for this candidate or the other. We hear statements like

“This is the most important election in our lifetime”

“No true Christian can support Biden and the Democratic party”

“How can the church support and arrogant, boisterous, unrepentant person?”

First and foremost, I am not hear to tell you how a Christian should or should not vote. So if you have come hear with the hopes that my breakout will make your decision easier, I’m sorry, that is not the case. As a matter of fact it may make it harder, or it may make no difference at all.

Second, we would be foolish to think that a 45 minute talk will solve the church’s political crisis. My hopes is that it will provide a direction on how we as the body of Christ should be thinking when it comes to politics.

The 5 Solas Conference this year is taking a look at the 5 Solas and Sanctification in the believers life . So as Creston and I thought what could benefit us here today, we came up with this breakout session titled The Politic (singular) of a Sojourner: How the new life and new citizenship informs our politic. Unfortunately, at the present time, the church universal, is fractured by American Politics and this should not be.

We can visit two sound, biblical, good churches but because of politics we can leave those churches thinking if I vote for Trump or if I vote for Biden, according to these churches I am not a true follower of Jesus. My friends if the reformation has taught us anything it is that

God’s Word, which is the final authority for life and salvation tells us

we are saved by Grace Alone

through faith alone

by Christ alone

For the Glory of God alone

and the second, minute or hour we add anything else, we have created another Gospel.

In the minutes we have left we will spend most of our time in the book of 1 Peter, drawing out principles from the scripture to help us along the way of learning about the Politic of the Sojourner. Lets look at some terms first

A. Politic

Before we go on let us look at the word politic, the etymology stems from the Greek.

1. from Ancient Greek πολιτικός (politikós), from πολίτης (polítēs, “citizen”) which stems from polis which means city.

2. polites/citizens were people concerned with the affairs of the polis/city they belonged to.

3. so our term politic is a people concerned with the affairs of the city they belong to.

B. Sojourner/Exile

1. † παρεπίδημος 1 Peter 1:1; 2:11

This is a rare word. Polyb., XXXII, 6, 4: πᾶσι τοῖς Ἕλλησι τοῖς παρεπιδήμοις; also P. Petr., I, 19, 22; III, 7, 15. More common are the subst. παρεπιδημία and the verb παρεπιδημέω, which are not found in the LXX or NT, but are common in the speech of the period, παρεπιδημέω means “to stay in a place as an alien” with the suggestion of transitoriness, cf. P. Oxy., 473, 2: ἔδοξε τοῖς ἄρχουσι καὶ τῷ δήμῳ καὶ Ῥωμαίων καὶ Ἀλεξανδρέων τοῖς παρεπιδημοῦσι; cf. also P. Oxy., 1023, 4; BGU, 113, 12; 265, 19; 780, 14; Ditt. Syll.3, 714, 30; Ep. Ar., 110. παρεπιδημία means “the (temporary) stay of a foreigner in a place”: e.g., τάν τε παρεπιδαμίαν ἐποιήσατο καλὰν καὶ εὐσχήμονα, Ditt. Syll.3, 772, 2 f.; cf. 734, 10 etc.; Polyb., IV, 4, 2; X, 26, 5 etc. This gives us the meaning of παρεπίδημος, namely, “one who is (temporarily) resident in a place as an alien.”

2. πάροικος, ον (Aeschyl., Thu.+) pert. to being a resident foreigner, strange, in our lit. almost always subst. πάροικος, ου, ὁ stranger, alien, one who lives in a place that is not one’s home (oft. ins [OGI and SIG indices; Dssm., NB 54=BS 227f]; LXX; PsSol 17:28; TestLevi 11:2; ApcSed 11:8 p. 134, 22 Ja.; Philo, Cher. 121; Jos., Ant. 8, 59).

3. In Stephen’s recitation of Israel’s history, he refers to Abraham (Acts 7:6) and Moses (Acts 7:29) as sojourners (paroikos). Elsewhere in the NT, this word is used to describe the Gentiles, who were once foreigners (paroikos) among the Israelites but, due to Christ’s work, are now fellow citizens among God’s people (Eph 2:19). Also, Christians are told that their allegiance to Christ has made them foreigners (paroikos) in the world (1 Pet 2:11), and this should drive them to an ethical life.

I. The New Life

A. God In His Wisdom has Chosen to Save Us.

We have a new life.

The moment of salvation when God in his wisdom chose us and drew us to himself. We are elect exiles through Jesus Christ by his great mercy. The Triune God is the cause of this mercy, grace and salvation (1:1-2)

ii. With this new life, We have a new hope.

This hope is living because our hope is in the person and work of the resurrected Christ (1:3)

iii. With this new life we have a new inheritance. (1:4)

This inheritance is imperishable, undefiled and unfading. It is also kept in heaven for us. There is nothing this world can offer that is greater than this new inheritance we have in Christ Jesus.

iv. A new faithful protector.

God has not only saved us from sin and judgement. God ensures he will guard us and protect us. God’s power will keep us until the last time. (1:5)

v. The new life provides a new joy.

Peter tells us “in this you rejoice” in this great and precious new life we have been given in Christ. No matter what happens in this life, no matter if the church is flourishing or persecuted, if Trump is President or if Biden is President, if we are suffering or times are good, rejoice because you have been given a new life.

B. New Life Brings A New Ethos

With new life comes along a new ethos, ethos which means “character” and when I say ethos I am referring to the beliefs and ideals which characterize a community of faith, a community of people who have been brought together because of this new life in Christ.

I am part of a group that meets weekly in this group you have 4 believers, different heritages and walks of life. A podcast editor/director, a former business and sales consultant, a pastor, and a FedEx Manager. What unifies us is our love for Christ and love for the church, if it wasn’t for those two things we would have probably never met. But new life brings individuals into a faith community, this faith community should have a new ethos/should be characterized by beliefs and ideals.

Peter after describing such a great salvation which we have been called to, he makes this statement.

“Therefore, preparing your mind for action and being sober minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ”

Peter is telling us to do something in this passage, then provides us the mentality that we are required to have if we are going to obey this command, then in verses 1:14 - 2:3 he explains the how.

So what is Peter asking is to do?

“Therefore, Set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ”

Peter is commanding us to completely trust on the grace/salvation that we will receive when Christ returns to establish his kingdom. Peter is urging us as followers of Christ to live our lives with the end in mind.

Peter give us the command - live life with the end in mind. 3 times in 13 verses Peter has asked us to look forward to our future grace, look forward to when Christ comes back for us.

Peter then shifts to the mentality required to live life with the end in mind .

The mentality we are to have is one that is preparing for action and being sober - minded. I like the way John Piper puts it “thinking energetically and thinking clearly”. We are to use our minds actively or as Piper put it energetically and clearly which then serves our emotions or our hoping. Biblical thinking leads to passionate hopping. Biblical thinking leads to passionate living for God’s glory.

Peter then moves to the how we are to life with the end in mind, a kingdom ethic.

Live life with the end in mind by not conforming to your former way of life. (14)

Live life with the end in mind by being transformed. (15-16)

Live life with the end in mind by honoring the Father and fearing his judgement. (17)

Live life with the end in mind by focusing on the beauty of the Gospel. (18 -21)

Live life with the end in mind by loving one another. (22)

Live life with the end in mind by knowing the power of God’s word. (23-25)

Live life with the end in mind putting away all malice,deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander. (2:1)

Live life with the end in mind by having a hunger and thirst for righteousness.

This is the ethos of the kingdom, our communities of faith should be characterized by a people

who lays down the passions of our former way of living,

we should be transformed into a holy people because we commune with a holy God,

we should be a people who honor the Father and fear his judgement as we live life as sojourners on this earth,

we should be a people who are not guided by the futile beliefs, philosophies and habits we were ransomed from.

We should be a Gospel centered people we recognize the beauty of the new life we have in Christ.

We should be a people characterized by loving one another. Peter says love earnestly, zealously doing all we can to love one another.

A people characterized by belief in the power of God’s word.

A people who put off their wordly/fleshly desires

A people who have a hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Notice what Peter says here, his mic drop, “If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is God”.

Peter states if indeed you are a partaker of new life in Christ, you will be characterized by these beliefs and ideals, they will define who you are.

You see God is not interested in just saving a bunch of individualistic followers of Christ, it always been about “a people for God’s own possession” New life leads to New Citizenship.

III. New Citizenship (2:4-10)

Our new life grants us a new citizenship.

A. People for his own possession.

Our citizenship is no longer of this earth, my residency is in heaven, it is in the kingdom of God. Yes I still live on this earth, in America, in Arkansas, in Little Rock, this is my temporary residency.

My permanent residency is in the kingdom of God and as a citizen of that kingdom I am now an emissary, a person sent with a special mission to represent the kingdom of God in this world.

B. To proclaim the message of the Gospel.

As citizens of God’s kingdom we are sent into this world to represent and proclaim His excellencies, the excellencies of Christ who called us out of the darkness we were living in, into the marvelous light.

C. Peter’s Exhortation (2:11-12)

Peter after giving us teaching concerning the new life, explaining to us how live life with the end in mind, a kingdom of God ethic, letting us know we have a new citizenship, he gives us a new exhortation.

Live as sojourners & Exiles

in not of

live with some level of detachment from this world lusts and passions

abstain from the passions of the flesh

these things wage war on your souls

Keep your conduct honorable

so when they speak against you

they may see your good deeds

glorify God

on the day of visitation

Peter will go on to describe to us what it means to live as sojourners in this life in our married life, work life, if we are suffering, as a community of faith. But isn’t it interesting that he starts with submitting to government first.

IV. The Politic of The Sojourner

A. Our role as secondary citizens

Submit to every human institution

For the Lord’s sake

National, State, Local

this is the will of God

The Role of Government

to punish those who do evil

praise those who do good

B. Our Role as sojourners, kingdom of God citizens

do good

live as people who are free

don’t use your freedom to cover up evil

live as servants of God

Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the Emperor.

C. So what are we to do as sojourners, people who live as secondary citizens in this land we call America? How should we then live in light of Peter’s exhortation?

What has the church done in the past? Nancy Pearcy writes in her book Total Truth “evangelicals often put all their eggs in one basket:They leaped into political activism as the quickest, surest way to make a difference in the public arena - failing to realize that politics tends to reflect culture, not the other way around”

We have jumped into politics thinking that is how we will influence culture and bring about change, but instead of changing culture, the culture changed the church.

In 1982 Francis Schaffer wrote about 3 challenges facing Western Culture and the church. Schaffer says “ the church for far to long has wrapped the cross of Christ with American Flag. Many are referring to this issue today as “Christian nationalism” Schaffer concern is that the Politic of the Sojourner and the politics of this world would blur and unfortunately many times they have.

What can we take away from out time in 1 Peter, how new life produces new beliefs and ideals that characterize a people of God’s own possession, whose primary citizenship is in the kingdom of God.

As Sojourners with our primary citizenship in the kingdom of God, our politic (citizens concerned with the affairs of their city) should be focused on the kingdom of God and its expansion in this earth. Our concerns should be focused on glorifying and lifting up Christ in this earth. I love the way Jonathan Leeman puts it in his book how the nations rage, that as citizens of the kingdom of God, we are time machines sent from the future kingdom, where Jesus Reigns, to represent Him and this kingdom wherever we may live. Jesus is the king over all, he rules in heaven, where is his rule on earth? His rule on earth is displayed through the church “the church is a signpost of Jesus’ future kingdom.”May I ask how are we doing as a church representing the kingdom over all?

As Sojourners we should live as people who are free and do good in this world. Sometimes our kingdom politic and the politics of this world will align for the well being of all. Yet at other times politics and policies will be at odds with our kingdom politic. Do we use our freedom to cover up evil?

Abortion.

let me use an example that may get you thinking George Floyd, murdered by a police officer. Do we use our freedom to cover up evil or call evil for what it is?

let me use another example that my cause some discomfort in the room, immigration. If the Obama and Trump administration separated children from their parents at the border, housed them in cages, are we as Sojourners, people who represent the kingdom of God, fine with the way these immigrants, some seeking asylum, are being treated? Do we defend the policy and administration/use our freedom to cover up evil? Or do we speak out against the policy?

As Sojourners, who represent God and the power of his Word, we are emissaries in this world representing Christ our king, have we damaged our prophetic witness in this world by what we have spoken about, posted on our social media, and campaigned for?

We post on our FB John 3:16. Our next post is a video making fun of Biden when he is struggling to complete a thought. Or post a pic of Trump with is face all distorted.

How is this help/hurt our prophetic witness?

How about Peter telling us to put away all slander and yet we are posting and sharing opinions and unverified stories because they align closer to the way we think.

As Sojourners who represent God and his kingdom, we must live as a whole, not fragmented people. We must discover how to apply the Gospel in every area of life and in every issue we face. Kuyper says “there is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry, MINE! This is what Peter does, who writes and says you have a new life, with a new ethos, a new citizenship with a new purpose now this is how you live in this world.

As Sojourners who represent Christ and his kingdom, are we characterized by the statement.

Honor everyone

Love the brotherhood

Fear God

Honor the emperor

Litke, A. W. (2014). Journey. D. Mangum, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, & R. Hurst (Eds.), Lexham Theological Wordbook. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., p. 779). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Grundmann, W. (1964–). δῆμος, ἐκδημέω, ἐνδημέω, παρεπίδημος. G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley, & G. Friedrich (Eds.), Theological dictionary of the New Testament (electronic ed., Vol. 2, p. 64). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.