A Pilgrim Citizen

Intro

Two of the most fascinating images of the Christian are the “pilgrim and stranger” and the “citizen of heaven.”

1 Peter 2:11 AV

11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

The concept that ties these two images together is just as fascinating, the believer’s calling in Jesus Christ.

Those who have trusted Christ as their Savior are “the called of Jesus Christ” (Rom. 1:6).

They no longer belong to this present world system but are instead the citizens of heaven and pilgrims and strangers on the earth.

This calling has different aspects.

1. Christians Are Called Out

The English word ecclesiastical comes from a Greek word εκκλεσια, which means “a called-out assembly.”

Ekklesia is a familiar New Testament word, used 114 times and usually translated “church.”

The church is God’s “called out assembly.”

God’s approach.

Ever since man first sinned, God has been seeking lost sinners and calling to them to receive his forgiveness.

Luke 19:10 AV

10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

God does not call us because we deserve it.

He calls us in grace because he loves us and longs to save us.

Jesus said:

Mark 2:17 AV

17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

God is seeking sinners because sinners are certainly not seeking after God.

The initiative comes from the loving heart of God, not from the rebellious heart of man.

How does God go about calling lost sinners?

Paul described the approach God takes:

2 Thessalonians 2:13–14 AV

13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The past election of the saints and our free will decision to yeard to God is a mysterious combination.

The beloved former pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago, Dr. Harry Ironside, used to illustrate this truth by describing a door.

The sinner is standing outside the door and he reads above it, “Whosoever will, let him come!” He believes God’s promise, steps through the door, and is saved. He then turns around and reads above the inside of the door, “Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.”

It is important to see that the Godhead works together in the salvation of lost sinners.

As far as God the Father is concerned, I was saved when he chose me in Christ before the foundation of the world.

But I knew nothing about his choice.

As far as God the Son is concerned, I was saved when he died for me on the cross.

But what he did on the cross was not effective in my life until I yielded to the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and then it all came together and I was born into God’s family.

The new standing.

From what has the believer been called out?

We have been called out of what the Bible calls “the world.”

Jesus said:

John 17:16 AV

16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

But what does he mean by “the world”?

Certainly not the material world or the world of people. We have an important job to do, and we can’t accomplish it by isolating ourselves from everybody else.

By “the world,” Jesus means the present evil system that is behind the sins of this world.

“The world” is the present order of things, organized by Satan to oppose the work of the Lord.

In our daily conversation, we often use the word world to mean an invisible system that exerts influence.

For example, when we talk about “the world of sports,” “the world of finance,” or “the world of politics,” nobody ever dreams that we are referring to a special planet or a visible organization housed in an office.

People know we are speaking metaphorically about a “system” that relates to sports, finance, and politics.

When the Bible warns Christians about “the world,” the phrase is used in that same sense, to describe an invisible but influential system of things that is opposed to God.

Our old citizenship was in “the world”, but our new citizenship is “in heaven”

God has called us out of death and into life, out of darkness and into light, out of Satan’s kingdom and into the kingdom of his Son, out of shame and into his wonderful glory.

When it comes to the world system, God’s children are “strangers and pilgrims”.

A stranger is away from home, but a pilgrim is on the way home.

In Bible days, a “stranger” was a “resident alien” who lived alongside the people of a land but was not one of them.

As pilgrims, we are like Abraham and the patriarchs who stepped out by faith and obeyed God’s call.

Wherever Abraham went, he pitched his tent and built his altar.

All of us live in a “tent,” a frail human body.

When a Christian dies, the tent is “taken down” and the spirit goes to be with Christ in heaven.

But while we are living in this world, we must be careful not to start living like this world or for this world.

2. Christians Are Called Together

We must not get the idea that as “strangers and pilgrims” we are alone in this present evil world; for we are not only called out, but we are also called together.

Acts 2:44 AV

44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

Hebrews 10:25 AV

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Since we share the same calling and are traveling toward the same heavenly destiny, it is only right that we meet together and minister to one another.

Christian “politics.”

When Paul reminded the Philippians that their “citizenship” was in heaven (3:20), he used the Greek word πολιτευμα, which gives us the English word politics. (You will find the same word in Philippians 1:27.) T

This is significant because the city of Philippi was actually a Roman colony.

In order to help protect their empire, the Romans settled some of their loyal citizens (often army veterans) in various cities and then governed those cities the way the city of Rome was governed.

A Roman colony was organized and controlled by Roman law, and the citizens of the colony had the same privileges as those who lived on Italian soil.

It was a high honor for a city to be named a colony, and the residents did all they could to bring glory to the name of Rome.

Each local church is a “colony of heaven” on earth, made up of people whose citizenship is in heaven because their names are written down in heaven (Luke 10:20).

Roman citizenship was something to be proud of, for it carried with it many privileges, such as holding public office, participating in the assemblies, inheriting property, being protected by the law, and even having the privilege of appealing to the emperor himself.

But think of the privileges God’s people have because of their heavenly citizenship!

We are protected by heaven’s armies (Heb. 1:14; Ps. 34:7).

We can speak to our King at any time.

We can serve him.

We share his riches and his authority as we minister on earth.

And one day he will summon us to our heavenly home.

People who lived in Roman colonies had to remember that most outsiders would judge Rome by the way the colonists behaved.

It was very important that the Philippians, for example, obey the law and honor the emperor, or they would bring disgrace to Rome.

But the same principle applies to the church, God’s “colony of heaven” on earth.

People judge the Lord by the way we behave, and that is why it is essential that we conduct ourselves as it becomes the gospel of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:27).

3. Christians Will One Day Be Called Up

Christians are the citizens of heaven.

Therefore, the heavenly home is their destiny.

The Savior is now preparing a place for each of us in the Father’s house, and he has promised to return and take us to that wonderful home.

John 14:1–6 AV

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Most Christians believe in what is called “the imminent return of Christ.”

The word imminent means “ready to take place.”

In other words, nothing special has to happen for the Lord to return.

He may come today, or he may wait another generation.

Since nobody knows when Jesus Christ will return, it behooves all of his people to be ready every hour of every day to meet their Lord.

Since our citizenship is in heaven and our home is in heaven, we as God’s pilgrims must cultivate a “heavenly mind” as we journey here on earth.

We must constantly be looking for the Savior.

Conclusion:

It is not easy to be one of God’s faithful pilgrims, to live a separated life and be ready at all times to move as he commands.

But the rewards are worth it.

We not only enjoy his presence and blessing on earth, but we have the assurance of a wonderful future in heaven.

We know that Christ has promised to return, and when he does, we will be “caught up … to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:17).

After all, you shouldn’t mind being a pilgrim and stranger in this world when you know your destination is heaven.