1 Peter 1:17 – 21 “Since you call on a Father who judges each one’s work impartially, conduct yourselves in reverent fear during your stay as foreigners. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot. He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake. Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him; and so your faith and hope are in God.”
What does it mean to live as foreigners? July 28, 2020 marked the 32nd anniversary of our first arrival in Ghana. Since that time, we have lived in several different parts of Ghana, but we were always conscious of the fact that we were expatriates and strangers. We have to renew residence permits and non – citizen ID cards regularly. We must be very careful to conduct ourselves in such a manner that we will not bring offense to our host country or dishonor to our country of origin.
Here Peter is reminding us that we all serve a Heaveny Father who is an impartial judge. This is an election year in many countries and politicians are making all kinds of campaign promises. But unfortunately, it is difficult to believe many of these promises because we can see half – completed projects that were to be completed more than four years ago. If we can see these things, what about God, who sees all and who knows all and who understands our hearts even better than we do ourselves?
We are to behave with “reverent fear.” This does not mean that we must continually quake, but it does mean that we must be careful about the way we conduct our lives. We must continually be mindful of the fact that God is watching us and that God will judge us. Peter also reminds us that it is only because of the blood sacrifice Jesus offered for us on Calvary that we can truly hope in God. By ourselves, none of us is good enough to earn our way into heaven. But Jesus Christ shed His blood for us so that if we would believe on Him and follow Him, we would have eternal life.
“This world is not my home. I’m just a passing through. If heaven’s not my home, then Lord, what will I do? The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door, and I can’t stay at home in this world any more.”
It was a Sunday morning at the Central Prison in Tamale and we were helping with the worship service. One of the prisoners was playing guitar and those who were gathered were singing heartily. For that hour, no matter what had happened before, all of us were citizens of heaven who were just here temporarily. The truth is that this world is NOT our final home, and that each one of us IS passing through. The question before each of us is this: what is your destination? Are you trusting God and living as a citizen of heaven who is temporarily on this earth? Or are you trying to trust in your own merits, feeble as those actually are?
One day we will stand before God, whether we have believed in Him or not. We will have to give an account of the way we have lived our lives. Only faith in the blood sacrifice offered by Jesus Christ on Calvary will be sufficient to save us on that day because all of our own efforts fall short of God’s holiness and God’s glory. Long ago, Joshua challenged the Children of Israel “Choose you this day, whom you will serve.” That challenge remains. How will you answer?
PRAYER: Father God, we thank you that if we confess our sins and accept what Jesus has already done for us, then we are actually citizens of heaven who are only on earth temporarily. Lord, open the eyes of those who read this that they will see how much you love them and they will follow you. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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