The moment we come to Christ in repentance and faith we are transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light (Col. 1:14). We become citizens of Christ’s kingdom while physically still living in Satan’s.
The term exile is one way to capture this reality. It means “resident foreigner” 1 whether voluntary or involuntary. An exile is different from a tourist. Exiles plan on living in their host country for the foreseeable future and they feel the tension between their home country’s culture and that of their host country.
The writer of Hebrews referred to the heroes of faith as strangers and exiles on the earth.
Peter recognized this concept when he began his epistle by writing, “This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (1 Peter 1:1 NLT).
Historically, being exiled was usually a form of punishment for a serious offence. It meant being shipped off to a faraway country with no hope of ever returning. This is the picture we find in the creation account of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Their rebellion resulted in being cast out of the Garden with no hope of returning. Consequently, all mankind has been alienated/exiled from God.
The gospel of Christ is an invitation to return home to the country for which we were created. When Jesus arrived on the scene he announced that “home” (the kingdom of God) was now accessible. Through the transforming power of the gospel, our citizenship is transferred from the kingdom of darkness to His kingdom (Eph. 2:19). There we learn to live according to a culture vastly different from the one we have left. Discipleship is the process by which we learn to understand, accept, and align with the culture of our new home country.
However, our life in Christ is more complicated than just learning the culture of our new home country. Our home country is not only an invisible reality but also a “not yet.” While waiting to be called to our eternal home, we physically remain in the kingdom of darkness … not as citizens but as exiles. We are resident foreigners in a Babylonian world.
The story of Israel exiled in Babylon/Persia can be a helpful resource to discover how to live in that world. Daniel and his friends certainly modeled how to adapt, contribute, and yet sustain their identity as followers of Yahweh. Peter also instructs us as resident foreigners in this world to “…keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your un-believing neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when He judges the world” (1 Peter 2:11-12 NLT). Peter’s instruction to us as exiles is not just to survive but to stay on mission as the Lord’s representatives to those trapped in the kingdom of darkness. We must remember that the citizens of our host country are not the enemy; they are victims of the enemy just as we once were. Our mission is to represent Christ and His kingdom to those people.
As ambassadors we live in various “spiritual embassies” including families and faith communities.
However, as ambassadors we should not simply “hold up” in our embassies and expect to accomplish our mission. We need to engage and influence our host culture as representatives of our King. We are to share a message of redemption, reconciliation, and reclamation. We are to impact/influence the host culture by changing the orientation of its people.
In this process of influencing, we should not expect our host to give us power or authority. Our true power and authority to be ambassadors does not come from the host but from the Lord. When Jesus sent his disciples out to represent him to the nations, he clearly stated that he was the one who had all authority in heaven and earth and, therefore, they were to serve him under his authority (Matt. 28:18-20).
In the past, living as Christians in our American “foreign country” didn’t seem all that difficult. The basic values of truth, integrity, and acknowledging God provided a basis for agreement. There were differences but they were not glaring opposition nor did they limit our worship of God. It was like being an American ambassador to Australia. We usually spoke the same language, had mostly the same core values, and even dressed the same. Differences did exist, of course, but they were more humorous than substantial. Living as an American in Australia you would notice that our host country referred to the back of car as a “boot” vs. a “trunk.” But that was an easy translation. People in our host country also like vegemite, but if you didn’t like it, you didn’t have to eat it.
What is dramatically changing today is the cultural landscape of our American host country. It is less like Australia and more like China. The language, values and worldview of our host country is now drastically different from the country we represent.
That does not imply that we should develop a strategy of survival and simply hold on until God sends revival or the angelic trumpets! Rather until we are called home, we have an assignment to be ambassadors, to represent him well, to live properly and to give honor to God.
We are His ambassadors. The only question is what kind? We can either
- Assimilate
- Isolate
- Separate
- Agitate or
- Imitate Christ.
“As the Father has sent Me, so send I you.” (John 20:21)
1 Strongs Concordance
For Reflection:
1. Why do you think Daniel was able to influence the world powers he served under?
2. How did Jesus demonstrate living as an exile/resident foreigner?
This fires me up! It seems easy at times to see the world and our country/culture changing the way it is and cling to the hope that Jesus will return and save us. But, “we have an assignment to be ambassadors,” I love that! Thanks for another great post.
Thank, Ron, for an excellent article!
I reminds me of what the Lord said in Jeremiah 29:4-7 to the Jewish exiles in physical Babylon. Verse 7 says: “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” We are in spiritual Babylon, but the command is still applicable! Your article also reminds me of what the early disciples of Christ were said to be saying in Acts 17:6-7: “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” We are to proclaim that Jesus is the King over all and that He is calling men and women to submit to Him and come into His Kingdom!
That passage in Acts makes me ask, “Is the message we are sharing today turning the world upside down and proclaiming there is a new King.”