Pilgrims & Strangers

"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul..." (I Peter 2: 11)

"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." (Hebrews 11: 13)

"Strangers" is from the Greek word "xenos" and is where we get the word "xenophobe" - "fear of strangers and foreigners."

"Pilgrims" is from the Greek word "parepidēmos" meaning "sojourning in a strange place, a foreigner."

Combined, the idea conveyed is that Christians are, in this world, strangers, foreigners, and sojourners on the earth, those who live in this world but are not citizens of it, for they are citizens of another country.

I heard a sermon on the radio yesterday where the minister spok of four things about Pilgrims. 1. Their tents. 2. Their altars. 3. Their "far off look in their eyes" 4. Their conversation.

A nomad like Abraham "dwelled in tents." He had no permanent home while he was sojourning, while he was a pilgrim in a strange land. Christians confess - "here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come" (Hebrews 13: 15) A famous Christian song celebrates this idea in these words:

"This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue...and I can't feel at home in this world any more."

Christian pilgrims travel through this world and life, not only in tents (metaphorically), but with their "altars," as did Abraham. He took his religion with him, and sacrifices were part of his daily nomadic life. So too are the "sacrifices of praise" part of the tent life of the child of God.

Christian pilgrims also have that "far away look" in their eyes. Their sights are fixed on what's ahead, having "eye singleness" for the prize, for that grand homecoming day, when the pilgrim will possess "everlasting habitations," no longer wandering and dwelling in temporary dwellings. Christians have that dreamy look in their eyes, especially when you talk about heaven and their eternal home. They long to be there! There is an expectancy in their eyes as they get nearer home.

Finally, a pilgrim can barely talk about anything else but their final destination. Sometimes this can be annoying to those who are not pilgrims in this world. The world does get annoyed with Christians, almost being spiritual xenophobes, having a fear and dread of the company of Christians. But, the Christian cannot help but talk about these things.

Friends, is this world your home? Are you comfortable here? Do you say with Abraham that this world is not your home, that here you have not permament residence? Are you a citizen of this world or of the world to come?

"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ..." (Philippians 3: 20)