Your true citizenship is in heaven, and God has called you to live in a way that reflects His kingdom, even in the midst of a world that often goes in the opposite direction.
[00:00:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to The Bible Speaks with your host Elgin Carelock.
[00:00:42] [SPEAKER_00]: The Bible Speaks is a daily podcast dedicated to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, rightly
[00:00:49] [SPEAKER_00]: dividing the word of truth and learning how to apply it to our daily lives.
[00:00:55] [SPEAKER_00]: You may contact Elgin at the address given at the end of the broadcast and now here's
[00:01:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Elgin.
[00:01:02] [SPEAKER_01]: Browsons and sisters, I welcome you, whoever you are, wherever you are, and whenever you
[00:01:09] [SPEAKER_01]: are listening to another edition of The Bible Speaks where we explore the rich truths of
[00:01:16] [SPEAKER_01]: Scripture and how they apply to our daily lives.
[00:01:21] [SPEAKER_01]: And today's episode is titled Youre not from around here, are you?
[00:01:28] [SPEAKER_01]: Our spiritual inspiration comes from 1 Peter 2 verse 11.
[00:01:35] [SPEAKER_01]: In reading from the New International Version it reads, Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners
[00:01:43] [SPEAKER_01]: in exiles to abstain from sinful desires which wage war against your soul.
[00:01:53] [SPEAKER_01]: Peter is writing to a group of Christians who are scattered throughout various regions,
[00:01:58] [SPEAKER_01]: living as minorities in cultures that are often hostile to their faith.
[00:02:03] [SPEAKER_01]: He addresses them as foreigners and exiles, emphasizing that as believers they are not
[00:02:10] [SPEAKER_01]: truly at home in this world.
[00:02:13] [SPEAKER_01]: Their true citizenship is in heaven and they are just passing through this life on
[00:02:19] [SPEAKER_01]: their way to their eternal home.
[00:02:21] [SPEAKER_01]: This concept of being a foreigner or an exile can feel strange to us today.
[00:02:28] [SPEAKER_01]: We often place so much importance on belonging, whether it's to a community, a culture,
[00:02:35] [SPEAKER_01]: or even a nation.
[00:02:38] [SPEAKER_01]: But Peter reminds us that as Christians our primary identity is not tied to any earthly
[00:02:43] [SPEAKER_01]: affiliation.
[00:02:45] [SPEAKER_01]: Instead we belong to God.
[00:02:48] [SPEAKER_01]: And our ultimate allegiance is to His Kingdom.
[00:02:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Have you ever been in a place where you felt like you didn't quite belong?
[00:02:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe you were in a foreign country with a language, customs, and even the food
[00:03:03] [SPEAKER_01]: were different from what you're used to.
[00:03:06] [SPEAKER_01]: It's easy to feel out of place, maybe even a bit uncomfortable.
[00:03:13] [SPEAKER_01]: This is the kind of experience Peter is talking about.
[00:03:16] [SPEAKER_01]: As Christians we should expect to feel out of place in this world.
[00:03:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Our values, our beliefs, and our way of life are often in stark contrast to the
[00:03:27] [SPEAKER_01]: prevailing culture around us.
[00:03:30] [SPEAKER_01]: The world tells us to pursue wealth, power, and pleasure as the ultimate goals.
[00:03:37] [SPEAKER_01]: But we are called to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
[00:03:43] [SPEAKER_01]: It is this tension between the values of the world and the values of the Kingdom
[00:03:49] [SPEAKER_01]: that creates a sense of dissonance or discord.
[00:03:54] [SPEAKER_01]: We're in the world, but we're not of it.
[00:03:57] [SPEAKER_01]: We live here, but our hearts are set on our true home with God in heaven.
[00:04:06] [SPEAKER_01]: Peter uses the term foreigner in exiles to emphasize that this feeling of not
[00:04:11] [SPEAKER_01]: belonging is not only expected, but it's actually a sign that we're on the right path.
[00:04:18] [SPEAKER_01]: Peter doesn't just tell us that we're foreigners.
[00:04:21] [SPEAKER_01]: He also gives us an important piece of advice for how to live in this world.
[00:04:26] [SPEAKER_01]: He urges us to abstain from sinful desires which wage war against your soul.
[00:04:33] [SPEAKER_01]: This is a very critical point.
[00:04:36] [SPEAKER_01]: As followers of Christ, we're engaged in a spiritual battle every day.
[00:04:41] [SPEAKER_01]: The sinful desire Peter speaks of are the temptations and urges that try to pull us away
[00:04:48] [SPEAKER_01]: from living a godly life.
[00:04:50] [SPEAKER_01]: These desires are part of our fallen nature, and they can be incredibly powerful.
[00:04:56] [SPEAKER_01]: They're not just casual thoughts or minor temptations.
[00:05:00] [SPEAKER_01]: Peter describes them as waging war against our souls.
[00:05:05] [SPEAKER_01]: What does that war look like?
[00:05:07] [SPEAKER_01]: It can be the internal struggle to choose honesty over deceit, humility over pride,
[00:05:15] [SPEAKER_01]: purity over impurity or generosity over greed.
[00:05:19] [SPEAKER_01]: The world may encourage us to give in to these desires and to live our truth or just do you
[00:05:28] [SPEAKER_01]: or to prioritize our own happiness above all else.
[00:05:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Peter calls us to a higher standard.
[00:05:36] [SPEAKER_01]: As foreigners in this world, we are to live according to the values of our true homeland,
[00:05:43] [SPEAKER_01]: the values that often run counter to what the world promotes.
[00:05:48] [SPEAKER_01]: Living as foreigners in this world isn't just about what we avoid.
[00:05:54] [SPEAKER_01]: It's also about how we positively reflect the character of Christ in everything we do.
[00:06:01] [SPEAKER_01]: Peter's exhortation to abstain from sinful desires is paired with the call
[00:06:06] [SPEAKER_01]: to live such good lives among the people around us that they see our good deeds and glorify God.
[00:06:14] [SPEAKER_01]: This kind of living is powerful.
[00:06:17] [SPEAKER_01]: When we live differently, we choose love over hate, forgiveness over vengeance,
[00:06:23] [SPEAKER_01]: and truth over lies.
[00:06:25] [SPEAKER_01]: We become a testimony to the transformative power of the gospel.
[00:06:31] [SPEAKER_01]: People may not understand our choices.
[00:06:34] [SPEAKER_01]: They may even mock or persecute us for them, but over time,
[00:06:39] [SPEAKER_01]: consistent godly living can have a profound impact.
[00:06:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Imagine what it would look like if more Christians embraced their identity as foreigners
[00:06:48] [SPEAKER_01]: and lived in a way that truly reflected the value of God's kingdom.
[00:06:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Our workplace, our community, and even our families would be transformed by the light
[00:06:59] [SPEAKER_01]: we bring into the darkness.
[00:07:02] [SPEAKER_01]: And when people ask why we live the way we do,
[00:07:05] [SPEAKER_01]: we have an opportunity to point them to Jesus, the ultimate source of our hope and strength.
[00:07:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Of course, living as a foreigner isn't easy.
[00:07:17] [SPEAKER_01]: There's always a temptation to blend in, to avoid standing out,
[00:07:22] [SPEAKER_01]: or to compromise our values for the sake of fitting in.
[00:07:27] [SPEAKER_01]: It can be exhausting to always feel like you're swimming against the current.
[00:07:31] [SPEAKER_01]: Especially when the world around you seems so sure of its direction.
[00:07:36] [SPEAKER_01]: But Peter encourages us to stay the course.
[00:07:40] [SPEAKER_01]: He reminds us that this world is not our final destination.
[00:07:44] [SPEAKER_01]: We are on a journey to our true home, and every step we take in faith,
[00:07:50] [SPEAKER_01]: every decision we make that honors God brings us closer to that goal.
[00:07:56] [SPEAKER_01]: Being not from around here means that we'll face challenges.
[00:08:01] [SPEAKER_01]: But it also means that we have a hope that is unshakable.
[00:08:05] [SPEAKER_01]: We have the assurance that God is with us, that he is working in us,
[00:08:12] [SPEAKER_01]: and that he will bring us safely to our eternal home.
[00:08:17] [SPEAKER_01]: But in the meantime, he's given us the Holy Spirit to guide, strengthen,
[00:08:23] [SPEAKER_01]: and empower us to live out our calling in this world.
[00:08:29] [SPEAKER_01]: Brothers and sisters, I want to encourage you to fully embrace your identity as a foreigner in exile
[00:08:35] [SPEAKER_01]: in this world. Remember that you're not from around here. And that's a good thing.
[00:08:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Your true citizenship is in heaven, and God has called you to live in a way that
[00:08:48] [SPEAKER_01]: reflects his kingdom, even in the midst of a world that often goes in the opposite direction.
[00:08:54] [SPEAKER_01]: When you face the tension between the world's values and God's values,
[00:08:59] [SPEAKER_01]: when you feel out of place or misunderstood, take heart.
[00:09:05] [SPEAKER_01]: You are walking the path that Christ himself walked, and he is with you every step of the way.
[00:09:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Let your life be a testimony to the power of the gospel,
[00:09:15] [SPEAKER_01]: and let the light of Christ shine through you in everything you do.
[00:09:22] [SPEAKER_01]: I thank you for spending time with me on today,
[00:09:26] [SPEAKER_01]: and I look forward to our conversation on tomorrow. Until then, God bless.
[00:09:57] [SPEAKER_00]: On Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer, and many more. Follow us on YouTube at The Bible Speaks Online.
[00:10:08] [SPEAKER_00]: You may contact Elgin at PO Box 5582 or California 34478,
[00:10:18] [SPEAKER_00]: or by email at thebiblespeaksonlineatgmail.com