People Without A Country?
More
and more as time goes by I find myself in a unique position. You
might say I am a “man without a country” as far as this world is
concerned. The more open, active and distinctive the two factions of
this world make themselves manifest, the more I find myself in the
middle not being able to agree with or side with either.
On
the one hand there is the outwardly irreligious and ungodly part. I
cannot agree with or participate in their blatant immorality and
wickedness. I cannot condone their drunkenness, sexual immorality,
abortions, cruelties, sodomies and much, much more.
Then
there are the religious and seemingly moral part. Sometimes it seems
I am more at odds with them than the other part! I cannot condone or
agree with their obvious anti-biblical idolatry. I cannot worship
their ‘god’ who tries, fails, begs and can only do what men allow
him to. Theirs is a god who loves all but cannot save them. A jesus
who died for all but most of those he died for will eventually perish
anyway. A spirit who tries to save men but who can be thwarted in his
purpose and power by the wills of men.
The
truth is, I cannot identify with either camp and I thank God for it!
Both will perish and these two groups who have despised each other
all their days will then find themselves spending eternity in Hell
together, making it more of a hell for them! No, in the greatest
sense, I am not a citizen of this world. I am as Abraham and all of
God’s people throughout the ages, a pilgrim and sojourner.
Because
of God’s grace to me in Christ, I am not of this world. My
citizenship is in heaven and my family is the church of Jesus Christ
which is His body. I am just passing through this world. My family
and people are God’s elect, chosen in Christ before the world
began, redeemed by Christ through His cross death and called by the
Spirit of God to Christ in faith. Like them, I desire a better
country, that is, a heavenly one; wherefore God is not ashamed to be
called our God: for He has prepared us a city (HEBREWS
11:16).
Like
Abraham, we sojourn in a land of promise, as in a strange country
and look for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is
God! In Christ, it is ours. We hold the title deed and our
citizenship by faith in Him. We wait in this world though out of
place, worshiping the Christ that this world refuses,
and confess Him to be our Savior, God and King. Outside the camp of
this world we dwell with God in Christ and await our home-going to
the land that is fairer than day!
-Gospel report by preacher Gary Shepard
Sovereign
Grace Baptist church of Jacksonville, North Carolina USA
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