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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