Confessing That You Are a Stranger

Confessing That You Are a Stranger

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” 1 John 3:1.

Who can possibly behold the Father’s great love which He has bestowed on us, that we are called children of God? If we behold some of that love, we will despise the world and the world will despise us.

“By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Heb. 11:9-10.

He did not dwell in a tent because it was fashionable. Not at all! The rich and mighty dwelt in something totally different. He dwelt in a tent in order to testify that he was a stranger waiting for the city whose builder and maker is God. This is how the saints of old acted. They used the opportunity to testify that they were strangers. They were not ashamed of their faith.

When Jacob was presented to Pharaoh, he used the opportunity to testify as follows: “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” Gen. 47:9.

This is totally different from being afraid of being separate from the world and suffering reproach. They confessed it not only in word, but also by the way they lived. We read that we shall hold fast the confession of our hope. Heb. 10:23.

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.” Heb. 11:13-14.

We have an opportunity to be a witness by distancing ourselves from what is fashionable, especially by the way we dress, or when we build a house. Those who are under the law hear the commandment: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind . . . .” When such people are to clothe themselves or build a house, they think of what the others might think, and so they try to go the limit of what they think can be called Christian.

On the other hand, those who are born again test what is “that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” They behold the great love that was bestowed on them by being called children of God. They despise the world. Such people are no longer under the law. They have been set free and have no problems with fashions. They use the opportunities to dress opposite to what is fashionable, to witness to the fact that they are not of this world, thus showing their disdain for worldly things. Thus they testify that they “seek a better country,” eagerly awaiting a heavenly homeland. Then it also makes sense to speak about the signs of Jesus’ return, looking forward to it with joy. They are the light of the world. Matt. 5:14.