The Tension

As Christians, we live in a tension. Our lives are marked by suffering and joy, sorrow and peace, life and death. We call this the tension between two worlds. The Already and the Not Yet. The present evil age and the age to come. It is the Kingdom of God and the Kingdoms of this World. This reality isn’t just a theological concept but a practical experience of the Christian pilgrimage.

Peter, in his first epistle builds upon this idea. He is writing to “elect exiles”. His readers were living in a world where Nero was Lord. The government was abusive and oppressive. The economy exploited the poor and made the 2% richer. Society as a whole was morality ambiguous. Religion was mixed with relativism. Life as a Christian in the first century was difficult to say the least. However the elect exiles find their place within the grasp of the Roman Empire.

Elect Exiles

An exile is a person who is residing in a land that is not his own. For the Christians Peter is writing to, the point is clear. Although they are living within the Roman Empire, that empire is not their home. They are citizens of a different Empire. Their home isn’t within the confines of this present world. These Christians belong to the world to come, The Kingdom of God. Therefore, these Christians are resident aliens, sojourners, pilgrims, strangers in a strange land. But notice they are elect according to the foreknowledge of God, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, resulting in obedience to Jesus Messiah, which was all accomplished by His work of the Cross. (1 Peter 1:1-2). God, through the work of Messiah, has made them exiles. Their allegiance is to a different Kingdom. But do you see the picture that Peter is painting in his letter? Let me illustrate.

When I was in Washington D.C. we passed by several buildings of importance; Congress, White House, and the Capitol Building just to name a few. Yet I remember seeing another building. It was the British Embassy. Did you know that the Embassy, although it is in Washington D.C., still belongs to England? Although it has an American address, American phone number, American Email, still finds its home in England. Once you step foot within the confines of the British Embassy in Washington D.C. it is as if you step foot within England itself. The individuals that work within the Embassy are exiles living within a different nation.

Interestingly enough, the Church is very similar according to Peter. The Church is an exilic community living within the confines of another nation. Peter will go on to say,

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. – 1 Peter 2:9-10

The Church is a holy nation living and functioning within another nation. This is where we find the tension that resides within the Christian life. You are part of a different nation while residing within the realm of another nation. To bring this down to a personal level; our local churches are expressions of God’s Empire. It is as if Heaven itself finds its home on earth within the local church. God’s Kingdom is on earth and we are citizens of that Kingdom.

This is fully expressed as individual believers’ assembly together in their respective communities. To make this really personal, when Cornerstone Church assembles together we are meeting as exiles worshipping the True King who is reigning. We meet as a holy nation living within another nation.

Exilic Ethics

So as exiles, we are to conduct ourselves a certain way. Peter describes that way for us with 5 main imperatives (commands).

·        Set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13).

·        Be holy in all your conduct (1 Peter 1:15).

·        Conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of exile (1 Peter 1:17).

·        Love one another (1 Peter 1:22)

·        Long for the pure spiritual milk (1 Peter 2:2).

So as exiles living within a different kingdom you are to set your hope on grace, be holy, conduct yourselves with fear, love one another, and long for maturity.

Notice Peter doesn’t stop there. As exiles you are also required to,

·        Be subject to the government (1 Peter 2:13-25)

·        Wives are to be subject to their husbands (1 Peter 3:1-6)

·        Husbands are to honor their wives (1 Peter 3:7)

·        Suffer well without reviling (1 Peter 3:8-22)

·        Live a self controlled life (1 Peter 4:1-11)

·        Submit to the elders of their church (1 Peter 5:1-5)

·        Live in humility (1 Peter 5:6-11)

Being an exile is expressed through our ethics (the way we live). I encourage you as consider these implications and pray that God would show you where your allegiance is. Remember we are exiles in a strange land. We are a government in exile awaiting the overthrow of the tyranny by the Lord Jesus.