Of Another World
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 1 Peter 1:1
Aliens – The Greek text really says, “to the elect sojourners of the dispersion”. The NASB changes the word order and alters some of the direct translation. The meaning might be the same, but we lose Peter’s emphasis. For Peter, the crucial matter is in the first two words, elektois parepidemois. You can see the word “elect” here. These are God’s chosen. The first Greek word is elektois – a word that differentiates believers from non-believers. It comes from the Greek word for “to select or choose”. It is used again in 1 Peter 2:9. Compare the usage of the word in Paul by looking at 1 Tim 5:21. This is an Old Testament concept (look at Deut. 14:2 and Isaiah 45:4).
These chosen ones reside nearby as strangers (that’s parepidemois). Literally, the word means close in and among the people. So, what does this tell us about Peter’s audience? It tells us that Peter is writing to those followers of Yeshua Messiah who are living close at hand among non-believers. They are resident aliens. They don’t really belong where they are. They really belong in the presence of God. But here they are . . right in the middle of the world. Isn’t it grand?!
This is not accidental. Yeshua Himself prays that the Father will not take us out of the world (so much for waiting for the rapture). Why? Because without salt (a preservative) and light (a guide), the world is doomed, and God is not finished with His redemptive effort yet! We are here, right in the mess, on purpose! We are chosen. That’s the blessing and the guarantee of our purpose. But we are also thrown. We are thrown into the mix of life in order to be redeeming verbs. We are not here to wait it out. We are not here to run to the cloister or withdraw into sacred spaces. We are here to be dispersed among the defiled. And that means we will probably bump into some pretty dirty shoulders along the way. That’s OK. It’s God’s design for salt and light.
Peter was writing to the Messianic Jews who had been shipped all over the place as a result of Roman political persecution. Distribution is God’s plan, not collection. We need to be reminded about the flow of the Spirit. Our God will not be bottled. He breaks every stronghold, every dam, every container. He spills over every barrier. He floods every landscape. And He does it with you.
So, get on your walking shoes. If you’re nicely settled down, waiting for His return, you might be in for a surprise. He will uproot you and scatter you, just as the wind scatters the seed. The unsettledness of our lives is no accident. Verbs move. Is God moving you? Is He uprooting your placid life? Is He pushing you out the door? The more unsettled the world, the more God needs transients. What good are we if we aren’t near at hand among those who need Him?
Topical Index: elektois, parepidemois, elect, aliens, dispersed, distribution
Well, that hit close to home. As a former wife of a pastor, and with hindsight, I ‘see’ how my life was protected, contained and sheltered – not in so much in the cleft of the rock but in this sanctimonious bubble that set me apart in an unhealthy manner. Today I am a full-time graduate student at the nearby den of iniquity, er, I mean college, and I have wondered sometimes, “What were you thinking, Lord?”
He’s thinking of them.
The ‘trick’ is to find the wisdom to know how to respond without judgment and how to love without condemnation. There is no other place to find that but in His heart, and I understand more clearly that I am a transient, a call I never expected, asked for or have yet to fully embrace. This is tough – any wisdom out there? (P.S. I am also 62!)
I forgot to hit the button to say I wanted to get the comments
BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!…caroldopray…the timing of God is a beautiful thing. I enrolled in a distance learning seminary program 3 years ago and it has TOTALLY revolutionized my life. Of course, it is the Holy Spirit’s illumination…God used the institution as a conduit.
Skip, this is IT…the gospel goes forward!
Please help me pray as I have just completed my Bachelors in Christian Studies with a concentration in Biblical Counseling. My desire is to go into full time ministry sharing the power of the Word to change hearts and lives. BTW I am a late bloomer too…55 years on the earth, forever young in ETERNITY!!
Abundance of blessing!
Mary
Carol do pray ? & Mary,
Congratulations to you both. You guys can add me to the list of people over 50yo who are involved -or hoping to become involved- in academic training.
I did a lot of spiritual re-evaluation in 1990, after 15yrs of 1-hr daily isagogical, categorical, & exegetical distance-study (a “tape group”). Some traumatic & dramatic things occurred in my family life at that time, and my marriage fell apart. That’s when I left the group. I got my own Strongs & other references and discovered I disagreed with many of the dogmatic absolutes that stemmed from his “accurate translation”. Two yrs ago I started “The Theology Program” from bible.org (from whom came the New English Translation -NET Bible translation) which is also distance learning & set your own pace. What I appreciated most from them was the first course of classes, on foundational methodology, sources, and reasons for studying Theology.
The field of Biblical Counseling draws me also, especially its pro-life aspect. If G-d’s plan is for me to regain the health & energy necessary for it, I suspect He might point me that direction.
I wish I knew how long He wants me to focus on regaining health; I was just notified that I need to begin the appeal process if I want insurance to continue paying for treatment of tick-borne disease, and we can’t even attack the Lyme (with any success) until we get the Babesia completely gone. These critters (spirochetes) have had 30yrs to get corkscrewed into different areas (especially my neurological system). Doc says that if Neuro Lyme, I will probably require 6-12months (very expensive) IV drip. But if I just give up, the probable eventual result is not just intensification of current peripheral neuropathy & mental/emotional problems, but also cardiac & respiratory complications. So I too would appreciate prayer for guidance.
-Truthful L Kindness & “Blessing” the wheelchair Service Dog
– truthfulkindness@sbcglobal.net
Aha! That is why I’m where I am. I will praise Him even more for the good things in my life & seek to share them & Him more fervently. Suz
This emphasis on being thrown into the culture sounds like what Erwin McManus is doing in LA at Mosaic Church. Since I’m not near there, I’m glad that I’m part of this online community at Skip’s website. But it’s also nice to have face to face contact with local believers.