Thursday, May 12, 2022

Today's Word -- Foreigner

 
1 PETER 1:17
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Since you call on a Father who judges each one's work impartially, conduct yourselves in reverent fear during your stay here as foreigners.

Our Father
Matthew 6:9
“Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name."

Impartial Judge
Romans 10:12
For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him. 

My Conduction (Behavior)
2 Corinthians 1:12
For this is our confidence: The testimony of our conscience is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with God-given sincerity and purity, not by fleshly wisdom but by God’s grace. 

Reverent Fear
Proverbs 9:10
The [reverent] fear of the LORD [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of wisdom [its starting point and its essence], And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding and spiritual insight.

Foreigners
1 Peter 2:9-11
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.

When we are born into this world, we become citizens of the nation into which we have born. When we are born again, we become foreigners to this world and its way and citizens of  God's kingdom. 

We are odd ducks, we stand out as different; not by anything we have done ourselves, but by the grace of God. We talk different. We live different. We embrace godly characteristics and mores, but eschew worldly wisdom and the world's values.