Keeping your Christian Identity in a Pluralistic Society
1 Peter 2:11-13
11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
Reflection
The two words ‘sojourner and pilgrim’ are very common to this generation in a world where issues of migration and pilgrimages to Holy sites are very common. In what ways are the audiences of Peter foreigners or pilgrims? Was he writing to the people who were in the diaspora as migrants? This might be a historical possibility because 1 Peter is addressed to the “elect resident aliens” scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. The five areas listed in 1:1 as the geographical location of the first readers were Roman provinces in Asia Minor. These were areas where people have not fully embraced the Christian faith. Christians in those areas were therefore aliens and pilgrims who were accused of promoting a different belief system divorced from the traditionally upheld beliefs. The temptation therefore was to follow the popular culture contrary to the gospel. Peter is therefore writing to instruct them to Abstain from fleshly lusts and become exemplary to the non-believers. How do we abstain from freshly lusts? We can only abstain from fleshly lusts as we live as sojourners and pilgrims, as those who recognize that this world is not their home, and that they have a home and a citizenship in heaven. We might be living in territories where we are citizens but remember that we are all sojourners in this world and one day we shall leave it. This means that our way of life should demonstrate that there is a home ahead of us which we should aspire to reach.
Prayer
Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal glory; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen
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