Elect exiles
To God’s elect, exiles, scattered throughout the provinces…
I Peter 1:1 (NIV)
Who do you think you are? How do you see yourself? There is a lot of talk these days about identity, and it’s important. It will determine how we conduct our lives and how we deal with what comes our way. Now, part of the debate centres on to what extent my identity is given to me and how much it can be chosen by me, but I won’t expect to try and resolve that debate here!
At our 6pm service a couple of weeks ago we began a new series in Peter’s first letter. Peter begins that letter by reminding his readers of their identity as Christians. In two short words, he sums it up; they are “elect exiles.” And we are the same today if we’re Christian believers. In words he will use later in the letter, we are at the same time both “chosen by God” and “strangers in the world.”
What we saw is that these are not simply two different, true and complementary ways of describing our identity as Christians. There is an essential connection between being elect and being exiles. We are “exiles” because we are “God’s elect.” It is precisely because God has chosen us for himself that we are now strangers in the world. Because we now belong to him, we no longer belong in the world.
That is profoundly helpful, because it is uncomfortable being an exile, feeling that you don’t belong, that you’re a temporary resident, just passing through. And we’re likely to experience greater and greater discomfort in this country as our culture drifts further and further from God and his ways. So it helps a great deal to know that one reason for that discomfort is that God has chosen us to belong to him.
I may not like being an exile, but I treasure being one of God’s elect and wouldn’t give that up for anything. I can also trust the one who has chosen me for himself to keep me safe in this world, and to lead me safely through this world. I wouldn’t have chosen to be an exile, but I’m glad I’ve been chosen to be one of the elect.
Lord, thank you for choosing me to belong to you. When I feel that I don’t belong in this world, help me to remember that I do belong to you, now and for ever. Amen.
Yours warmly, in Christ,
Chris Hobbs (Senior Minister)