James Cagle

The Bible says, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. And they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. . .. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city” (Heb.11:13,14,16).

The word “strangers” is a term used in the Bible (KJV) to identify and describe the Christian (1 Pet.1:1, 2:11). The word stranger means, “alien, visiting foreigner, pilgrim, sojourner, one whose citizenship belongs to another country.” A stranger is someone who is visiting a country but not of that country he’s visiting. A Christian is a stranger in this world because like Christ he is in the world but “not of the world” (Jn.17:14-16).

Christians are viewed as strangers to a lost world because of the new life they begin to live after their conversion. Paul writes, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things (new things) are of God” (2 Cor.5:17,18a). Peter tells the Christian that the lost world, and primarily the old acquaintances will think them strange, and speak evil of them, when upon their conversion, they put their past life of sin behind them and start living according to the will of God (1 Pet.4:1-4).

Christians are viewed as strangers because of the way they react to the common everyday trials of life (1 Cor.10:13). When Christians by the grace of God rise above disasters and catastrophe and exemplify peace, and rest, in the midst of suffering and heartache because of their faith in God, they are seen as strange because such reactions are uncommon. Christians are seen as strangers because when they go through fiery trials of persecution and are threatened with death they rejoice and are happy (Jb.5:17; Jms.5:11; 1Pet.3:14; 4:14). They aren’t happy because of the pain and suffering. But rejoice in the fact that they are so Christ like that the world that hates Christ attacks them for the Christ they see in them (1 Pet.4:14,16). Paul wrote, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim.3:12).

In order for a person to change dramatically and be so totally different on the outside from what they were before that they are as strangers to their family and past acquaintances something strange had to happen on the inside that brought about this change. This something was repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21).

Repentance is a changed mind or way of thinking that if it’s real will most assuredly change the way a person lives (Mt.3:8). Christians will be the strangers God meant them to be when they live to realize Romans 12;1, 2. The Christian’s thoughts are strange compared to the lost and this is what eventually makes them peculiar (Tit.2:14).

James H. Cagle is a resident of Ray City.