“When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God.” [1]
“Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.” [2]
We were foreigners to God’s country... heaven... but He invited us in through the precious blood of the Lamb: our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We certainly did not deserve such lavish treatment from God.
“Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.” [3]
Christians throughout history have been persecuted, mistreated, and martyred for their faith. America got its start after persecuted Christians fled here to start a colony where the Bible could be the rule of the law. Still, we are to remember that America, in fact, all nations on earth are only temporary residing places. The main residing place we should be concerned about is where we will reside for all eternity. Thus, the Apostle Peter advises us to live out our time here on earth as foreigners.
The key point here is that God’s ultimate goal is that the whole human race would unite in love.
God has scheduled an international praise and worship service in heaven that includes people from every nation and language: “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.” [4]
[1] Leviticus 23:22
[2] Ephesians 2:12
[3] 1 Peter 1:17
[4] Revelation 7:9
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