Remember, this letter was written to Christians, so they would be calling on their 'Father', 'Master', 'Teacher', 'Savior'. He said he was coming back and they believed him. He expected them to follow him after he was gone and follow what he taught even though it was not popular. Even 63 years (when this was written) after Jesus' death, many people were still sacrificing animals at the temple everyday. (In my study, I discovered that sacrifices took place at the temple until 70 AD when the temple was destroyed for the second time by the Romans.) The Christians were in the minority. They were to follow Christ and his teachings which made them seem strange and 'far out'. Paul tells the people to live as strangers.
Have you ever been to a foreign land? Have you ever been to a business party of your spouse where you knew no one? You probably felt like a stranger. Others greeted each other with excitement and dialogue that you could not participate in. You might have felt out of place and waited until someone talked to you first. Being a Christian, we are called to feel like that everyday and in every situation. We are to feel like this world is not our home. We are to feel like strangers. We are called not to have a carnal mind. Romans 8:6 says in the NKJ says,"For to be carnally minded is death." Carnal means 'worldly'. So to be worldly-minded is death. The NIV says, "Mind of a sinful man is death." So, there is a good reason not to be carnally/ worldly/ sinful minded. We are to be strangers to that worldly knowledge.
Here is a personal example: In high school I watched a movie. I really did not know much about it, just that it had an actor I liked and that he was a detective. I learned about things in that movie that I did not even know existed. For weeks I could not get it out of my head. I kept thinking how much better off I would have been to stay naive in the knowledge I gained. 1Cor 14:20 says, "In regards to evil, be infants...", and Romans 16:19 says, "be innocent about what is evil." I wish I would have stayed a stranger to those images and knowledge.
Vs. 18 says we are redeemed from 'the empty way of life'. How empty of holiness and purity and righteousness I felt weeks after that movie. I felt emptied of anything good, lovely, praiseworthy and pure (Phil 4:8). How awful to continue in that feeling by continuing to participate in what steals innocence. I am so thankful to be redeemed with Christ's blood. To be redeemed means to be rescued from something esp. sin.
Because Jesus died for us, gave his life for us, gave his flesh for us in scourging and beatings to the point of being unrecognizable (Is 42:14), gave his blood for us, we should desire to keep in step with him by being holy, blameless, pure and participating in those things that are good, lovely and praiseworthy. To participate in these things may make you feel like a stranger in the world and maybe even to your family. My prayer for you: Follow the desire in your heart even if they are making you step out of your box with an uncomfortable 'stranger-like' feeling. God is putting that desire there. And, put your faith and hope in God.
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