WANDERERS OR PILGRIMS?

In 1 Peter 2:11, the Apostle Peter describes Christians as, “strangers and pilgrims” on the earth. The term “strangers” (paroikos), describes those who live in a place that is not their home. At first glance, it seems strange (pun intended) to describe Christians as “strangers”. Are we not born into this world? Do we not have the same features as the men of this earth?

However, on closer examination, we see a stark difference between Christians and the people of the world. As believers who possess Christ, we are spiritually alive and are citizens of heaven. On the other hand, the people in the world do not have Christ in their hearts, and thus they are spiritually dead and have no entrance into heaven. Thus, the description of Christians as “strangers” is most apt.

In addition, Christians are also called “pilgrims” (parepidēmos). This term refers to people who are only staying temporarily at a particular location. When used to describe Christians, it refers to how Christians are only temporarily upon the earth. Soon, they will be in a different place.

Observe however that Christians are described as “pilgrims” and not “wanderers”. A wanderer may stay in a place temporarily, but he does not know his destination. On the other hand, a pilgrim has a destination in mind and is focused in reaching it.

This truth can be seen in the life of Abraham as recorded in Hebrews 11:13-16. “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. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 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.” (Hebrews 11:13-16)

Abraham clung on to the promise of God that one day his seed will inherit the land from which the Messiah would come from. Thus, he lived in tents in the land of Promise without entering any of the cities. Moreover, the Bible tells us that he was also looking for a country (i.e. home) that is beyond the physical land of Canaan. He was expecting an entrance into a future celestial city whose foundations is of God (c.f. Heb. 11:10).

Christians are not wanderers. We know our final destination is the new Jerusalem. This is unlike the people in the world who are lost in their sin.

It is thus sad when we hear accounts of youth who say that they have no direction in life. All they know is to play computer games and live idly from day to day. We pray our youth will not be such directionless people, for Christians have the forever inerrant and infallible Scriptures to be our sure guide on our pilgrim journey. Seek the Bible, and you will not be lost.

May you be a pilgrim and not a wanderer.

Yours lovingly,
Pastor Clement Chew


CHARLES SPURGEON ON HEBREWS 11:15-16
(Extracted and Adapted from Spurgeon’s Sermon, The Pilgrim’s Longing) 

Abraham left his country at God’s command, and he never went back again. The proof of faith lies in perseverance. There is a sort of faith which does run well, but it is soon hindered, and it doth not obey the truth. That is not the faith to which the promise is given. The faith of God’s elect continues and abides. Being connected with the living and incorruptible seed, it lives and abides for ever. Abraham returned not; Isaac returned not; Jacob returned not. The promise was to them as “strangers and sojourners,” and so they continued. The apostle tells us, however, that they were not forced so to continue; they did not remain because they could not return. Had they been mindful of the place from whence they came out, they might have found opportunities to go back.

Now, our position is very similar to theirs. As many of us as have believed in Christ have been called out. The very meaning of a church is, “called out by Christ.” We have been separated. I trust we know what it is to have gone without the camp, bearing Christ’s reproach. Henceforth, in this world we have no home, no true home for our spirits; our home is beyond the flood; we are looking for it amongst the unseen things; we are strangers and sojourners as all our fathers were, dwellers in this wilderness, passing through it to reach the Canaan which is to be the land of our perpetual inheritance.

So too, dear brethren and sisters, these opportunities to return are adapted to our circumstances and adjusted to any condition of life, and any change through which we may pass. For instance how often have professors, when they have prospered, found opportunities to return! I sigh to think of many that appeared to be very earnest Christians when they were struggling for bread, who have become very dull and cold now that they have grown rich and increased in goods. How often does it happen in this land of ours, that a poor earnest Christian has associated with the people of God at all meetings, and felt proud to be there, but he has risen in the world and stood an inch or two above others in common esteem, and he could not go with God’s people any longer: he must seek out the world’s church and join in to get a share of the respectability and prestige that will always congregate in the domain of fashion. Henceforth, the man has turned aside from the faith, if not altogether in his heart, at least in his life. Beware of the high places: they are very slippery. There is not all the enjoyment you may think to be gathered in retirement and in ease. On the contrary, luxury often pulleth up, and abundance makes the heart to swell with vanity. If any of you are prospering in this world, oh watch, for you are in imminent danger of being mindful to return to the place whence you came out.

We cannot take any opportunity to go back, because we desire something better than we could get by returning to that country from whence we came out. Brethren, you desire something better than this world, do you not? Has the world ever satisfied you? Perhaps it did when you were dead in sin. A dead world may satisfy a dead heart; but ever since you have known something of better things, and brighter realities, have you been ever contented with earthly things and emptier vanities?

There is this about a Christian that, even when he does not enjoy something better, he desires it; of that, verily, I am quite sure. How much of character is revealed in our desires. I felt greatly encouraged when I read this, “Now they desire a better”. Do I long for something far better, something infinitely preferable to that which my eyes can see or that my tongue can express. I do not always enjoy that something better. Dark is my path; I cannot see my Lord; I cannot enjoy his presence; sometimes I am like one that is banished from him; but I desire his blessing, I desire his presence; and, though to desire may be but a little thing, let me say a good desire is more than nature ever grew: grace has given it. It is a great thing to be desirous. “They desire a better country.” And, because we desire this better thing, we cannot go back and be content with things which gratified us once.

More than that, if ever the child of God gets entangled for awhile, he is uneasy by reason of it. Abraham’s slips, for he had one or two, were made when he had left the land, and gone down among the Philistines; but he was not easy there: he must come back again. And Jacob-he had found a wife-nay, two-in Laban’s land, but he was not content there. No, no child of God can be, whatever he may find in this world. We shall never find a heaven here. We may hunt the world through, and say, “This looks like a little paradise,” but there is not any paradise this side of the skies, for a child of God at any rate.

Thus you see the reason why the Christian cannot go back. Though he has many opportunities he does not embrace any, he shrinks with repugnance from them all, for, through divine grace, he has had produced in his heart desires for something better.

Even when he does not realize as yet, or actually enjoy, that infinite good, which is something better than creature comfort or worldly ambition, the desires them-selves become mighty bonds that keep him from returning to his former state. Dear brethren, let us cultivate these desires more and more. If they have such a separating, salutary, sanctifying influence upon our heart, and effect upon our character, in keeping us from the world, let us cultivate them much. Do you think that we meditate enough upon heaven? Look at the miser. When does he forget his gold? He dreams of it. He has locked it up tonight and he goes to bed, but he is afraid he heard a footstep down the stairs, and he goes to see. He looks to the iron safe: he would be quite sure that it is well secured. He cannot forget his dear gold. Let us think of heaven, of Christ, and of the blessings of the covenant, and let us thus keep our desires wide awake, and stimulate them to active exercise. The more they draw us to heaven, the more they withdraw us from the world.

Source: The Blue Letter Bible