1 Peter 2:11-12 “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
As an alien and stranger on this earth, I must not seek to escape my environment but to live in it in a way that honors God. There is much anti-Christian sentiment in Western culture and among the elites and intelligentsia. Most of these antagonists do not examine the Scriptures or confront the facts, but instead harbor prejudices against followers of Jesus Christ. They nurture falsehoods and deceive themselves in their attempts to discredit the faith. They want to feel superior and even self-righteous. Unchecked, these attitudes and behaviors can evolve into the totalitarian forces that throughout history have tried – and failed – to exterminate the Christian faith. What am I, as a Christ-follower, to do? The answer in these verses is to live a good life among those who despise me, to live in such a way that causes them to question their biases and false accusations.
Father, the world seems especially dark and unwelcome. For the most part, Europe has either rejected or forgotten you – and now an aggressive evil fills the vacuum. Much the same is happening in America. Please have mercy on us and give us courage. Bring revival. Sweep through churches, our homes, and our lives with your transforming power.