Explore the intriguing duality of faith where transforming power coexists with deep tension. Discover what it means to be a 'resident alien' in a flawed world, navigating the conflicts between earthly and heavenly aspirations. Understand the enduring relevance of biblical Christianity amid cultural critiques. Embrace the call to engage with culture without losing your identity. Delve into the generosity of Christ and how it inspires personal acts of kindness, even when faced with alienation.
Embracing God by faith brings both transformative power and a necessary tension that believers must navigate as resident aliens.
The duality of existing as seekers of the City of God while engaging with an earthly city calls for selfless love and service.
Deep dives
The Tension of Faith and Life's Challenges
The struggle between faith and the challenges of daily life is a central theme in the book of Hebrews, where believers grapple with their hardships while seeking to understand God's love. Embracing the living God by faith introduces both transformative power and a necessary tension, as believers acknowledge their status as 'resident aliens.' This duality creates an internal conflict, emphasizing that attempting to resolve this tension superficially can lead to a loss of spiritual vitality. The profound insights from this text encourage individuals to navigate this tension, thus enriching their spiritual journey.
Two Cities: The City of God and the Earthly City
The concept of two cities, one being the City of God and the other an earthly city, is fundamental in understanding believers' relationships with the world around them. The City of God symbolizes a new societal order grounded in justice, peace, and service, in stark contrast to the flawed values of earthly cities. Believers like Abraham are depicted as seekers of this divine city, highlighting the longing for a place where true community and flourishing can exist. The tension arises as the Kingdom is described as both 'already' present among the faithful but 'not yet' fully realized, challenging believers to embrace their alien status while actively engaging with the world.
Loving a City That Does Not Love Back
The call for Christians to act as resident aliens involves a commitment to love and serve their earthly cities, even when faced with misunderstanding or rejection. This engaged counterculture encourages believers to act selflessly for the common good, despite the cultural discord that may arise from their faith. The teachings encourage a proactive stance where believers can thrive amidst societal pressures, drawing on the biblical injunctions to care for others and to share resources. By embodying this love, they can reflect the essence of true citizenship in the City of God while influencing their communities positively.
The Power of Christ's Sacrifice
The transformative power to live as resident aliens rests in understanding the depth of Christ's sacrifice outside the city gates, where he bore the shame and sin of humanity. This profound act of love allows believers to identify with the marginalized while also reinforcing their identity in the heavenly city that serves as their true home. Recognizing that Jesus loved a city that rejected Him empowers Christians to become vessels of grace and service, loving others without expectation of reciprocity. The message encourages believers to embody Christ's love, fostering hope and change in their earthly surroundings.
When you embrace God by faith two things come into your life: a transforming power and a deep tension. It’s a duality. If you try to resolve the deep tension, you lose the transforming power.
The writer of Hebrews says the great believers in history were resident aliens on earth. In Greco-Roman society, a resident alien was a permanent resident but not a citizen. That is the tension that anyone who wants the transforming power of God must live with.
If we want to understand the message, we need to see four things we learn in this passage: 1) there are two cities, 2) each city has a conflict with the other, 3) only one city is for the other, and 4) how to become citizens of the one city that’s for the other.
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on May 1, 2005. Series: Christ: Our Treasury (The Book of Hebrews). Scripture: Hebrews 11:13-16; 13:10-16.
Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.
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