Temporary Residents on a Journey

Temporary Residents on a Journey

Temporary Residents on a Journey is a simple thought reflection from 1 Peter 1:1 contrasting the difference between temporary residents and citizens on Earth and Heaven.

 “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ: To the temporary residents dispersed in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen” (1 Peter 1:1, HCSB)

Peter calls his audience temporary residents. A temporary resident is someone without citizenship in the place they live. Instead, they are considered a temporary resident – or a traveler. The thrust of the idea of being a temporary resident is that one is on a journey.

While some temporary residents can become permanent residents and eventually citizens, the Bible teaches that as Christians, we are called to be residents where we live, but that our citizenship is in heaven.

“but our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:20, HCSB)

Abraham was blessed by God for following God in faith as a temporary resident in the land of Canaan.

“By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went out to a place he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” (Hebrews 11:8–10, HCSB)

Just like Abraham, we live in this world, but we look forward to the next.