For Christians are not
distinguished from the rest of mankind either in locality or in speech or in
customs. For they dwell not somewhere in cities of their own, neither do they
use some different language, nor practise an extraordinary kind of life. Nor
again do they possess any invention discovered by any intelligence or study of
ingenious men, nor are they masters of any human dogma as some are. But while
they dwell in cities of Greeks and barbarians as the lot of each is cast, and
follow the native customs in dress and food and the other arrangements of life,
yet the constitution of their own citizenship, which they set forth, is
marvellous, and confessedly contradicts expectation. They dwell in their own
countries, but only as sojourners; they bear their share in all things as
citizens, and they endure all hardships as strangers. Every foreign country is
a fatherland to them, and every fatherland is foreign. They marry like all
other men and they beget children; but they do not cast away their offspring.
They have their meals in common, but not their wives. They find themselves in
the flesh, and yet they live not after the flesh. Their existence is on earth,
but their citizenship is in heaven.
-Epistle to Diognetus
5.1-9 (mid-2nd century)
Antithesis and commonality are two words that describe a lot about our
relationship as Christians to the world in which we live. We are in the world, but not of the world, at
least, not in the truest sense. “Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we
await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Php. 3:20). We are citizens of an
earthly nation (Acts 22:26-28), but this is only temporary since one day the
kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of Christ (Rev. 11:15-19). One
day “the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be
burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will
be exposed” and judged by God (2Pet. 3:10).
We stand in contrast to the world in which we live, yet we share much in
common with it. What distinguishes us as Christians is our relation to God by
grace through faith. Outwardly we appear ordinary. We marry and raise children.
We go to school and have jobs. We buy houses, plant gardens, go on vacations,
buy new clothes, attend movies, socialize with friends, watch sports, vote in
elections, and live like most others in our society. But fundamentally there is
a radical difference, because none of these things define us; Christ does. We are more than the sum of our activities.
Our significance is the result of God’s love. –JME
