Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - June 1/58

Contributor - J Dykstra

Title - How Long Must one be an immigrant?

Topic - Immigration

This is not an uncommon question among those who have recently made their home in a new land. It is a question asked by those who have tried hard to become one with the people of another land and have been rudely insulted by the name-calling of some unthinking person, by someone who has let you feel that you are an outsider, that you don't "belong". And that even though you have concentrated so on speaking his language as perfectly as possible and have tried desperately to adopt the appearance and even the attitudes Of the new land. How long an immigrant? Will I always be considered an outsider? This is a real problem for those who left their own country to live in another. It is one of the dear costs of immigration.

This situation suggests to us a spiritual truth. In the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, that marvelous description of the heroes of the faith, the fact is set before us that these who lived so, close to God and manifested such tremendous faith, "Confessed that they were pilgrims and strangers on the earth." (Heb. 11 :13). The immigrant no doubt knows and appreciates the meaning of these words far better than the average stay at-home citizen. There is such a close comparison here that you may surely look on this cost of being an immigrant as a blessing.

It is a fact that every real Christian discovers sooner or later, that if you are going to live a Christian life, if you are going to bear any witness at all to the saving grace of God, you will lack acceptance with the world. This ought not come as a shock, for we have been warned time and again. The letter of John says, "therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not." (John 3 :2).

Jesus also warns, "The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying they will keep your's also." (John 15 :20).

Most Christians today know nothing of actual persecution, but there is an underhanded sting rather constantly paining those who will live really Christian lives. In a way "the cold war" on Christianity is even worse than actual combat with the forces of darkness, for it is so much more deceiving. A Christian is not Outlawed or burned at the stake for his faith. Rather he is looked on as being "old-fashioned", maybe a little "stupid", by some as a "fanatic" a "square", or a "screwball".

At all events a bit foreign. And if here is anything that hurts human pride, it is to, be thought of as a "foreigner", to lack acceptance with the group, to be shut out. Rather we like to be respected and liked. We like the fellows at the job, the man or lady in the store, the neighbors, yes, everyone in general to say, "He's a regular fellow". "She's a nice lady."

As a result, we try to be respectable,, Christians. To be sure it requires some bending and some squeezing, but we try to fit ourselves into the form that the world considers people ought to be. We smother our light under a basket be sure not to say anything about evils that others are doing for they might not like you then. Be sure to laugh loud at their filthy talk and learn to, swear like they do and do as they do. Maybe then they'll not even notice that you're a Christian. When you go to church, the minister may just happen to preach a sermon on the text, "Be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds," (Rom 12 :2) and you feel just a little uncomfortable about what he says, but there are many solutions to that. Just let it go in one ear and out the other. Quick go outside and talk about business, and money and jobs. Don't think about the sermon. Watch TV when you get home or read the paper or a magazine that will keep your mind off the sermon or go visit some unchristian friends. You might also just not go to church quite as often anymore either, or, you might fall asleep in church. That helps too.

The question remains though whether you really can hide the fact that you're a Christian if you really are one. Don't you think others can sense it somehow that even though you try so hard that you are not really one of them? Can't they see just a bit of hesitation, of indecision, as they lead you into sin? You see, when it comes down to it, if you're really a Christian, then you're a citizen of another land, of heaven. You have sworn allegiance to the King of heaven. Down in your heart you know that the heavenly kingdom is really far better and far more important than this world. You know that if you are really a citizen of the kingdom of God, someday you will leave this foreign land to spend eternity in heaven, feasting on far greater riches than this world can ever give You. And if you really analyze things right, if the Lord blesses you with a proper sense of values, you'll realize that the "sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us." (Rom. 8:18). And suddenly it will dawn on your soul that Christ asks such loyalty of us that we cannot give in to the world to be as they are, that doing such is really endangering your spiritual life if not your eternal inheritance, that you have no business trying to hide the fact that you are a foreigner here on earth,

The heroes of the faith confessed, or we might say "admitted" that they were foreigners here on earth. They neither fitted in with the world nor did the world fit in with them. They were just passing through this world and could not become a part of it. For the real Christian, like Lot in the Old Testament, is really mentally distressed at the sinful life of the godless. (II Pet 2 : 7). Do you remember how upset you probably were when you first got to Canada and saw how they lived here? In a much greater sense the Christian ought to get upset when he sees how the godless live. He can have no pleasure in their sin nor in those who do those sins. He must finally confess, "Yes we live here, in this world, but we really don't feel at home here". For if we feel at home here, we shall justly be condemned in the day of judgment with the godless.

We ought not to get "used" to sin, nor ought we try to overlook but we ought to give positive testimony both by our upright lives and by word of mouth that we don't agree with sin and that it is terribly displeasing in God's sight. Actually, as far as our spiritual life is concerned, we should remain immigrants, foreigners, strangers, pilgrims in the earth wherever we live - here or elsewhere - as long as we are on earth, or otherwise we'll not be prepared to "feel at home" in heaven.

Take courage then Christian, if you don't feel at home here, for you are in the company of the mighty believers of all years of time. God grant us ever to be spiritual immigrants here on earth!

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