Strangers to God
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. -Philippians 2:9-11
Here we see a solemn foretelling of mankind’s estate: every knee shall bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Yet how we arrive at this confession, (or perhaps more accurately, when), is of the utmost importance for our souls.
Whether you should confess His name in heaven above, or in hell beneath: it matters little to Christ, for all shall bow to Him in the end. But for our own sakes, we have the opportunity to confess Him willingly first on this earth, and once again joyfully in heaven. Those that deny Him on this earth will have no such luxury, and will confess Him only in the afterlife, when judgment has been declared, and their eternal lot has been cast for hell.
A stranger to God
That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: -Ephesians 2:12
Those that are unsaved are familiar with the culture around them, and with the ways of the world, but they are strangers to God. They are strangers to His ways, and His doctrines are foreign to them.
Yet we see in Scripture, that God’s people are just the opposite: we are made adopted sons and daughters to God, as family members, and we are made a stranger to everything in the world. “[T]hey were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13).
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: -Romans 8:14-16
An example of a stranger to God
One clear example of one who was a stranger to God was the Pharaoh of Egypt. Moses had been sent by the Lord to free God’s people from the bondage of slavery under the Egyptians. Moses approached the Pharaoh about this, asking him to release God’s people, to which he gave a very honest (though unfortunate) reply:
And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go. -Exodus 5:2
Pharaoh was very honest that he didn’t know God, nor did he seem to care that he didn’t know God. Yet as the Scripture at the top of this page indicates, in the end, all will bow their knees to the glory of God.
In reading further along in the example of Pharaoh, Moses speaks to Pharaoh on God’s behalf and explains to him that God will still be glorified through this leader who refuses to acknowledge the Lord.
And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?
-Exodus 9:16-17
And in the end, Pharaoh was indeed acquainted with God. He was no stranger to God, though he was defeated and humbled. The angel of death had killed his firstborn son, and upon pursuing the Israelites into the Red Sea, all of his chariots were destroyed and drowned. His nation was left in ruins, and it was all done to the glory of God’s power and might. He became acquainted with God through wrath, and not through grace.
All things, even the rebellious and hard-hearted ruler can be brought to the point of showing God’s glory: we will all know God in the end, albeit in a widely diverging way. Sometimes it’s through voluntary choices to serve Him, and sometimes it’s through denial and rebellion.
Today, in the land of the living, we have the choice to freely and gladly choose God now. We can become acquainted with God through grace. Let us not neglect so great an opportunity for salvation, and praise God with a willing and joyful tongue.
For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? -Hebrews 2:2-4
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