Analyze the phrase "resident aliens" as it is used in 1 Peter. Why did this phrase become the figurative designation for Christians? Could it have designated other groups as well?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Answer is The author of 1 Peter calls his readers "exiles" and "aliens," a designation generally attributed to all Christians because Christians believe that their real home is in heaven. This world is a temporary dwelling place in which they have no citizenship. Being eternal citizens of heaven, they never feel at home within non-Christian societies and cultures. For "a while," though, they live as resident aliens on earth. Other scholars suggest that this designation could also have applied to actual exiles and aliens from other communities who were marginalized in their new residences, as well as to social outcasts from the same community. These people would have been attracted to the welcoming atmosphere of the early Christian house churches.

Analyze the Phrase "Resident Aliens" as It Is Used in 1