Aliens

Have you seen “Men in Black 3”? For those who are not familiar, “Men in Black” is an INS-like agency providing passports and ‘green cards’ to extraterrestrials visiting earth. But don't see it unless you can handle green, blue, striped, syrupy, and worse, mucus-covered, oozing aliens.

We used to refer to people unlawfully entering the US as “illegal aliens.” About 30 years ago, it was replaced by “undocumented immigrant.” Though ‘alien’ is an appropriate label for a foreigner, the connotation of a creepy extraterrestrial just didn’t seem politically correct anymore.

But Peter used the word “alien” to describe you and me. Of course he meant those who are foreigners in this world, who do not belong here,in other words, extraterrestrials. He also used the word “pilgrims” or “sojourners,” meaning those who avoid attachments that would impede the journey to their final destination (1 Peter 2:11).

Paul, too, saw himself as an alien from outside of space and time—a foreign ‘life form’ transported through time in a body (1 Cor. 15). But unless you know the reality of your co-death and co-resurrection with Jesus (Romans 6; Galatians 6), I am afraid this idea may be alien to you. Do you think Paul had this in mind when he scolded the Corinthians for acting like “mere men” (1 Cor. 3)?