Articles
Aliens on Planet Earth!
As mankind looks into the vast regions of space, one question has always intrigued the mind of man: “Are there aliens or other kinds of beings on other planets?” If there are, the Bible doesn’t have anything to say about the existence of life on other planets. However, the Bible does from time to time use the word “alien.” It uses this term however, not to describe life forms on other planets, but to describe a particular kind of person on this planet.
The word “alien,” as it is used in the Bible, describes someone who is not one of God’s people: someone outside. Lamentation 5:2 says, “Our inheritance has been turned over to aliens, and our houses to foreigners.” The word “alien” here describes the ungodly nations who oppressed God’s people. Also Ephesians 2:11-12 says, “Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh--who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands-- that at that time you 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. Paul uses this term to describe how Gentile nations were at one time outside of God’s family, but had now been brought in by Jesus. “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Vs. 13). Also Vs. 19, “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” These individuals were no longer aliens or foreigners because they had become members of God’s people, the church.
I find it compelling how the Scriptures often speak of the world in comparison to Christians. Those who are not saved are aliens, outsiders, different, and other. Do we recognize this difference? Do we ever lose sight that as we live in the world, we are to be different from the world? Do we ever feel the pressure to be like everyone else and get discouraged? Or do we hear the voice of the One and only I AM Who says, “Come out from among them and be separate”? (2 Corinthians 6:17). And in our attempts to be as palatable as possibly by saying, “we are all sinners” (which we are), have we lost sight of what has happened within us that separates us from the rest of sinners? Yes, we all sin! But only some are dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1). As Christians, we live in newness of life: something different (Romans 6:1-4). And in knowing this difference we need to reach out to the outsiders—the aliens who are perishing in the mire of sin (Revelation 22:15).
Our duty as Christians is to be concerned about the aliens on our own planet! This week, look for opportunities to win them to King Jesus! (Mark 16:15).
- Aliens_on_Planet_Earth.pdf (61.59 kB)
