Strangers and Exiles

Renewing Your Mind

Ligonier Ministries

Religion & Spirituality, Reformed, Study, Jesus, Preaching, Christianity, Scripture, Spirit, Bible, Holy, Theology, Christian, God, Teaching

4.8 • 4.9K Ratings

🗓️ 30 June 2025

⏱️ 49 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Called out of darkness into the light of Christ, God’s redeemed people live as exiles in this world. Today, Stephen Nichols explains what it means to maintain our distinct Christian identity as we press on toward our eternal home.

Request Stephen Nichols’ book 5 Minutes in Church History with your donation of any amount: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/4097/donate

Live outside the U.S. and Canada? You can get the ebook edition of 5 Minutes in Church History for your gift of any amount: https://www.renewingyourmind.org/global

Save when you register today for Ligonier’s 2026 National Conference, Crucial Questions: https://www.ligonier.org/2026

Meet Today’s Teacher:

Stephen Nichols is president of Reformation Bible College, chief academic officer for Ligonier Ministries, and a Ligonier Ministries teaching fellow. He is host of the podcasts 5 Minutes in Church History and Open Book.

Meet the Host:

Nathan W. Bingham is vice president of ministry engagement for Ligonier Ministries, executive producer and host of Renewing Your Mind, and host of the Ask Ligonier podcast.

Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

Transcript

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0:00.0	The human capacity to hope is staggering, but it has its limits.
0:04.8	Hope in princes, hope in presidents, hope in chariots, hope in armies,
0:08.6	hope in full barns and overflowing vats, or bursting portfolios,
0:14.6	or busting portfolios will eventually collapse because those things cannot bear the weight.
0:22.7	There is only one who can bear the weight in its Christ.
0:31.9	Where do you place your hope?
0:34.4	Often we need the reminder of the psalmist in Psalm 42 verse 11. Why are you cast down,
0:41.0	O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God. Why do we need that reminder? Because
0:48.9	we're a forgetful people, and we live as strangers and exiles in a fallen world that ultimately is not our home.
0:57.0	Welcome to the Monday edition of Renewing Your Mind, as we have a special week of episodes,
1:03.0	messages from Ligdair Ministries' 2025 National Conference on the theme I will build my church.
1:15.2	Consider this week a preview of one of our conferences, and then be sure to register for next April's national conference in Orlando on the theme Crucial Questions.
1:21.1	We'd love to see you there, and you can learn more at Ligonier.org slash 2026.
1:28.1	Church historian Stephen Nichols is our guest teacher today, and today only, his book based
1:34.0	on his popular podcast Five Minutes in Church History, is available for you at renewingyourmind.org
1:40.7	when you give a donation of any amount.
1:43.8	Respond today as tomorrow will bring a new resource offer.
1:48.6	In addition to being a church historian,
1:50.9	Stephen Nichols is also a Ligonier teaching fellow
1:53.5	and the president of Reformation Bible College.
1:56.8	Here he is with a message titled Strangers and Exiles.
2:03.4	First Peter, chapter 2, verses 9 to 12, beginning at verse 9.
	...

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