Book Review: Citizens & Exiles by Scott Aniol

If you have been in church as long as I have, you may have heard the expression, "In the world, not of the world." This is softly based on Jesus' High Priestly prayer in John 17, which says, "I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one" (John 17:15). We are also commanded in the Bible to not the love the world because if we love the world, we do not have love God, we actually hate Him (1 John 2:15, James 4:4).

The Bible calls us sojourners and exiles (1 Peter 2:11) and citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20) yet we are still residing in this world as we wait for the day when we are either departing our earthly body to be with the Lord or when the Lord returns to restore the world as God intended. You could say that we are living in two kingdoms, the kingdom of the world we are living in right and the kingdom we will be in standing before the living God. This world belongs to God, but we are the ones who are simply passing through in our pilgrimage. 

How are Christians to live in this world as we wait for the appearing of our Savior? What are Christians called to do right now? Scott Aniol answers those questions and more in his latest book, Citizens and Exiles: Christian Faithfulness in God's Two Kingdoms.

Aniol beings with the Biblical foundation for Christians to identifying themselves living in two kingdoms which began all the way back in the Garden of Eden when Adam fell. He then goes through briefly the different covenants God established as recorded in the Old Testament all the way to the Promised Messiah. 

Aniol continues to show us what God's Word says regarding us living as dual citizens of two kingdoms. We are called to be salt and light, to work hard, raise families, and simply be faithful Christians. 

Aniol does address the issue of Christian Nationalism which is a hot topic as of late. Aniol does point out that nowhere in the Bible we are called to make nations Christian or to overflow the government. Are there times we must obey rather than men? Yes. We have seen that not only in the book of Acts, but throughout church history as well as modern history with churches standing up against tyrannical political men and women during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bible does not give any promise that the entire world will become Christian as we live as sojourners and exiles as we wait for the appearing of Christ.  Darrell B Harrison once said, Christ came to save sinners, not society.

One final note, Aniol give a well done and fair review of a book by Doug Wilson titled, Mere Christendom. 

I am delighted to recommend this book for the church to read whether individually or in a small group discussion.

I received this book from G3 Press in exchange for an honest review.