"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city." Heb. 11:13-16.
Not only were those spoken of here "strangers and pilgrims" but they "confessed" it. People sometimes wish to be religious in private, and not to speak of it; this requires no energy of faith. To see the world as a lost and condemned place, to have our hopes in heaven-such facts must of necessity produce a proportionate result, that of making us think and act as "strangers and pilgrims" here. And it will be manifested in the whole life. If the heart be already elsewhere, it remains only for us to set out. This evidently involves open and public profession of the fact, and herein is a testimony for Christ.
Who would be satisfied with the friend that did not own us when circumstances were difficult? The concealed Christian is a very bad Christian. Faith fixed on Jesus, we embrace the things we have seen afar off; we are not mindful of the country from whence we have come out; we have at heart that "better country" before us. Where difficulties are in the path, and the affections not set on Jesus, the world rises again in the heart (Phil. 3:7-14). Paul had not acted in a moment of excitement to repent forthwith; his heart filled with Christ, he counts all but dross and dung. Perseverance of heart marks the Christian's affections to be onward, his desires heavenly. And God is not ashamed to be called his God.
It is either the flesh or faith; it is impossible that at bottom there can be a stopping halfway. The aim of the Christian must be heavenly things. The appetites and necessities of the new man are heavenly. Christians may be used for bettering the world, but this is not God's design. Seeking to link ourselves with the world and using Christianity for world-mending are earthly things. God's design is to link us with heaven. You must have heaven without the world, or the world without heaven. He who prepares the city cannot wish for us anything between the two. The "desire" of a "better country" is the desire of a nature entirely from above.