For here we do not have an enduring city, but we look forward to the city that is to come.  – Hebrews 13:14

In A.D. 410, the Vandals, under the leadership of King Alaric, laid siege to the Eternal City—the city of Rome. Rome acquired that title because it had existed as a republic for nearly 500 years, and most people felt that it was so powerful, so established, so dominant, so protected, that it could never be defeated. The empire might be shaken and its frontiers might be breached, but no army would ever march through the city gates of Rome itself. The year 410 shook this belief to its foundations and ultimately led to the collapse of the empire itself. To many Romans, the world itself seemed to be coming unhinged. Even Christians wondered what might become of the faith without the establishment of the empire to undergird it.

Christianity had become a by-word, since either the gods had allowed for the defeat of Rome as punishment for their abandonment, or the Christian god had proven to be a very weak god indeed. After all, the Emperor Constantine had declared the God of Christianity to be the only true God a century earlier. If this were true, why had God not protected Rome as the Roman gods had done so diligently for so long? Why the change? Why not things as they had always been? The angry accusations prompted St. Augustine, the Bishop of the great African city of Hippo, to begin writing his classic work, The City of God, in 413.

It is not within the scope of my Jym Shorts articles to evaluate Augustine’s entire work, but as an overview we can say that Augustine broke down his argument into twenty-two “books” (we might call them “chapters” today). Methodically, yet precisely, Augustine presented his argument that Rome had not been successful because of its pagan past but because it was God’s will to prosper the empire for the sake of his future plans and for his glory. Every event was being directed by a sovereign God.

By the time Augustine reached book ten he was ready to begin his discussion of the difference between his “two cities,” the city of God and the city of man (or the earthly city and the heavenly city). For the rest of his work, Augustine demonstrated God’s activity in creation along with his work in the history of Israel and the nations, right up to what he viewed as the end times. His final assessment was that the church is a divinely established institution that leads humankind to eternal goodness, which is found only in God. The state (in this case, the Roman Republic) adheres to the virtues of politics and of the mind, formulating a political community. Although Augustine felt that both of these institutions seek to do good and are part of God’s plan, behind the scenes are two invisible institutions: the “city of heaven” reserved for those who are saved (and who will be saved), and the “city of man” for those who are not (and will not) be saved. Through it all, Augustine attempted to demonstrate God’s justice and called on all people to pursue him and the heavenly city for the betterment of all human society and for a lasting peace.

So why write about such an old book in my article? Because it mirrors so closely what is occurring in our own nation today, and in our own lives. We are, generally speaking, a people who cannot seem to find contentment. Not with our lives, our families, our nation, or our churches. Most want a better “lot in life.” Many are looking for the next great thing. When things go south, as they do for all of us at different points in our lives, we are looking for someone, or something, to blame. But things change in life, whether we like it or not. God is the only consistent reality in our universe. We change constantly; he never changes.

Our text for Sunday’s worship is 1 Corinthians 7:17-24. Here we will see that God has called us to be content with our place in this world. Things will change around us, sometimes radically, but that need not cause us strife, anger, or worry. God is our center, our fulcrum. He is the hinge on which our lives turn. We are part of the city of heaven, in which God reigns and our status in this world has no bearing. “Nations rage, kingdoms totter. He utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us, The God of Jacob is our fortress” (Ps. 46:6-7).

Like life on a seagoing vessel, it is hard to find a steady place to stand. But godliness with contentment is great gain. We were born naked and we will leave naked. Blessed be the name of the Lord. This world is passing away, and we with it. But there is much more to come, and there, in that place, contentment will be both the prize and the order of the day.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Jym