How should we live as God's people in a world that is not our own?

Tom Ascol, in his discussion on Jeremiah's letter to the exiles in Babylon, reminds us that we are created in the image of God and live in His world. Our primary responsibility remains to glorify God by exercising dominion, a task given to humanity since the Garden of Eden. This calling does not change with our environment; rather, it challenges us to determine how best to fulfill it wherever we are.

Jeremiah's letter to the Israelites in Babylon emphasizes the importance of remembering our identity as God's people. Despite being in a foreign land, they were called to honor God through their daily lives. This involves engaging with the world around us while upholding our commitment to God's principles. Our actions in any setting should reflect our devotion to Him, reinforcing our role as His representatives.

Colossians 3:23 (NKJV): "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men."

I think Jeremiah's letter and his charge to the people in Babylon is simply a reminder that we are people made in the image of God. We are living in God's world and he has given us the responsibility to take this world and to utilize it for his glory. So the very first commission that he gave to mankind in the Garden of Eden was very much the same thing, that we are to exercise dominion, that we are to be fruitful and multiply. And so that doesn't change depending upon your locality. It just depends how you'll go about trying to fulfill that.

And I think that's what Jeremiah's letter actually says to the children of Israel in Babylon. It says, hey, remember that you're God's people. You're made in His image. And you have a responsibility while you are here to honor Him in the very basic things of life.