There are all kinds of talk about citizenship these days. But the most important questions about citizenship does not concern your nation, but your heavenly home. We neglect this conversation too often.
Philippians 3:20-21 NASB
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our lowly condition into conformity with ]His glorious body, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.
I pray that God would bring you the clarity to your eternal citizenship today and that you would embrace your heavenly citizenship.
Paul is thinking of his heavenly citizenship as effective here and now. Paul knows that the idea of citizenship will get their attention. Citizenship is a big deal in America. When you talked about citizenship 2000 years ago, they were very proud. It was a great honor to be a Roman citizen especially in Philippi. Philippi was the city of commerce to and from Rome. Captains and military members would retire in Philippi.
Paul builds a contrast between those who focus on earthly citizenship alone, versus those who are focused on their heavenly citizenship. When we are focused on our heavenly citizenship, instead of worshiping our desires, we worship our King and our Savior. Instead of finding glory in a shameful lifestyle, our glory is to be like Christ.
Instead of thinking like earthly humans alone, we think like heavenly citizens as well. All of the major struggles, division and dissension we see in this world, can be traced back to an earthly mindset.
2 Corinthians 4:18 NASB
18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
The things we see are temporary, so rather than focusing on earthly things, we should be focused on the eternal. Why? Eternity is your forever home. That is where your citizenship belongs. There are many future benefits of having a heavenly home where we will worship Christ for all of eternity. But the presence of Christ should inform not only your future. Your citizenship with Him should inform your current reality.
When we say, I am an American citizen. It is a statement of your current allegiance today. From the moment you’re converted into your relationship with Christ. As soon as you are converted, you become an immediate citizen of heaven. Your body will fade, your heart will stop beating one day, but your soul will live on in eternity.
Why put off what we can do today? Why put off the blessings of heavenly citizenship when you can experience that today? What you see today is only temporary but what you don’t see is eternal. This is an already-not yet kind of thing.
Are you living as a citizen of heaven?
This should affect not only tomorrow but today. There is no neutral ground. Either you are or you aren’t, there is a clear contrast. Americans are ruled by a democratic republic, by a group of people. However, the citizen of heaven is a monarchy. We shouldn’t treat our faith like it’s to be ruled by the people for the people. Be careful with the “me-centered” theology. This isn’t Burger King – it’s not about you having your way. We need a guide that’s more important than a Constitution. It’s about having it God’s way.
The primary role of the church is to serve the Lord and bring Him glory by loving him, loving others like ourselves, and making disciples of all nations. But what if you’re not a citizen of heaven? How do you go through the “spiritual naturalization” process?
You must say to become a naturalized citizen of the United States of America, that:
I hereby declare on oath that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen.
That I will support and defend the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that all bear true faith and allegiance to the same. That
I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law, that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required again by the law, and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion. So help me God.
That’s the naturalization oath.
There’s a similar kind of commitment if you’re going to be born again. You renounce all the other idols and gods in your life. You commit to defend the founding documents, the Bible. You may need to realign yourself with your king and plead with Him for forgiveness and ask him to get you back on track.
Are you willing to die for the principles of faith? How much more dedicated should we be to our faith? Would you be as upset over someone burning a Bible as you get all fired up over someone burning a flag?
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our lowly condition into conformity with His glorious body, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.
What it means to be a citizen of heaven is that for eternity, you get to abide with Christ. He’ll continually be with you and transform you. And you get to imitate him by being like him and ruling with him all eternity. We’re not going to have time to get ready when he comes. We have to stay ready.
We don’t have to wait to be heavenly citizens forever in the future. We can do things like abide with Christ, be transformed by Him, and reign with him now. You can abide with Christ this afternoon. You could let him transform you today. You can imitate him this afternoon and continue and what it would be like to rain with him for eternity today. In fact, the more that you practice those principles today, the more eager you will be to practice those principles for all of eternity.
There’ll be no more death. There’ll be no more weeping. There’ll be no more pain. You’ll never experience death, only glory you’ll never be prone to sickness, but will be perfect in health for all of eternity.
Jesus took on the humiliation of our sin in our place as he defeated it on the cross and through the resurrection. This is good news.
The only way that you can be a citizen of heaven is by repentance and faith and Jesus Christ. Literally, he shed his blood to purchase your citizenship. He died on the cross. He rose from the dead. And if you would believe in him, that place called heaven would be your home. And the benefit of that place then can be alive and well in your life today.
