True Citizenship

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Daily Devotions with Pastor Chuck

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As the old hymn says, “Morning has broken like the first morning . . .” And it has! We have a new day by God’s grace and in recognizing His provision, let us set our hearts to praise Him for the day and to walk in a manner that is pleasing to Him.

From the book of Philippians we read,

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21 – NKJV)

If you are born again of the Spirit, if you have believed on Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, if you are a disciple of Christ, if you are a Christian, then your “citizenship is in heaven.” True “citizenship” for the Christian in the here and now is “in heaven.”

Dr. John MacArthur elaborates on this “citizenship” noting,

“Believers must not forget that though we currently dwell in this country, our true citizenship is in heaven. We are in the world, but not of the world. Our ultimate allegiance is to the Lord. We follow His directions, commandments, and standards as revealed to us in His Word and energized in us by His Holy Spirit. We live for eternal matters, operating with a wholly different set of priorities than those in the world around us. Though we now reside in an earthly kingdom, our resources and efforts are primarily focused on advancing the work of an eternal kingdom (cf. Matthew 6:33).”

The apostle Paul was a Jew and a Roman citizen. But from our text we see that he had no doubts as to where his true allegiance was. His “citizenship” was “in heaven” and he made it clear to his readers that that was their true residence also.

MacArthur goes on to say,

“Our identity, our priorities, and mission are not defined by our citizenship on earth, but in heaven, where our Savior awaits (Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:16), and our fellow countrymen dwell (Hebrews 12:23). It is there that our names are recorded (Luke 10:20; Revelation 13:8), and our treasures are stored (Matthew 5:12; 6:20; I Peter 1:4). Though we live in this world, we do so as servants and ambassadors of our heavenly King, Jesus Christ.”

We walk in obedience to our King! We do His bidding while we are here in this country. Our intentions every day are to serve our King and do what we can to further the work of His Kingdom. As ambassadors for Christ (II Corinthians 5:20) we are,

“. . . strangers and exiles on the earth . . . seeking a country . . . a better country, that is a heavenly one” (Hebrews 11:13-14, 16 – NASB)

Citizens of “heaven,” sojourning in this current land, vessels that have a great treasure within, a people with a clear mission statement (Matthew 28:18-20), “our identity, our priorities, and mission . . . not defined by our citizenship on earth, but in heaven.”

Have a good day brethren . . . and as you walk seek to serve the King, to further His Kingdom, as true citizens of heaven.