Philippians 3:20 “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,”
As Christians, we have dual citizenship. We are citizens of an earthly nation AND based on our verse we are citizens of heaven. This idea of dual citizenship was familiar to the Philippians as they had dual citizenship on earth. While they were citizens of the region of Macedonian and the city of Philippi, they were also considered Roman citizens. The city of Philippi was a Roman colony in which many retired soldiers received land, and they received Roman citizenship because to their support of Octavian (later Caesar Augustus, Luke 2:1) and Mark Antony as they battled against Brutus and Cassius after the death of Julius Caesar. Though Philippi was miles away from the city of Rome, the citizens of Philippi conducted themselves as good Roman citizens. Even miles away they enjoyed all the privileges and rights as if they were living in the center of Rome.
Today, we as believers enjoy a multitude of heavenly spiritual blessings. Ephesians 1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, “who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,”
As believers we are called to be good earthly citizens and seek to bring God’s blessings to our nation based on our heavenly blessings.
As believers we take on a role of being an ambassador of heaven to this world. The message of salvation and reconciliation, the gospel, is a message we are to bring to each and every person everywhere!
It is worth noting that while we live and work and worship here on earth we are WAITING – waiting eagerly for our Savior – our Lord – our King to return and every now and then we say, “EVEN SO LORD JESUS COME.”
Our heavenly citizenship should cause us to be great earthly citizens. How are your fellow citizens of earth impacted by your heavenly citizenship?
Continue Strong as good citizens of two worlds,
And remember to DATE the Word