We are citizens of heaven and waiting for our bodies to be like the Lord Jesus (vv. As we pass through this life, we celebrate the life of (name of person), knowing that one day You shall transform their lowly body that it may be conformed to Your glorious body. This is the citizenship, the home, and the community that is of ultimate importance, and with Christ as the cornerstone, it is gloriously unshakeable. As sojourners, we realize that this world is not our home. Summary: As followers of Jesus, our true citizenship is in heaven, ... Just because someone thinks he saw Jesus or an angel in a near-death experience doesn’t mean it’s true. What Does it Mean ‘Where Your Treasure Is There Your Heart Is Also’? Our home is in heaven. Most every person is born a citizen of a political state or country where they have identity, rights, protections, and share in a certain culture, mores, and values. Is it the Same as the Lamb’s Book of Life? Php 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven. IV. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Can Loved Ones Communicate with Us After They’ve Passed? You can be born a citizen of the United States, but you must be born again to become a citizen of Heaven. To be “spiritually minded” simply means to look at earth from heaven’s point of view. Citizens adopt the culture and practices of the … We are temporary residents, awaiting a heavenly city much like those described in the letter to the Hebrews. This is vitally important for each one of us to know. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”. Philippians 3:20 (NRSA) But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. What Is the Book of Life? As citizens of heaven, Christ has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3). All rights reserved. Talking about our eternal identity and our eternal home isn’t only for the parents of Third Culture Kids. Adam Clarke Commentary. A Christian's citizenship is in heaven. But the kingdom which will come from heaven will take place on earth during the Millennium (Revelation 20), and on the New Eart… And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” As citizens of heaven living on … But our citizenship is in heaven. We have been clothed in the righteousness of Christ. The Bible speaks of those who believed by faith as this. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Jesus spent much of His earthly ministry explaining the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 4:17). Our residence, our community, our form of government, which includes our rights, privileges and responsibilities, are all in heaven. We do not store up treasure where moth and rust can destroy. What Is the Meaning of Gehenna in the Bible? Our text is the Epistle for today, from Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Additionally, we are told in the Bible that each person is also born into the kingdom of this world where Satan rules (2 Corinthians 4:4) and is therefore enslaved as a member of that culture, taking part in Satan's values and practicesânamely rebelling against God (Romans 6:16; Genesis 3:1; 1 John 2:16). You can follow her on Facebook and Instagram. Paul understood what it meant to have his eyes set on eternity and to embrace his citizenship in heaven, and this was his urging to the brothers and sisters at Philippi. What Happens after We Die According to the Bible? We’re just waiting for the day that our Father, who is in heaven, will send Jesus back for us and take us to the place that is our … Verse of the Day Isaiah 61:7. Rather than having an expectation for the things of this world, we have an eager expectation for the return of our Savior. 20-21). Our conduct should be characteristic of our heavenly citizenship, as people worthy of the Gospel of Christ. And our attitudes should reflect that truth. All these people were still living by faith when they died. 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. Any public measures, administration of the state, and the condition of life of the citizen. Heavenly Identity. Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/bestdesigns. 20–21). And this morning we’ll explore what that means–and what it doesn’t mean. The apostle Paul put it in terms of citizenship: "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Philippians 3:20). The word properly signifies the administration, government, or form of a republic or state; and is thus used by Demosthenes, page 107, 25, and 262, 27. The reminder to each of us as believers in Christ of our heavenly citizenship should encourage us and challenge us daily to walk in such a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ (Philippians 1:27). Because of our profession of faith in Christ, our conduct should be different than those who do not know God, and our primary focus should be on eternal things rather than worldly or temporal passions. She is the author of NonProphet Woke: The Reformation of a Modern-Day Disciple. The eternal citizenship of believers is “citizenship in heaven.” This does not mean that the kingdom will take place in heaven. And that is the citizenship St. Paul talks about today when he says, “Our Citizenship Is in Heaven.” Yes, our citizenship is in heaven. Because if we set our attitudes on heavenly things, then we will not set our minds on earthly things (Philippians 3:19). How can a Christian be an ambassador for Christ. Romans 6:22 says, “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.”. The context of this passage is important because prior to Paul’s revelation of this truth, he speaks of those who “walk as enemies of the cross.” These individuals were more concerned about temporal matters and personal pleasure than Christ. We have such glorious promises both now and, in the future, to come as citizens of heaven and Christ Jesus as our King. All who have a living faith in Jesus Christ enjoy an eternal citizenship in heaven even if we do not presently experience the realities of this citizenship in full. Over in the margin it says "commonwealth." In his letter to the saints at Philippi, the Apostle Paul reminds them of this certainty and promise, “But our citizenship is in heaven. What Does it Mean That Our Citizenship is in Heaven? We believe in the promise of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ while understanding that while present in our mortal bodies, it has not come to fruition. Charles Spurgeon said, “If our citizenship be in heaven, then we are aliens here; we are strangers and foreigners, pilgrims and sojourners in the earth, as all our fathers were.”. For instance, one of the most popular books on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble is a book titled 90 Minutes in Heaven, written by a Baptist pastor named Don Piper. This meant more than its being a subject city: Philippi was distinct from other cities in Macedonia in that it was made to be a model Roman city. No, what really counts is that our citizenship is in heaven. Although Paul had obtained Roman citizenship through his family’s history, he came to have another kind of citizenship as well. Paul said of them, “Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. As sojourners, we realize that this world is not our home. Title: �AX|8���Y^02 � Ü H`�"��?j����e���/�� � Author 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in … We are to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22,23). Whilst we grieve for loved ones, we are assured that our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Lord Jesus Christ. The Greek word that is used here is politeuma, and the word politeuma – "For our politeuma is in heaven" [ Philippians 3:20] – the word can be translated "citizenship." As citizens of heaven, Christians have a higher obligation than to earthly civil rulers. Verse 20 begins by asserting that we are now a colony of people whose real citizenship is in heaven. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 3:20 (ESV) Paul reminds us that upon the very moment of salvation, our residency changes from this dark and broken world to the heaven. We are free from the enslavement of sin. That is our highest treasure, and no one can take it away from us. A Christian's citizenship is in heaven. This contrasts those who mind the earthly things (vs 19). What does the Bible mean when it calls something sanctified? We trade for trinkets in this land, but our gold and silver are in heaven. Most every person is born a citizen of a political state or country where they have identity, rights, protections, and share in a certain culture, mores, and values. She is a wife to Nicholas and a mother to Anabel and Ephraim. Those are external matters that are temporary in nature. Copyright 2011-2021 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved. As citizens of heaven, we are free from the wrath of God. Philippians 3:20 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓] Philippians 3:20, NIV: "But our citizenship is in heaven.And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ," Philippians 3:20, ESV: "But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ," Philippians 3:20, KJV: "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the … A citizen is a person who legally belongs to a country and has the rights and protection of that country. People's Bible Notes for Philippians 3:20. I’ve preached around the world, including many places that don’t enjoy the freedom of religion that Americans take for granted. We imitate the nature of Christ. We are to be holy and blameless before God. Visas won’t have to be applied for or passports renewed. Christian Truth. Being a citizen of heaven leaves us as sojourners in this world. Jesus said His … Actually, the word means "commonwealth." We mind the heavenly things. Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs. Paul prefaced this statement by exhorting the Philippian church to imitate him and to follow those who set the same example. Ultimately, our citizenship in Heaven is all that counts for eternity. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them (Hebrews 11:13,16). What does that mean? Our position in Christ should affect everything.”. Our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, a future promise of our eternal security as citizens in the heavenly city. "Citizenship" indicates a fellowship or society all living under the same administration, but in this case, not living in the land of their citizenship. 3:20 Our conversation - The Greek word is of a very extenslve meaning: our citizenship, our thoughts, our affections, are already in heaven. As believers in Christ, we are justified before God. The text says, “Our citizenship is in heaven,” and I think we may read it, as though it said, “OUR COMMERCE IS IN HEAVEN.” We are doing business on earth, but still the bulk of our business is with heaven. The believers in Philippi were not merely citizens of the city of Philippi and of the Roman Empire. Writing to the church in Philippi, he says that for Christians, “our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. According to Ligonier Ministries, “All who have a living faith in Jesus Christ enjoy an eternal citizenship in heaven even if we do not presently experience the realities of this citizenship in full.”. (Psalm 119:43) What can we learn from the 3 characters in Acts 12:1-17, 19? For our citizenship is in heaven. That’s the word by which it is translated in the American Revised Version. Philippians 3:17-21 New King James Version (NKJV) Our Citizenship in Heaven. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself, (Philippians 3:20… Our citizenship is in heaven. We have been given everything — we are co-heirs, citizens of heaven with all the rights and blessings that come with our citizenry. Christianity.com is a member of the Salem Web Network of sites including: Copyright © 2021, Christianity.com. We, as citizens of heaven, do what Colossians 3:1-2 tells us to do, “Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Citizenship implies governance and responsibility. This identifies one with that particular community. The rights that go with being a citizen involve the final transformation of “our lowly body to be like [Jesus’] glorious body” (vv. Speaking of those who have had that spiritual rebirth, Philippians 3:20 says, “Our citizenship is in heaven. "Our citizenship", as in the Revised Version. At the same time, we have not yet received our glorified bodies, nor have we realized being seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. What Does it Mean That the ‘Gift of God Is Eternal Life’? Article Images Copyright © 2021 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Our citizenship is in heaven. What does it mean for Christians to be in the world but not of the world? Being a citizen of heaven leaves us as sojourners in this world. Luke 16:31; What solemn lessons can we learn from the Parable of Dives (the rich man) and Lazarus? What does it mean that God redeems our pain and sorrows? Essentially, living here on … According to The Complete Word Study Dictionary, the Greek word for citizenship means “to behave as a citizen. but our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20 says, “But our citizenship is in heaven. 17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. Do miracles prove Jesus’ divine mission? Colossians 1:12-13 We are called to no less as citizens of heaven. We are a new creation, and the old has passed away (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our conversation is in heaven - Ἡμως - το πολιτευμα· Our city, or citizenship, or civil rights. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, Their mind is set on earthly things” (Philippians 3:19). Dawn Hill is a Christian blogger known as The Lovesick Scribe and the host of The Lovesick Scribe Podcast. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). Citizens conduct themselves in accordance with the country to which they belong. Our Citizenship Is in Heaven Philippi was a colony of Rome—a part of the Roman commonwealth. Our Commerce Is in Heaven. It means that our King is in heaven and He will come to us from there. But it is not a “natural born” citizenship. What Is Heaven Like According to the Bible? In the New Testament, the state itself, community, commonwealth is used metaphorically of Christians in reference to their spiritual community and their status as citizens of heaven.” Merriam Webster, defines citizen as “an inhabitant of a city or town, especially one entitled to the rights and privileges of a freeman.”. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. This declaration of heavenly citizenship created a striking dichotomy between those who are to have an eternal perspective and those who have a worldly perspective. What Does it Mean to be Unequally Yoked in Marriage? The original expression, πολιτευμα, rendered conversation, is a word of a very extensive meaning, implying our citizenship, our thoughts, our affections, are already in heaven; or we think, speak, and act, converse with our fellow-creatures, and conduct ourselves in all our intercourse with them, as citizens of the New Jerusalem, and as being only strangers and pilgrims upon earth. She is passionate about sharing the truth and pointing others back to Jesus Christ through the written Word as the standard of authority for Christian living and instruction while being led by the Holy Spirit into maturity. According to The MacArthur Study Bible notes, “Citizenship refers to a colony of foreigners…we belong to the kingdom under the rule of our heavenly King and obey heaven’s laws.”, When speaking of being citizens of heaven, Gregory Brown said, “People should be able to identify us as citizens of heaven because of the clothes (righteousness, patience, forgiveness, compassion, humility, and love) that we wear, the attitudes we display. The second coming of Jesus Christ will result in the glorification of physical bodies for those in Christ Jesus, and it will be by His power (Philippians 3:21). Store up treasure where moth and rust can destroy that the kingdom will take in! We also eagerly wait for a pattern — a heavenly city much like those described in the heavenly (!, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior from there as! Before God destiny is destruction, their God is their stomach, the! 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