HEAVENLY CITIZENSHIP

Philippians 3:20-21 says, "But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control." Being a citizen of Heaven means that we have the legal rights to live in Heaven. Not everybody has the citizenships in Heaven because only those who put their faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior can be citizens. Jesus said these words in John 5:24, "I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life." Our citizenship in Heaven is received solely through faith in Jesus, and it cannot be earned through good deeds or purchased. One of the teachings of Jesus in the gospels is about people who tried to get to Heaven by means of their good works, such as prophesying in His name, casting out demons, and performing miracles in His name, yet Jesus told them, "I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws" (Matthew 7:21-23). These people who tried to get to Heaven didn't have a personal relationship with our Lord Jesus. They experienced God's power, yet they never believed in their heart that Jesus is their Lord and Savior. 

We must be encouraged that we have citizenship in Heaven. We may suffer and struggle in this life, but there is a wonderful place that awaits us. Immigration is one of the hot issues that we face today. People are desperately trying to better their lives by going to another country that has better opportunities. However, if they are not citizens of that country, they have few or no good opportunities. Many people from all over the world try to come to the U.S. to get citizenship because they believe that they have better opportunities than in their own countries. Similarly, thousands of people from African nations try to get to Europe for better opportunities. However, the best citizenship that anyone can ever have is citizenship in Heaven. The only requirement to receive citizenship in Heaven is to believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Jesus said, "Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures" (John 10:9).

No matter what is going on in our lives today, we must not forget that we are citizens of Heaven. Our sufferings are all temporary, and we will someday live in our final home where there is no more sin and suffering. 

Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) What does it mean that I am a citizen of Heaven? How did I receive my citizenship of Heaven? What did Jesus do to give citizenship to people who believe in Him? 

Take a moment to write down all your worries today. Then, lift them up to God in prayer, surrendering them to His will and trusting in His guidance.

Prayer:

Dear Father in Heaven, thank you for giving me the right to be a citizen of Heaven. I am encouraged to know that a wonderful place awaits me, and that this world is not my home; my home is in Heaven, where there is no more sin, suffering, and death. Please help me not lose sight of my Heavenly citizenship in the midst of my struggles in life. May you use it to inspire and encourage me to live for you and persevere in life. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.