Live As Citizens Of Heaven

I know you place value on your American citizenship, even though you probably don’t think about it all that much. But, if you would talk to someone who is struggling to stay in the USA and fleeing from ICE, then you probably be even more thankful for your US citizenship.  You may have been a citizen your whole life, but some have had to jump through many hoops and wait to receive their citizenship.  St. Paul was inspired to write about a citizenship that every believer enjoys. Jesus has taken care of all the necessary paperwork and procedures and has made you a citizen of “heaven.” Therefore, may the Holy Spirit lead us to

Live On Earth As Citizens Of Heaven

Focusing Our Eyes On Fellow Citizens

Paul enjoyed a close relationship with the Christians in Philippi because of their mission-mindedness and love for God’s Word. You get a sense of this closeness when you hear,

“My brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown…dear friends!”

Philippians 4:1

However, Paul also knows the devil works hard to tempt Christians to run with the citizens of this world and think it wouldn’t hurt them. So Paul reminds them to keep an eyeout for each other,

“¹⁷ Brothers, join together in imitating me and in paying attention to those who are walking according to the pattern we gave you.”

This almost sounds like bragging on Paul’s part. It would sound pretty arrogant if I stood here this morning and said, “Hey, you Divine Peace people, you gotta be more like me.” Now we know that Paul was a sinner. Before Paul was a citizen of heaven he called himself a “blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man” (1 Tim 1:13).  And even after Jesus worked faith in his heart on that road to Damascus, Paul still sorrowed over his constant struggle against sin raging in his heart.

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate, I do”

Romans 7

Let’s be clear: Paul was a sinner, and so are we. I want to stress the fact that Paul is a sinner, because of what I’m about to say: I can’t recall a place in the Bible where Paul, after his conversion, committed a sin. We’re used to the Bible pointing out the sins of believers. We could talk about Noah getting drunk, or Abraham sleeping with his wife’s servant, or David’s infamous adultery and murder, Peter’s denial, even St. John, sometimes called the “Apostle of Love,” after people rejected Jesus, wanted to call down fire! The Bible never attempts to hide the faults of believers. Makes it amazing that we can’t dig up much dirt on Paul, doesn’t it?

But Paul knew that his message of forgiveness through Christ and his encouragements to live holy lives would all ring hollow if he was only talking the talk and not walking the walk. So Paul went out of his way to avoid those sins so that they wouldn’t be a hindrance to the Gospel. Was Paul perfect? No. But he was a model of a citizen of heaven to follow.

He said, “paying attention to those who are walking according to the pattern we gave you.” Paul isn’t egotistically tooting his own horn, but he’s saying to the Philippians that there are a lot of other examples of good Christian people out there. He calls these kinds of people a “pattern.” The Greek for this word has the idea of “carbon-copy.” Compare one penny to another. President Lincoln’s head is always facing the right side of the coin. He’s always wearing a beard. He always has the same suit on. On every single penny. Paul’s desire for the Philippians is that they use him for their pattern of a heavenly citizen. What does Paul look like? He wrestles with God in prayer, studies the Word, places a high value on Jesus, witnesses his faith, and encourages the sad. There are also the sins Paul can’t stand!

“¹⁸ To be sure, many walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. I told you about them often, and now I am saying it while weeping. ¹⁹ Their end is destruction, their god is their appetite, and their glory is in their shame. They are thinking only about earthly things.”

Paul hates selfishness, the pursuit of worldly pleasures, rejection of the Word, Paul wants them, and us, to be fellow citizens of heaven who are grossed out by such sins just like he is. They spend all their time thinking about earthly things, and in the end, they are destroyed in hell!

We all know the people of the world have different languages, backgrounds, incomes, skills, interests, and different ages. But on the Last Day you will witness the fact that there are really only two types of people: 1) citizens of heaven, and 2) those who have rejected citizenship. Obviously, on that day, all believers will be standing there with their fellow citizens. But, what about right now? With whom are you standing? Are you aiming to make your life a testimony to Jesus Christ?  Think about this.  The hunting season is just about to open.  I don’t know much about shooting arrows, but I’m quite sure if you aim at nothing, you are going to hit just what you’re aiming at: nothing. It’s the same thing with our Christian lives. We need something to aim at. Citizens of heaven, keep your eyes on fellow Christian citizens who model their life after Jesus Christ and follow their example. Yes,

Devote your hearts as fellow citizens

It is so vital to devote our hearts as heavenly citizens because the devil would much rather see you devote your life to the pattern of the world. Paul wrote about this struggle with a great illustration:

“¹² Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus also took hold of me. ¹³ Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it yet, but there is one thing I do: Forgetting the things that are behind and straining toward the things that are ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal, for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” 

Like running a race, Paul alerted the Philippians to the danger of becoming distracted.  Let us also heed this warning so we don’t get tricked into following the wrong pattern.

You know the ungodly pattern all too well. Recall what Christ said once about how the road to hell is a wide highway with many people on it, but the way to heaven is a narrow, out-of-the-way path that only few are walking on. We Americans have such a democratic mindset that we tend to think that we should do what the majority wants. The kingdom of God is not a democracy. God didn’t ask people for their input as he decided what was right and wrong. And Satan wants you to feel like if you’re the only one standing up for the truth of God’s Word, then you’ve got to be wrong. Not so. Paul warns,

“¹⁸ To be sure, many walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. I told you about them often, and now I am saying it while weeping.”

With three phrases Paul sums up their rebellion against Christ as they sacrifice the their citizenship in heaven on the altar of their citizenship for this world. 1) The first of those is, “their god is their stomach.” Paul isn’t talking about Weight Watchers!  He is warning us about allowing our sinful desires and passions to control us. Then he says, 2) “their glory is in their shame.” In other words, instead of being embarrassed by their sins, they are proud of them, and they flaunt them! Right after Adam and Eve sinned, they were filled with so much shame that they made coverings to conceal their bodies. What about today…in sports, in movies, in music, is there any shame left? At the grocery store magazine covers get more and more racy as models wear less and less clothing. Musical performances continue to push the envelope as stars not only show off their bodies, but perform songs with lyrics that glorify and encourage immoral behavior. As God predicted, their glory is in their shame. It’s so easy for the Christian to get sucked in to this way of thinking and suppose it’s all normal, because, “Hey, everybody does this, it’s all around us, so it must be OK!” Paul sums up this sad lifestyle by saying, 3) “They are thinking only about earthly things.” What makes these people tick is the here and now. They might give lip service to God and say that he is important to them, but their priorities and their lives tell a far different story.

Citizens of heaven flee the enemies of the cross of Christ. No, this doesn’t mean that we hate them, or that we are glad that many doom themselves to eternal destruction. In fact, these are the very people that need to be reached with God’s Word, because without the Word there can be no change in their life. Someone once said, “Christianity is one of the leading causes of Atheism these days.” I don’t 100% agree with that statement, but I do understand what the author was trying to say: too often, Christians are poor examples. Unbelievers look at Christians like this and think, “Why would I want to be a believer? They live just like I live! If they’re going to heaven, then I must be ok, too.” My friends, for your own sake, and for the sake of those watching you, for the sake of Jesus avoid the wrong pattern of living. Don’t let your money and your time be wasted on those who glory in their shame. God calls us to be Christians all the time and everywhere.

While all of this is happening, remember that God has called you to something far better. You are a permanent resident in heaven.  While you are living in the temporary tent of this frail body, devote yourself to your Savior, Jesus Christ.  Listen to Paul tell us about one other transformation that is still to come.

“²⁰ But our citizenship is in heaven. We are eagerly waiting for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. ²¹ By the power that enables him to subject all things to himself, he will transform our humble bodies to be like his glorious body.”

Sin has really done a number on our bodies, hasn’t it? These things get sick, weak, tired. Bones can be broken. Wounds can bleed. And one day it is going to wear out and die. How awesome it will be when this body is changed into something better! We will have a body as Jesus had after rising from the dead. We will have a body that will be glorious and will last all through eternity.

Dear Christians friends, I know that you value your citizenship in the United States.  We are blessed!  I pray that you value your citizenship in heaven even more!  Now is the time for us to take our stand against the enemies of Jesus Christ.  If you need some motivation let me point you to the perseverance of Jesus Christ!  He spoke the truth of God’s Word knowing it would lead to his suffering and death by the enemies of God.  Yes, Jesus gave you his all!  Let us Live As Citizens Of Heaven! Amen!