‘But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there …’ (Phil. 3:20-21)
As believers in Christ Jesus, our citizenship is in heaven. Paul tells us in his letter to the Church of God in Ephesus: ‘Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel…you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people.’ (Eph. 2:12, 19).
So as ‘we eagerly await a Saviour’, remember that he has a purpose for everyone of you as a citizen with God’s people…
Citizenship
Most people are citizens of the country that they live in because they were born in that country and have a birth certificate saying so. But we, as saved people, have been ‘called heavenward in Christ Jesus’ (Phil. 3:14) and we don’t belong to this world. So why doesn’t God just take us heavenward already? It’s where we belong, so why aren’t we there? Purpose. If you have been called by God, he has a purpose for you because God doesn’t call people without a purpose. That’s the reason you’re still on this earth: he is not finished with you yet!
Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel…you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people.
Whatever your aim is in this world, remember to involve Christ. When Peter went fishing on his own, he caught nothing, but when Christ came and told him to cast his net over the other side, he caught lots. When we involve Christ in our business lives, social activities, things that don’t directly involve him, we will catch lots and he will work in our lives.
Until our Saviour comes
So as ‘we eagerly await a Saviour’, remember that he has a purpose for everyone of you as a citizen with God’s people and, although at times we will fail, stumble, and temptation from the adversary will come in our way, Christ has the ‘power that enables him to bring everything under his control…’ and he ‘will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.’ As citizens of that paradise, this is worth waiting for!
Luke Flavin, The Church of God In Nottingham
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