#DailyDevotion Christians Are Aliens
Php 3:20-4:1 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, (21) who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. (4:1) Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
It’s hard for Christians to realize this sometimes, particularly I think in the United States, that our primary citizenship is in heaven. We get very patriotic here in America and we also get very partisan. But we Christians are aliens in this world and in this country. Everything is not as desperate as our politicians want us to believe. Our King is in control. Everything and everyone is being subjected to him. This is not the world we are looking to have our best life in.
Now Paul is talking to people who have earned their citizenship as Romans there in Philippi. Like many immigrants to our own country who have gone through the hoops to become citizens, they were very proud of their citizenship. But they and we have a greater citizenship which we cannot earn. It is given to us by grace. It was won for us by Jesus Christ. We are born into it through the waters of baptism, which are so graciously given to us.
We are called to remember Eph 2:19 “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,…” But we are strangers and aliens in this world. Heaven, i.e. the presence of God, the New Heavens and New Earth is our home. That should affect how we live here. Jesus tells us, Mat 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, (20) but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. (21) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” He reminds us, Luk 14:13-14 “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, (14) and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
From this heaven we await our Lord Jesus Christ who is going to transform our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body by the power in which he subjects everything to himself and that include America, Democrats, Republicans and whatever else and whatever powers there may be. Jesus tells us, Mat 13:43 “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” David writes, Psa 17:15 “As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.” Paul tells us, 2Co 4:17-5:1 “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison…(5:1) For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” With such promises we shall stand firm in the Lord.
Almighty God and Father, you have called us through Christ to be citizens of heaven in the world to come. Help us to live our lives as this is true and bring us at last to the glory you have prepared for us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.