Saturday, January 26, 2008

Dejunk our Life Series

 

Philippians 3:20 “But our citizenship is in heaven.”

 

Citizenship

In ancient times citizenship was both a privilege and a responsibility.   Citizenship in Rome had an essential requirement that those who were citizens were endowed with both privilege and responsibility.  The expectation of a Roman citizen was that they must vote, pay taxes, serve in the military if necessary, and hold official positions.  Citizenship came from birth and could be earned. If someone desired citizenship and did something very important for Rome they would be awarded citizenship.   

 

St. Paul, in his letters, spoke often of his Roman citizenship.   For him in the first century, his citizenship was the equivalent of a passport.   It also meant that a Roman citizen could not be jailed without certain preliminary procedures that were carried out through due process.   It meant those who were citizens had a right to appeal and could choose either a Roman or a local trial.  

 

Paul often compared Roman citizenship with citizenship in the Christian community.    In the Christian community we have certain rights and responsibilities.   We make commitments as we come to the community.  These commitments gain privileges such as membership, leadership, and accessibility.   Primarily, membership in the church community speaks of responsibility to the people of the community.  

 

Paul taught that, in addition to being a part of the Christian community or the church, we were citizens of heaven.   Philippians 3:20 says, “But our citizenship is in heaven and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they can become like His glorious body.”   This passage states that our citizenship ultimately is transferred from our church community to the heavenly community.  The old preachers used to say at every funeral that the deceased “transferred their membership from church militant to church triumphant.”  This of course meant they were no longer members of a local church.  Their membership was struck from the roll and they were transferred to heaven. 

 

Our culture is terribly consumer.  We often focus on our privileges rather than our responsibilities.   As we dejunk our lives, let us think that what we must focus on is how can we,as individuals, work to make this life a better place.   The truth is, as Christians, our future is secure but the future of the world is insecure.   Our lives must strive to bridge that chasm and bring faith and eternal life to all we meet so that they too may be citizens of heaven.  

 

Prayer:

Dear Lord, help me to be a good citizen of the church and loyal to my Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.