If you have ever traveled overseas as an American, you have carried a passport. It is a reminder to you and to all who see it of your citizenship. You are a citizen of the United States with all the rights and privileges of that relationship.
Paul was quick to remind us of where we really live if we have become followers of Jesus Christ. Our natural home, now that we are sons of God:
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. (Phil. 3:20-21)
OUR CURRENT HOME
… is not merely on this earth. In reality for those who have been born again from above and are now true believers in Christ, our real citizenship is now in heaven. We actually have a dual citizenship for we live in the kingdom of this world, but our real passport is now the kingdom of our God. We are aliens here, merely visiting the remaining years of our lives. We are left on this earth to accomplish a simple mission which is to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to observe all things” that Christ taught us.
OUR FOCUS
We are constantly looking toward a future event—the “second” coming of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. But, notice that Paul reminds us that we really live in heaven “FROM WHICH” we eagerly wait for the Savior. If we are aware, we realize we are looking not from earth up, but from heaven down. This is where we really live.
OUR COMING TRANSFORMATION
Our delight in the soon, second-coming of Christ is because of what it will bring. At His coming, those who are alive will be transformed (literally, physically) and those followers of Christ who have died will see their bodies rising from the dead and taking on a new, transformed state. We will be conformed to “the body of His glory.” John said of this body that “we do not know what we will be like, but we do know this, we will be like Him!” (1 John 3).
If you remember what Christ was like on earth when seen after His resurrection, you will have a small taste of what this final state of the believer will be. A perfect, physical body with eternal, immortal, perfect properties. It will be the bodies of Paradise. It will be what you have always dreamed of, but infinitely more. We will “know as we have been known,” and we will live in this state with Christ for eternity. No pain, no decay, no bondage.
And, if you doubt that this is possible, Paul reminds us of just Who is accomplishing this transformation. It is done by “the exertion of the power that (Christ) has even to subject all things to Himself.” Our resurrected, reigning King before whom “every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father” is the Executor of this glorious physical transformation of all the saints from all the ages (Phil. 2:10-11).
So, today is not that bad. Just remember where you live and what’s coming soon. If you remember these truths, you might find yourself singing throughout the day, regardless of your momentary light afflictions. Or, you just might find yourself groaning to go home.
We all are interested in finding the highest and best use of our lives. Books are written, and seminars attended to try to learn our niche—what we can do to maximize our lives.
But there is only One who understands your true destiny. And you might be surprised at His evaluation. Tragically, many never encounter nor consult Him and miss their Divinely-ordained purpose.
We are not joyful and full of thanksgiving because of our misdirected vision. We spend our days only looking at ourselves, or our tragically fallen world, or at others (constantly concerned about what they think of us.)
We must lift our gaze. The secret to joy is a constant look at the Father, Son, and Spirit.
