A Tale of Two Kingdoms

Our citizenship is in heaven. Philippians 3:20

D.L. MOODY
Someone asked a Scotchman if he was on the way to heaven, and he said: “Why man, I live there; I am not on the way.” That is just it. We want to live in heaven; while we are walking in this world, it is our privilege to have our hearts and affections there.

ERWIN LUTZER
While Paul was sitting in jail penning the book of Philippians, Nero, who’d had his own mother murdered, was ruling Rome. He was also the one who, when Rome burned, blamed it on the Christians. It is in this context in which Paul explained that we are citizens in two different kingdoms.
A few centuries later, Augustine would define it as two cities: the city of God, and the city of man. The perfect city of God has always existed, but the city of man was born out of the fall. The challenge before us is: How shall we live for the city of God even as we now live in the city of man? The members of the city of God must do all they can to help all who live in the city of man; we must pick up the pieces in a broken culture. We must proclaim the good news that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself (see 2 Corinthians 5:18), and that those who believe in Christ can become citizens of the city of God.
Your challenge today as a citizen of heaven: How can you bless those who live in the city of man and help them see beyond this world to the next?
We live for the eternal city, but we must point beyond this world to the beauty, the love, the sacrifice, and the grace of the gospel.
Whatever challenges the city of man poses, our focus must always be on the city of God.

PRAYER
Father, teach me to live with the values of heaven while living here on Earth. Give me a desire to lead others to Christ
who is the gateway to the Eternal City.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
In what way is your citizenship in heaven?

How does this verse help you?