“Living As Citizens of Heaven”

“Living As Citizens of Heaven”

 

Above all, you must live as citizens of Heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.  Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.   Philippians 1:27

 

The Apostle Paul, at the time of his letter to the Christians in Philippi, was in bondage, possibly in Rome, and he was facing either a RELEASE from his BONDS or MARTYRDOM.  And the Christians in Philippi, were on his heart. It was evidently because of problems in the Church that bothered Paul, and so, he wanted them to KNOW how IMPORTANT it was to LIVE like a CITIZEN of HEAVEN.  Now, you are probably wondering how this applies to us, in the time in which we are living.  Stay tuned, because I’m about to tell you.

 

The first thing that CAN and DOES apply to the CHRISTIANS of TODAY is for us to LIVE AS CITIZENS of HEAVEN, CONDUCTING OURSELVES in a MANNER that is WORTHY of the GOSPEL of JESUS CHRIST.  The Apostle Paul was ADMONISHING them to HONOR and GLORIFY the LORD.  This ADMONISHMENT is definitely APPLICABLE to the CHRISTIAN BODY of BELIEVERS today.  The ADMONISHMENT was to REMIND them that they were CITIZENS of HEAVEN, and that they WERE to CONDUCT themselves in the MANNER WORTHY of the GOOD NEWS about Christ.  This is another very important matter that is APPLICABLE to the CHRISTIANS of today, because we are to CONDUCT OURSELVES in a MANNER WORTHY of the GOOD NEWS of JESUS CHRIST, which is the GOSPEL of CHRIST. And the word WORTHY means to be DESERVING of such an HONOR!  

 

The Apostle Paul also wanted them to be STRONG and FAITHFUL in their CONDUCT, no matter what happened to him.  They were to STAND TOGETHER in ONE SPIRIT and ONE PURPOSE, and they were to FIGHT TOGETHER for the FAITH, which is the GOOD NEWS.  We Christians of today, must do the SAME THING; We too MUST STAND STRONG and TOGETHER, in ONE SPIRIT, and ONE PURPOSE, FIGHTING for the FAITH, the GOOD NEWS that there is SALVATION in JESUS CHRIST, and HIM ALONE.  We MUST let the WORLD see our CONDUCT, our FAITH, our UNITY and our LOVE for each other. 

 

Whenever there is STRIFE, ENVY, and DISSENSION within the CHURCH FAMILIES, then there is NO UNITY, or CONDUCT WORTHY of the GOSPEL of CHRIST.  But it SURE is the DEVIL’S PLAYGROUND.  This is NOT LIVING LIKE a CITIZEN of HEAVEN.  Nor is it HONORING or GLORIFYING the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  We, as God’s Children MUST BEHAVE LIKE HIS CHILDREN, and NOT LIKE the DEVIL’S PLAYTHINGS.   Are YOU WORTHY to BE a CITIZEN of HEAVEN? OR are YOU one of the DEVIL’S PLAYTHINGS, CAUSING DISSENSION among the BODY of CHRIST?

 

If you are TRULY a CHILD of the LIVING GOD make SURE your CONDUCT is WORTHY of being ONE of HIS CHILDREN, and of the GOSPEL of JESUS CHRIST.  But if you have NOT TRULY given your HEART and LIFE to Him, then you are NOT HIS but you are one of the DEVIL’S PLAYTHINGS.  In order to BECOME a TRUE CHILD of the LIVING GOD, YOU MUST ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER, in NEED of the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  And YOU MUST BELIEVE with ALL your HEART that JESUS died for YOU, and that HE is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for YOU, before God. Then CONFESS your SINS to HIM and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and LIVE like a CITIZEN of HEAVEN and NOT the DEVIL’S PLAYTHING.  Then you will be ABLE to have an ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS, and to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can!!!  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t be LEFT BEHIND!!!