Our Citizenship Is In Heaven Series

Introduction

One October afternoon in 1982, Badger Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin, was packed. More than 60,000 die-hard University of Wisconsin supporters were watching their football team take on the Michigan State Spartans. It soon became obvious that MSU had the better team. What seemed odd was that, as the score became more lopsided in favor of the visiting team the cheers and joy of the Wisconsin fans grew louder. How could they cheer when their team was losing? It turns out that seventy miles away the Milwaukee Brewers were beating the St. Louis Cardinals in game three of the 1982 World Series. Many of the fans in the stands were listening to portable radios--and responding to something other than their immediate circumstances.

In much the same way, we who are citizens of heaven should be rejoicing even though our circumstances are not ideal here on earth. We are to have the perspective of eternity.

Since those who are saved are citizens of Heaven, Paul wants us to have a spiritual mind, that is to think from Heaven’s point of view. Verse 19 says that those who are enemies of the Cross “mind earthly things.” Conversely, those who are saved should mind Heavenly things. Colossians 3:2 says “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

Lot chose the plains of Sodom because he was earthly minded. Moses refused the pleasures and treasures of Egypt and allowed himself to be mistreated with the people of God because he was heavenly minded. In Matthew 16:23, when Peter got onto Jesus for saying that he would one day suffer and be killed but then rise from the dead, Jesus said to him, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Romans 8:5–8 says, “5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Because our citizenship is in Heaven, we are to set our minds on Heaven. We need to start the New Year with the right mind set. Set your minds on Heaven, establish a Heavenly mind set, and have an eternal perspective. Then and only then will we have the joy that Paul speaks about in the book of Philippians. We can only “rejoice in the Lord always” when we have set our minds on Heavenly things. 2 Co 4:18 says “as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

Only those who are saved are citizens of Heaven. Paul is weeping in this passage because some have not been saved. They are called “enemies of the Cross of Christ” because they are trusting in their good works or their religion to get them to Heaven instead of the finished work of Christ on the Cross. I urge you today to forsake your good works and trust in Christ and his death on the Cross for your salvation. Then, and only then, will you be a citizen of Heaven.

Since our citizenship is in Heaven, these things are true:

Our names are written in Heaven.

People born in Philippi had the privilege of being Roman citizens even though they were hundreds of miles from Rome. Their names were on the registry of Roman citizens. When we get saved, we become citizens of Heaven even though we don’t live there, and our names are written down there.

Only those whose name is written in Heaven will enter into Heaven. In Philippians 4:3, Paul talks about the saved in Philippi whose names are in the Book of Life. Revelation 21:27 says, “But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” And I am glad to say that there are no erasers in Heaven. Once your name is written in heaven, it is always there. That does not give a Christian a license to sin and disobey God, because he cannot lose his salvation. No, anyone who is a true Christian will be serious about following Christ and living in obedience to Him. But our names can never be removed from Heaven’s roll.