THE CHRISTIAN'S CITIZENSHIP.
By William Covert
THE apostle Paul says, "Our citizenship is in heaven." Phil. 3:20, Revised Version. The commonwealth of the child of God is the kingdom of heaven. Of this dominion it is written, "The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all." Ps. 103:16. Of course the Creator of all things is by right the ruler of all things. But Satan has disputed this right and has therefore endeavored to establish a kingdom of his own. He said, "I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; . . . I will be like the Most High." Isa. 14:13, 14. These words are rebellious utterances, showing the wicked design of the great usurper. Man deceived, surrendered himself and his realm into the hands of Satan, so that now the devil claims this world as his kingdom. See Matt. 4:8, 9; Luke 4:5-7. The officials in this kingdom of darkness are the demons, Satan and his angels. The apostle exhorts:— "Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness ["wicked spirits," margin] in high places." Eph. 6:11, 12. Fallen humanity compose the subjects of the realm, and are the citizens of this kingdom. The citizenship of all who receive Jesus as their Saviour from sin, is transferred from the dominion of Satan to the kingdom of Christ. Paul, referring to the deliverance that God hath wrought through Christ, says he "hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." Col. 1:13. The Christian, being honored and intrusted with the citizenship of heaven, is instructed to live and act in complete harmony with the laws of heaven. He is also expected to be a coworker with Christ in persuading the subjects of Satan to ground their arms of rebellion against the government of God, and have their citizenship transferred to heaven. In his prayer for his followers, Christ said to his Father, "The world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world." John 17:14, 18. The sinner's relation to the kingdom of God is set forth in the following statement: "At that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world." Eph. 2:12. This is all that Satan can do for the subjects of his kingdom. He alienates them from God, from hope, and from life, makes them slaves while they live, and locks them up in the cold grave to await their final punishment when dead. But the gospel of Christ changes all this for all who accept it. "Now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." Verse 13. Jesus is the great Peacemaker. When man beholds the love of God that is shown in the gift of his Son, he is at once ready to surrender, so "He [Christ] is our peace, who hath made both one." Verse 14. The sacrifice of Christ conquers the rebel who beholds it by faith. Christ slew the enmity by himself dying, and then he came and preached peace. Verses 16, 17. By yielding, both Jew and Gentile have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Thus they become "fellow citizens with the saints of the household of God." Verse 19. Just as soon as the sinner accepts Christ as his Saviour, his citizenship is transferred to heaven; but he himself receives a commission as an ambassador for Christ to sinners. Christ immediately sends him into the world, sends him on the same kind of mission that himself came on to this world. That is, he is sent with messages of the good news of salvation to the lost. Thus we see that sinners do not immediately leave this world for heaven by having their citizenship transferred to that place. But they do become members of the heavenly family, and are taken into the sacred union of sons and daughters of God. Being children of God and ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ, they are placed under the especial care and protection of the strongest power in the universe. They can therefore go forth with the blessed message of eternal life to the dying sinner, without the least fear of being harmed by the emissaries of evil. Matt. 10:28; Luke 12:4, 5. When the heart is wholly surrendered to the will and keeping of God, the thoughts will be turned toward Christ constantly, and all the while that this is so the work with and for the Master will be sweet rest and holy joy to the heart. The thought to the Christian that he is accepted of the Lord, and that all things are his, enables him to see the love of God in all the works of his hands. It is the devout child of God who can enjoy the things seen in the realms of nature with the keenest relish and the sweetest delight. Father's handiwork and Father's power and skill and love are read in every blade of grass and every bud and flower. The mighty worlds pursuing their trackless route in the highway of the stars, constantly draw from the heart sweet praise. Yet these thoughts only serve to attract us toward things dearer still. For they connect us with the world that is to come; and our meditations are of the sweet eternal ages, when sin, sickness, sorrow, pain, decay, and death are all in the past. We think of the time when our ambassage will be completed, and we at home in our Father's house, with glorified bodies; we associate ourselves by faith with the Redeemer in person, and with the angels, together with our loved ones, never again to be separated. But when we have thought of all that our finite minds can grasp, we are assured that there is an infinite amount of indescribable glory beyond. But as we have eternity itself in which to grow and receive, we wait and rest in the Lord.