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     Jesus is the King of His kingdom reigning from heaven’s throne (Acts 2:30-36; 1 Timothy 1:17; 6:15).  Those who become Christians are citizens of His kingdom awaiting His return to resurrect the faithful to everlasting life – “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body” (Philippians 3:20, 21).  The citizenship in heaven must not be mindlessly taken for granted as many do in their own national citizenship.  Rather it is a lifestyle focused on glorifying Jesus by following His commands as found in the New Testament.

     As the apostle Paul revealed, this citizenship is a total change of personal behavior each Christian must make.  It begins with a change of loyalty, switching from self indulgence to honoring Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Then the radical transformation of attitude toward all aspects of life – “If then you were raised with Christ (baptism cf Romans 6:3-4),....Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth....Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.  Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.  But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.  Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,” (Colossian 3:1, 2, 5-10).  As Jesus admonished His countrymen some 30 years earlier, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matthew 15:19).  The putting to death of the sins of the flesh require a change of heart focused on becoming Christlike in order to glorify Him in the Christian’s life.  Paul instructed the Galatian congregations, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27).  “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:20).

     The heavenly citizenship begins by becoming a Christian, the oath of which is the burial in a grave of water prompted by trust in Jesus as the King and Savior to grant forgiveness of sins and eternal life to His citizens.

     Have you put on Christ?  Are you living your life to glorify Him?

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