9.1 Key themes⤒🔗

• A Christian is a citizen of heaven.
• A Christian is a foreigner in this world.
• A Christian’s King, Jesus Christ, is in heaven.
• A Christian’s laws come from heaven.
• A Christian can already taste heaven.
• A Christian already enjoys the rights and privileges of heaven.

9.2 Colossians 3:1-17←⤒🔗

^3:1 Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

^3:2 Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth,

^3:3 for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

^3:4 When Christ (who is your life) appears, then you too will be revealed in glory with him.

^3:5 So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry.

^3:6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.

^3:7 You also lived your lives in this way at one time, when you used to live among them.

^3:8 But now, put off all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth.

^3:9 Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices

^3:10 and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it.

^3:11 Here there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and in all.

^3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

^3:13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others.

^3:14 And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond.

^3:15 Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart (for you were in fact called as one body to this peace), and be thankful.

^3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God.

^3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

© NET Bible

9.3 Citizens of heaven←⤒🔗

The apostle Paul was a citizen of Tarsus. Tarsus was an important city (see Acts 21:39). Paul was also born as a citizen of Rome (Acts 16:37; Acts 22:25). It was very difficult to become a citizen of Rome. Everyone wanted to be a citizen of Rome, because citizens of Rome had many rights that other people did not have.

But to Paul, being a citizen of Tarsus and Rome was not that important. In his letter to the Philippians, he reminded them: “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). In his letter to the Colossians, he told them: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2).

As Christians, we live in this world but we are not from this world. We are God’s “chosen people, holy and dearly loved” (Colossians 3:12). We are citizens of heaven. In this lesson, we will think about what it means to be a citizen of heaven.

9.4 You are a foreigner←⤒🔗

Some of us are very proud of our town, our country, or our culture. But as Christians, we should always remember that we are strangers in this world.

Think of the life of a foreigner. A foreigner can enjoy the new country where he is living. He can serve that country and love the people of that country. But he will always feel strange in that country. He will always long for his home country. That is what it is like to be a Christian in this world. Our home country is not in this world. It is in heaven.

If you are a citizen of heaven, then it means that you will not have your best life in this world. In this world, people will not always understand you. You will even suffer because of your faith. Jesus said to his disciples: “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” (John 15:19).

9.5 Your King is in heaven←⤒🔗

Why are you a citizen of heaven? Our passage (Colossians 3:1-17) gives the answer to this question. You are a citizen of heaven because your King, Jesus Christ, is there. He is seated at the right hand of God (verse 1). As a Christian, you should want to be with your King. You should also want your King to be respected by everyone.

In this world, Jesus Christ does not get the respect that he deserves. This world has a false king: Satan. As Christians, we are looking forward to the day when the real King will come and destroy the false king. We are looking forward to the day when Jesus Christ will come to judge the world and to rule forever. That will be the day on which he is glorified. On that day, we will also be glorified with him (verse 4).

9.6 Your laws are from heaven←⤒🔗

As a citizen of heaven, you should not follow the “laws” of this world. These laws are named in our passage: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed … anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language (verses 5 and 8).

Because you have a different King, you have different laws. These laws are: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, love and peace (verses 12 to 15). These laws are found in the Word of God (verse 16).

Out of obedience to Jesus Christ, you should also obey earthly rulers. A Christian should pay tax money and should honour the laws of his country (Romans 13:1-7). But when an earthly ruler asks a Christian to do something that is against the Word of God, the Christian should say: “We must obey God rather than men!” (Acts 5:29).

9.7 You are tasting heaven←⤒🔗

The life that you will enjoy when Jesus Christ returns, is still “hidden” (verse 3). But you can already taste something of that life. When you hear the Word of God, or sing together with other Christians (verse 16), you can already taste something of heaven. This is because the Holy Spirit is working in you.

There is more good news: As you grow in your Christian life, you will taste more and more of heaven. As Christians, we need to fight against our sin every day. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to fight against our sin and to become more like Jesus every day (verses 7 to 10). The more you become like Jesus Christ, the more you will taste the love, peace, and joy of heaven.

9.8 You have the rights and privileges of heaven←⤒🔗

When you are the citizen of a country, you have the rights and the privileges of that country. A Christian already has all the rights and privileges of heaven!

Just think of all your rights and privileges:

• You have the Holy Spirit.
• You have access to God in prayer.
• You receive forgiveness of sins every day.
• God your Father loves you, cares for you, and provides for you.
• On the day when Jesus Christ comes again, you will be glorified.

These are some of the rights and privileges that you have as a Christian. Never build your hope and your life on the things of this world. You are a citizen of heaven!