Bible Study 8: Citizens of Heaven

8.1 Key themes⤒🔗

Believers are citizens of heaven. Therefore:
- We should think like citizens of heaven.
- Our minds should not be on earthly things, but on Jesus Christ.
- Then we will also think about death in a different way.
- We should live like citizens of heaven.
- We should use our time in this world to serve.
If we think and live like citizens of heaven:
- We will not ask how we can get more, but how we can serve more.
- We will be happy and content.

8.2 Philippians 1:20-24←⤒🔗

^20. My confident hope is that I will in no way be ashamed but that with complete boldness, even now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether I live or die.

^21. For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.

^22. Now if I am to go on living in the body, this will mean productive work for me, yet I don’t know which I prefer:

^23. I feel torn between the two, because I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far,

^24.but it is more vital for your sake that I remain in the body.

8.3 Philippians 3:17–21←⤒🔗

^17. Be imitators of me, brothers and sisters, and watch carefully those who are living this way, just as you have us as an example.

^18. For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears, I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.

^19. Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, they exult in their shame, and they think about earthly things.

^20. But our citizenship is in heaven—and we also eagerly await a saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

^21. who will transform these humble bodies of ours into the likeness of his glorious body by means of that power by which he is able to subject all things to himself.

8.4 Citizens of heaven←⤒🔗

In this world there are many wonderful things to enjoy. But there is also a lot of sin and sadness. This world is still under the power of Satan (Ephesians 6:12). While we live here, we cannot yet enjoy perfect fellowship with God.

That is why, as Christian believers, we are not really at home in this world. We do not really “fit in.” We long for Jesus Christ to return. On that day heaven will come to earth. God will live with us. We will finally be home.

In the time of the New Testament, Philippi was an important and wealthy city. Its people were proud to be called Philippian citizens. But in Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he reminds them that they are not just citizens of Philippi. They are citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20).

This is true of all Christians. We are citizens of heaven. To have contentment in this world, we must:

think like citizens of heaven, and
live like citizens of heaven.

8.5 Thinking like citizens of heaven←⤒🔗

In Philippians 3:19 Paul speaks of people who “think about earthly things.” These people call themselves Christians, but they are not true Christians. They only care about their own power and their own pleasure in this world. They do not care about the message of Jesus’ death on the cross (Philippians 3:18).

Paul warns the Philippians against this way of thinking. As believers, our minds must not be on earthly things, but on the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:19–20).

If your mind is on earthly things, you will always think about what you can get from this world. “How can I get more money? How can I live longer? How can I get more power and glory for myself? How can I enjoy life more?”

But if your mind is on Jesus Christ, you will think about the things that Christ has given you and the things that he promises to give you, when he comes again (Philippians 3:20).

This means that you will also think about death in a different way. In this world many people are afraid of death. But a believer knows that he will be with Jesus Christ when he dies. That is why Paul even says that he desires to die and to be with Christ (Philippians 1:23)!

As believers, we also know that our bodies will be resurrected one day. Yes, death is an enemy. But Christ has given us the victory over this enemy. Death is not the end.

So, test yourself. How do you think about this life? And how do you think about death? Are you thinking like a citizen of this world, or like a citizen of heaven?

8.6 Living like citizens of heaven←⤒🔗

Even though Paul was looking forward to be with Jesus, he also wanted to live in this world. Why? Because then he could serve the people of God (Philippians 1:22, 24).

Yes, this world is not really our home. But God has put us here, so that we can serve!

Jesus once told a story about a man who went to a faraway country, to be crowned as king. While he was gone, his servants had to look after his money. When he came back, he rewarded those servants who worked well with his money (Matthew 25:14-30).

Jesus is that king, and we are his servants. While we are waiting for him, we should serve him in every way we can. Everything we have—our time, our money, our talents, our relationships, our jobs—is given to us by Jesus, so that we can serve him with it. How do we serve him? We serve him by serving the people around us.

In this life we may never be rewarded for our works of service. But when Jesus comes again, he will reward us. He will share with us his glory and joy (Matthew 25:21).

8.7 The difference this will make←⤒🔗

What difference will it make to your life, if you think and live like a citizen of heaven? To answer this question, we can think again about desires and happiness. In Lesson 6 we saw that only good desires can bring happiness. Good desires come from love. Bad desires come from selfish motives.

What will happen if you only think about your life in this world? You will have more and more selfish desires. You will always ask yourself, “How can I get more from this world?” You will always look for more. You will never be content.

But if you remember that you are a citizen of heaven, you will ask a different question. You will ask, “How can I serve more in this world?” You will not be too worried when life gets difficult, or when death comes. You will remember that your real home is with God. Your true King, Jesus Christ, will soon return.

The more you think and live like a citizen of heaven, the better your desires will become. This will make you happy and content. You will be like Paul, who said, “to me, living is Christ and dying is gain” (Philippians 3:21).