I consider it a great privilege to be an American citizen. I was born a citizen as were many of you in this audience.
Then again, over the past two centuries, millions have become citizens through the naturalization process offered under our U.S. Constitution.
Whether through birthright or naturalization, we have been blessed to be part of this mighty nation.
The great privilege of citizenship should not be taken lightly. There are numerous rights that have been graciously granted to our citizens.
If desired, we can run for a local, state or national political office. If we do so, we represent the people who elected us to the prestigious position.
We also represent the interests of those who voted for our political opponents.
We have a voice in government affairs and we have the right to free speech. We also have the right to carry arms, to express our religious and ideological beliefs and worship freely.
In one way or another, we’ve earned these rights of citizenship. And I’m proud to be an American, but I’m even prouder to be a citizen of Heaven.
Citizenship in Heaven is quite unique. You see, we can’t be born into a Christian faith and simply claim we are one of God’s people.
We also can’t earn our way into His Heavenly realm through our works.
However, we can be truly “born again” into the family of God, which allows us to rightfully claim citizenship in Heaven.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Church in Ephesus on this subject in Ephesians 2:8-9:
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship. created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
That’s quite a mouthful. Does it make sense that we only need place our faith and trust in the finished work of Christ in order to inherit the awesome rights of citizenship in Heaven?
That’s what God’s Word says.
If you are truly a citizen of Heaven, you should demonstrate the attitude of Paul presented in Ephesians 6:19-20 spoken from a dungeon cell in Rome before his execution.
Listen to his solemn and profound words: “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly as I should.”
Paul was a citizen of Rome, but he was much more — he was a citizen of Heaven and an ambassador of Christ. May we faithfully follow in his footsteps!