“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22 (NIV)
God has made me part of a new (Kingdom/Church)
…you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people…
Paul is primarily writing to Gentile believers in these verses and here he returns to the thought he first raised in verse 12 when he described how these Gentiles were excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise. But the point he is making here is that it doesn’t really matter because they are now citizens of a new kingdom.
Citizenship is a really important thing. As citizens of this country, we have some benefits that we can expect to enjoy. We reap the benefits of being protected by our military and law enforcement officials. We have the right to travel wherever we want and to choose where we want to live and work. If we’re charged with a crime, our rights are protected by the Constitution. We get to elect the people we want to govern us. But we also have some responsibilities. We are required to pay our taxes. Although many choose not to, we have a responsibility to participate in the election process by voting. We have to submit to the laws that govern us. When we choose to be followers of Jesus Christ, we automatically become citizens of His kingdom. And that citizenship also comes with privileges and responsibilities.
We get the privilege of being part of a body where we can be encouraged and where we can grow in our faith. At the same time, we also have a responsibility to participate in the life of the body and submit to its leadership. We have a responsibility to provide our share of the financial resources that are needed to maintain and advance the kingdom.
God never created Christians to be foreigners and aliens to His kingdom and to the manifestation of that kingdom here on earth – the church. So I can’t understand why any believer would want to be an illegal alien here in this world when they could experience full citizenship in the kingdom of God. Take the full benefits and see what God does in your life...you are loved!
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