The Alpha of Citizenship

UV 2961/10000 The Alpha of Citizenship
And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born
Acts 22 v 28
Roman citizenship could be obtained either by payment of a large sum of money or by virtue of birth. Paul was a Roman citizen by birth while the commander who had him chained had paid a large sum to obtain citizenship or the status of being a free man with all rights and the duty to fulfil all obligations of a citizen. Likewise, Christ had paid a huge price for our citizenship of the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven. We are no longer bond men but citizens by re-birth of faith. We now enjoy the privilege of fellowship with the Almighty and Triune God. We can live in the overflow of His love, power and grace. Christ has tasted death for every man who believes and set us free from the chains of sin, guilt, death and judgement. Being conscious of the huge price paid by Christ for our freedom and citizenship of heaven makes us responsible and grateful.

All humans are born in the chains of sin, death, disease, curses but the Lord Jesus as the Commander –in-chief of our lives has ordered us to be set free. We are citizens of heaven and strangers and pilgrims in this world. We obey a higher law- the law of Jesus summed up in the two greatest commands in which inhere all the laws and tenets of Moses. The laws of the Lord are written in our hearts and minds. We are possessed of a different spirit- the spirit of excellence. We are dead to the world and its lusts. The joy of the Lord or that which He delights in is our chief joy and source of strength and power. Our belief in Christ re-orients every aspect of our lives, the very purpose of our existence. It impacts our relationships and our decisions. We look for help not among the elite or the rulers of our countries but to the Maker of heaven and earth. Our vision is global. We pray globally and act locally to solve local problems, to improve the lot of our fellow beings.

We also owe it to the Lord to try to set as many people free from their chains and usher them into the freedom of citizenship of the kingdom of God. As believers of Christ, we have a dual citizenship. We are natural citizens of the country in which we are born, live and work and owe herr our loyalty, our duty to obey her laws. We are supernatural citizens of the kingdom of heaven. As citizens of heaven, our focus is not on consuming goods and services but in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.