"For
our citizenship
is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it
may be conformed to His glorious body...." Philippians 3:20-21
"Therefore ye are no
more strangers and foreigners, but
fellow citizens with the saints and of the household
of God..." Ephesians 2:19
Faced with
unthinkable changes in our government, schools and churches, it
helps to remember that we are first and foremost citizens of
Heaven -- not of America. God's Kingdom is not of this world,
and neither is our primary citizenship. People can take our
worldly goods, but our most important treasures are the ones in
Heaven, and nobody can harm those. (Luke 12:32-34)
We are
also ambassadors for Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:20) An ambassador
lives in a foreign country, surrounded by people with values and
traditions and laws that conflict with those of his own
homeland. An ambassador's primary allegiance is to his homeland,
and to his own ruler, and to the laws of his homeland. When he
can live like the "natives" without going contrary to the laws
of his homeland, then he does so. But when he can't, then he
doesn't. An example of that is Corrie ten Boom, who hid Jews and
protected them from the Nazis.
Understanding what the psalmist meant when he spoke of "the
fear of
the Lord" is helpful. It encourages us to be faithful to God
-- no matter what challenges we face. Jesus said,
"...whoever
confesses [acknowledges] Me before men, him I will
also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But
whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny
before My Father who is in heaven." Matthew 10:32-33
The
Apostle John said something similar:
"Whoever
denies the Son does not have the Father either..." (1 John 2:23) The Apostle Paul
said,
"if we deny
Him, He also will deny us...." (2 Timothy 2:12)
Modern
American churches often present an unbiblical picture of God --
one that is "warm and fuzzy" -- designed to please people and
hide "the offense of the gospel." False teachers
avoid unpopular
topics like sin, hell and judgment. But Jesus talked about those
things a lot. He was so concerned about them that he died a
terrible death in order to save us from them.
When I
read today's news, I often think about Psalm 2. It puts things
in perspective. In that psalm, we see wicked rulers conspiring
against God and His people. But then He shows us the big
picture. Those who rise up against Him will be crushed and
broken "like a potter's vessel."
The bottom
line is Romans 8:28. God will make ALL things work out for our
long-term, eternal good because we believe His Word, trust in
His grace, and have chosen to walk in His ways. Now Jesus tells
us,
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might
have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be
of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
"Behold what
manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should
be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us,
because it did not know Him.
"Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been
revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed,
we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And
everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He
is pure." 1 John 3:1-3
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