Hi Mike,

What does it mean, “For our citizenship is in heaven.” What do you mean when you say that we are not to concern ourselves as citizens of a heavenly kingdom, with the affairs of how to run this present evil world?
Yours sincerely,
W____

Hi W____,
Thank you for your question concerning my comments on Php 3:20.

Php 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Php 3:21 who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself. (ASV)

I have written many e- mails on this subject which are all posted on iswasandwillbe. com, but I will refer you to just this one which will direct you to the verses of scripture which show us what is the mind of God and His Son on the subject of nationalism and patriotism:
http:// www. iswasandwillbe. com/ To_ What_ Kingdom_ Should_ We_ Pledge_ Our_ Allegiance. php
Read that e- mail and get back to me if you still have questions. As I mentioned to you before, we are not attempting to offend anyone, yet we know that if we stand where Christ stands, we are given this absolute guarantee:

Mat 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.

I have pointed out nothing but the obvious when stating that if Christ were to return today teaching the same message He came with 2000 years ago, He would again be crucified by the very same religious establishment. The only difference would be that the religious establishment that would be having Him crucified today would be bearing His own name. It was the ministers of Christianity who took great pride in pushing the colonists into rebellion against the English crown, the resistance against slavery in the civil war, the intervention of our nation in two world wars, resistance against communism in Korea and Vietnam, and now today in the prevention of our destruction at the hands of Islamic militants.
I am the last person in the world who would advocate high taxes, yet it seems that the very thing we supposedly fought against the crown to prevent is what we are now living under. I am the last person to defend slavery, communism or Islam. Nevertheless it is nothing short of complete hypocrisy to claim to believe in the Bible and in the same breath advocate that Christians should be in the business of resisting all the evils which are in this world, except as they attempt to come into their own heart and mind.

Mat 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

I have been granted the faith to believe that Christ will return to this earth and rule it with a rod of iron for about a thousand years. At that time my faith will be rewarded, and my willingness to obey His commandments will prove to have been a very wise decision indeed.

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

I hope this is all of some edification to you.
Your brother who is filling up what is behind of the afflictions of the rejected Christ, as I am called to do as a citizen and an ambassador of the kingdom of heaven:

Col 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Mike