Double citizenship ??? No thank you!!! / Monthly message November 2006

Double citizenship ??? No thank you!!!

Matt. 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

You may be shocked to hear this, but for a Christian there is only one citizenship which really counts! No, it is not the one that you are thinking about, because we are talking here about a citizenship of a kingdom that will never pass away. It is a citizenship of a kingdom, where there will be no sorrow nor death, but eternal life in the presence of Jesus Christ.

We are in the end time i.e. shortly before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus said to the Roman, Pilate, "My kingdom is not from this world!" Pilate realized in his conversation with Jesus that Jesus was claiming to be a king, and that he possessed a kingdom which was not from this world. During the time that Jesus walked upon this earth, he told the Jews as well as the Gentiles the very same thing then as he still says today: Don't just be concerned about the temporal things of this life, but rather let your first priority be eternal life! The existence of a person, who has been created in the image of God, does not end at the time of his death; meaning in this context - the death of his earthly body i.e. the flesh. A person continues to exist, not as a fly or a mouse, nor as a different person. He is still the same person after his death; it is just that he does not have a physical body anymore. Either he goes to be with God or he ends up in hell (Luke 16:19-31); it depends upon which citizenship he had upon earth. A French citizen will not get into heaven on the basis of being French, and the same applies to a German, a Turk, an Arabian, and an Indian – it does not matter what nationality anyone is, the same applies to all.

Without any doubt, it is necessary that we have a citizenship, which will also be of benefit to us after death and which will bring us into this eternal kingdom; otherwise, it is not worth anything whatsoever. Jesus will return. (see John 14:2-3; 1.Cor. 15:47-57; Heb. 9:28; Matt. 25:10-13)

He has a kingdom, but his kingdom is not from this world! Christians are in the world but are no longer from the world. (Col. 2:20; 1.Cor. 2:12; Gal.1:4; John.15:19;17:14)

The apostles of Jesus talked about a citizenship; however, they were not referring to a Roman, Jewish, or worldly one but rather to a heavenly one. You have to be born again to become a part of it.As according to the Bible, a true Christian is someone who has become a new person, and who has now received a citizenship in heaven. His name is written in the book of life - not on some official form - but rather in heaven (Revelation 20:12-15). Perhaps this sounds old-fashioned, but how old-fashioned will it all be when Jesus appears again in flaming fire to punish those who were disobedient to the gospel (2.Thess. 1:4-10)?

God will not permit Himself to be mocked. There is still time now to become a citizen of the kingdom of God. If you become a citizen of heaven, you will have more than all the nations of this world could ever offer you! Without Jesus Christ, an individual is cut off from the rights of citizenship and from God’s covenant (Ephesians 2:11-22).

The door is still open - God is still accepting applications from those who are seeking heavenly citizenship. Do not hesitate to ask us and we will gladly show you the way which is found in the Bible.

Do not take any risks - for only this citizenship will be valid before God. rw