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A Homeland
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 A Homeland with Security!
We have probably all heard the old cliché, “do as I say, not as I do,” which of course is a futile attempt to evade the responsibility for one’s actions. However, if someone tells us to "rejoice in all things,"
then we can reasonably expect that person to at least attempt to do so
himself! The apostle Paul wrote from a dark and dank Roman dungeon from
which he knew he would likely never return, to the believers in
Macedonia, or as we know them, the Philippians, to do just that, and he
most certainly did so himself.
In our day, it may seem impossible to rejoice always, since there was nothing in his surroundings or his
circumstances that would promote happiness, but Paul never once
commanded nor are we commanded anywhere in God’s Word to be happy, but
we are commanded often to rejoice! To rejoice about something doesn’t
mean that we’re happy about it but rather it means we can be joyful even
if we are not glad about things. We can do this because of the Gospel,
or good news concerning Jesus Christ the Son of God and what He has done
for us by dying on the cross for our sins! One of the many benefits He
has won for us on the cross is that He gives us a new Homeland with a
sense of security. Paul told the Ephesians that salvation comes through
Christ: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should
boast."
Concerning this Homeland of Heaven, Paul wrote to the
Philippians, “For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven; from
whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ…” (Phil.3:20).
So, once a sinner places his or her trust in Jesus Christ as Savior,
their citizenship is in Heaven where Christ is! As Christians we have
become a people with dual citizenship; we live physically in the country
where we are, but just as real, we also are citizens where Christ is!
Christ has come to reside in the heart of the believer, which means the
believer is spiritually in Christ. This reality should cause the
believer in Christ to live a certain way that is different from the rest
of the world-system. Just a tiny sampling of these differences are that
the believer once in Christ will have an elevated taste for good
things, the peace of God, as well as the ability to face reality even
though it may not be pleasant, leading to a strengthening of his
character. These are just a few of the things the Gospel of Jesus Christ
brings into the life of a believer.
Where can we learn these great
truths and others like them? We learn them in the Epistle to the
Philippians, and BBN offers a great, free study of this Epistle in the
BBN Bible Institute: course number 50500, An Overview of Philippians. We trust it will be a blessing to you, and if indeed it is, then please share it with a friend! |
Written By:
David Wyatt
Date Posted:
10/2/2015 2:54 PM
Number of Views:
5030
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