When the Apostle Paul and his protégé Timothy wrote to Christians in Philippi, they maintained: “Our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). Those simple but profound words provide a necessary rebuke to contemporary Christians who have attached themselves to politicians and parties, abandoning the way of Jesus to bolster their nationalistic interests and calm their existential fears.
When we forgot or minimize our identity as heavenly citizens, we become prone to letting our earthly citizenship redefine what Christianity means. Consequently, it has become difficult for many people both inside and outside the Church to recognize authentic Christian faith. In the United States we are divided, moving along divergent paths, pursuing different goals. The polarization of Christians reflects the overall fragmentation of our society. Few would dispute that our society’s brokenness seems more self-evident now than it has in recent decades. Violence and vitriolic attacks, verbal and otherwise, overshadow kindness, generosity, and humility. The disunity of professing Christians is destroying us—or at least destroying our witness throughout much of the world.
While every Christian claims to follow Jesus, not everyone shares the same focus on the words and actions of Jesus. For example, even though Jesus himself says, “I am gentle and humble in heart” (Matthew 11:28), many Christians have opted for a picture of Jesus that is less informed by biblical data and more consistent with their own quest for carnal power, prominence, and prestige.
Christians in the USA are not the first believers to struggle with what it means to live for Jesus in a pluralistic, stratified, patriarchal, violent, greedy society that is simultaneously, creative, intelligent, artistic, imaginative, and strong. Fortunately, we have writings from some of the earliest Christians to help guide us today. One such writing is a letter from the apostle Paul and his coworker Timothy to Christians in ancient Philippi. In at least a couple of places, the letter plays with the concept of citizenship, using vocabulary that is rare in the New Testament. Philippians 1:27 uses the verb politeuomai and 3:20 uses the noun politeuma. You can see from the first part of each word—poli—that they relate to the Greco-Roman city-state, the polis, which is behind English words like “politics” and “policy.” Paul uses the language of civics in his communication with the Philippians, a group of people who understood what citizenship and devotion to Rome meant.
The Philippians well understood Paul’s language of citizenship. According to Luke in the book of Acts, Philippi was a special Roman city. Luke calls Philippi a “leading city” and a colony of Rome (Acts 16:12). Philippi, as a colony of Rome was exempt from certain taxes and in its history many former soldiers—people loyal to the empire—settled there and influenced life in the city. The Philippians understood the concept of citizenship, and Paul plays on that notion to get people in what we might anachronistically call a “patriotic” city to focus on where their true allegiance must lie. The Apostle Paul is saying, in essence, “You all understand what good citizenship entails, so if you are truly citizens of heaven, then act like good heavenly citizens!” For the Philippians, the idea of good citizenship must apply to their relationship with God and each other more than their identity as Philippians. Their Christian identity must trump their national identity! Paul tells one of the most significant cities in the Roman Empire that their citizenship is in heaven.
Of course, heavenly citizen means following the ways of Jesus, especially when those ways clash with the ways of the empire. Notice the radical, life-altering, boundary-breaking admonition in Philippians 2:1–5 (NIV):
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Imagine if you had been an enslaved person in Philippi. The Christian community would offer hope. It would be clear that the Roman Empire doesn’t have all the power. God’s habitat is more powerful than Rome. Jesus is Lord, and Caesar is not! Conversely, if you were among the social elite of Philippi, Paul’s words confront your social position. No matter what status you’ve gained in this world, your real allegiance is to the kingdom of God. That effects the way you treat people who aren’t in your social position. You are called to value enslaved people above yourself and to look to their interests, not merely your own (Philippian 2:3). Humility is a key quality that helps to identify heavenly citizens. The topsy-turvy, upside-down nature of God’s kingdom must be reflected in its citizens.
I am not so naïve to think that Christians will unite quickly and easily. I know fears are deeply rooted, and many have their identity wrapped up in the political landscape. However, I consider it faith and not naivete to believe that increasing numbers of people will grasp hold of what it means to be a heavenly citizen and will reject self-serving, hyper-competitive, racist, sexist, and xenophobic practices. One reason I am happy to be part of a community such as North Park Theological Seminary, is that I get to meet people who are eager to practice what heavenly citizenship means. They want Jesus to transform their lives so they can be part of God’s transformative work in the world. Such work glorifies God and is for the good of our neighbors.
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