Citizen of Two Countries

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

I’ve been teaching the book of Colossians at the church where I pastor in Julian, CA. Paul greeted those Christ followers with these words, “To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae . . .” 

The translators were a little open with the English because in the Greek, he used the same preposition to indicate that the believers in Colossae were both in Christ and in Colossae. I’m confident that the translators used the word “at” in front of Colossae to make it sound less awkward.

It reminded me, though, of the Christ follower’s dual citizenship. We live in a certain country but we are also citizens of the Kingdom of God. We live in this world but we know that this world is not all there is.There is an old gospel hymn that says, “This world is not my home, I’m just a-passin’ through!” 

We answer to a higher authority, and earthly authorities sometimes take exception to that. We should not be shocked, then, when we are ridiculed, and neither should we feel uncomfortable because we do not automatically accept their remedy for solving the problems around us.

Our dual citizenship is problematic when the two kingdoms are in conflict. In those times, we have to make the choice to reject some aspects of our culture, and to speak out against it—but always in love [Ephesians 4:15]. Truth and love must be operative when we confront any aspect of our culture.

All creation is groaning in anticipation of the time when the rightful king comes to make everything right [Romans 8:22]. Until then, we are both in our “Colossae” and in Christ. Our citizenship may be divided, but our loyalty cannot be. We must choose which of the kingdoms gets the priority.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness... Matthew 6:33