Not Just a Citizen, You’re in the Royal Family
And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, so that through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer foreigners and non-citizens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household,
Ephesians 2:17-19 NET Read More
If there is anything that has been a topic of biblical proportions over and over in the news this last year, it’s been immigration. Citizenship or the hope of citizenship is unstable for 11 million people in the United States. The same is happening all over Europe and Britain as immigration rules, feelings toward foreigners, and border openings are changing on a global scale.
But what if there was no other place to go? What if there weren’t other countries offering amnesty or relief? If you’ve ever been somewhere and not been a native citizen, it’s not a great feeling. For a lot of people, even being around their family or their friends doesn’t take that feeling away.
God, is of course, the most important being ever. He has by His own power and grace removed the thing that has separated us from Him. By Christ’s death on the cross, the uncleanliness and wickedness of our sin has been taken away. We can now, in our holiness from God, draw near to God. He has sent His Spirit into us to enable us to live a holy life and to live united with Him and the others that are united to Him.
Not only are we no longer non-citizens, we have become part of the royal family. We aren’t just allowed into the kingdom of heaven, we have become heirs and owners. We don’t have to act like a kid in his Easter best at grandmas, we are at home in our Superman pajamas in the Kingdom of Heaven because of the access God has given to us.
This isn’t just true of us, but of everyone that believes that Jesus was the Son of God that died for our sins and rose from the dead. Even if they have tattoos. Even if they have blue hair. Even if they wear white dress shirts every single day. There is no need to make a list, because the Gospel if for everyone that calls on the name of the Lord. That frees me from being the police or judge. I can enjoy being a child in the Kingdom of Heaven as I understand what family life looks like and I can let you enjoy life as you learn to be one of God’s kids too. We are brothers and sisters, not mothers and fathers. We are fellow citizens and saints in God’s household.