Philippians3:20
Previous VerseTranslation
For our citizenship exists in heaven; we are waiting for a savior to come from there, that Savior is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paraphrase
But our passport comes from heaven, for that is the place we belong to now; and we are waiting patiently for our savior, the Lord Jesus Christ to come.
What Does it Mean to be Citizens of Heaven?
When we repented before God and decided to follow His ways, we denounced our former citizenship and became citizens of heaven. We now carry a new passport for we have passed from the realm of darkness into the realm of light (I Peter 2:9). Our purpose is different from that of the world. The things that motivate us and keep us going are now different from what they used to be. And you better not try carrying passports from two different places at the same time, because the kingdom of heaven does not allow dual citizenship! The New Testament is full of images of the church of God as a caravan, on the move toward a final destination. New Testament authors often referred to followers of Christ as pilgrims because we no longer belong to this place. We are here but we don’t really belong here; we are just passing through to someday arrive at our new home. While we are here, we are representatives and ambassadors of the king we now follow (II Cor. 5:11-21).