What does it mean that our citizenship is in heaven?

And now in one beautiful word the Spirit sums up the Christian's position. (Ver. 20) "Our conversation is in heaven." It is hardly possible to render the full force of it in English. It is "citizenship," but that to our minds is a cold political thing; to a Greek it was everything: his citizenship came before wife, children or any other interest in life. The Spirit can thus take up this word to bring out the truth of such deep moment for us, that all that forms the Christian's life morally, in its deepest springs, is in heaven now. What a wonderful contrast for us who once belonged to earth! What a new circle and sphere of glory is this we have been brought into! Our new relationships, interests, objects, joys and hopes are found in heaven! In one far-reaching word, "Our citizenship is in heaven, from whence also we await the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour" (ver. 20), so that we may reach the glorious goal without death at all. But there is no clashing between these two aspects of the things before us: resurrection conformity to Christ in glory for which we are pressing on, instead of seeking any object this side that glory; and the hope of His coming that satisfies the affections while we wait and watch. How blessed to be found of the Lord at any moment that He comes, pressing on through everything here in the power of an object that is His for us, even to bear His image in the glory — changed in the twinkling of an eye then into it, all that is mortal being swallowed up in the power of a life that is already ours in Him.

This drew out the tears of the Apostle even in the midst of his joy; but he turns it to a practical profit, calling on the saints to take heed. Let us watch against the beginnings of self-indulgence or allowing earthliness. "For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven"; our real association is with Him who is there. Whatever we might have been as citizens of the earth, it is at an end now and forever. We belong to Christ on high. It is not merely that we are going there, but we belong to heaven now. Our commonwealth, our citizenship, is there; and therefore from thence also "we look for the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour." He has decided to have us in entire fellowship with the home to which we pertain, because it is His. He is coming from heaven; and, when He does, "he will change our body of humiliation so as to be conformed to the body of his glory according to the working whereby he is able also to subdue all things to himself." Then we shall be manifested what we now are in call, life, and desire. We are now heavenly, and then we shall be declared and proved to be so. We belong to heaven even while we are upon the earth; then it will be made plain that we had no real link with the earth, but with Christ above.

Now, "our conversation is in heaven." It is really our commonwealth, our citizenship. Our vital associations are there, not here, as the enemies of the cross would teach. Heaven is our fatherland, and to heaven, as a matter of fact, we are going. But before we get there a great change as to our bodies is needed, and that change will reach us at the coming of the Lord. Our bodies of humiliation are going to be transformed into the likeness of His body of glory, and the working of His mighty power is needed for its accomplishment.

The word rendered "conversation" means, literally, "citizenship," or "life as a citizen." "Commonwealth " is preferred by others; but none of these terms perhaps expresses adequately the mind of the Spirit of God. "It is 'associations of life,' as, 'I am born an Englishman.'" The force of this will be understood, if we consider for a moment the truth of the epistle. Its subject is the experience of a heavenly man on earth. Stripped of everything which could have exalted, or might have been gain to, man in the flesh, by the revelation of a glorified Christ to his soul, he henceforward desires nothing but the possession of Christ in the place where He is. He consequently follows after, if that he may get possession of that for which also he has been taken possession of by Christ Jesus. Instead, therefore, of minding earthly things (v. 19), his thoughts, objects, interests, and hopes are in heaven — concentred in Christ; and hence, just as an Englishman's associations are connected with his country, those of the Christian (the heavenly man) are connected with heaven. The engrossing object of his heart is there; he awaits the coming thence of the Lord Jesus Christ; and finally, when the Saviour returns, He will transform the Christian's body of humiliation into conformity to His body of glory. The goal is then reached, but meanwhile the believer knows that he belongs to heaven, for his heart has found its object and home in that scene of glory of which Christ is the centre.

The word rendered "conversation" means, literally, "citizenship," or "life as a citizen." "Commonwealth " is preferred by others; but none of these terms perhaps expresses adequately the mind of the Spirit of God. "It is 'associations of life,' as, 'I am born an Englishman.'" The force of this will be understood, if we consider for a moment the truth of the epistle. Its subject is the experience of a heavenly man on earth. Stripped of everything which could have exalted, or might have been gain to, man in the flesh, by the revelation of a glorified Christ to his soul, he henceforward desires nothing but the possession of Christ in the place where He is. He consequently follows after, if that he may get possession of that for which also he has been taken possession of by Christ Jesus. Instead, therefore, of minding earthly things (v. 19), his thoughts, objects, interests, and hopes are in heaven - concentred in Christ; and hence, just as an Englishman's associations are connected with his country, those of the Christian (the heavenly man) are connected with heaven. The engrossing object of his heart is there; he awaits the coming thence of the Lord Jesus Christ; and finally, when the Saviour returns, He will transform the Christian's body of humiliation into conformity to His body of glory. The goal is then reached, but meanwhile the believer knows that he belongs to heaven, for his heart has found its object and home in that scene of glory of which Christ is the centre.

It is just what Colossians gives us in very full development; only there we are risen with Christ, though not looked at as seated in the heavenlies, but as a risen people upon earth, set to "seek those things which are above" — and here we see the practical power of the link of Christ's presence there, for our hearts — "where Christ is, sitting on the right hand of God." (Col. 3:1-2) And note, it is the mind we are exhorted to set "on things above, and not on things on the earth," for the Spirit of God assumes that our affections will be there, and says nothing of them. The mind is distinct from the affections. As it has been truly put in illustration of the difference: a man's affections may rest in his family and his mind be all the while engrossed in his business. Now the Spirit would have our minds engrossed with Christ. For many walk, the same apostle tells us weeping, in Philippians, who mind (using the same word) earthly things, and are enemies of that which is the distinctively separative power of Christianity, the cross of Christ, whatever their profession to be His friends. And then in one blessed expression of it he sums up the whole christian position, viewed practically, "our citizenship is in heaven." He uses a word of far-reaching force for a Greek mind, who held all other relationships and interests in life subordinate to his citizenship — as though he would say: All that forms the life morally, in relationship, love, motive, object and joy, is found for us in heaven now; so that we only await, in hope too thence, the Lord Jesus as Saviour, to change this body of humiliation into the likeness of His body of glory according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself.

Verse 20. 'For our conversation is in heaven,' etc. This verse connects itself naturally with the close of verse 17, the awful warning which we have just been considering being introduced parenthetically in the intervening verses. The words now before us are a declaration of the positive doctrine, the denial of which practically, with its fatal effects, has so lately been described. To mind earthly things is, he says, a mark of reprobation in a names of Christ's name, because, if we are really His, our citizenship is essentially and properly in heaven.6 Nothing can possibly be more emphatic than this language, which claims for God's saints an original and, as it were, a natural place and standing in heaven. As the second Man is from heaven, so also are they who are seen now by the Spirit's eye 'in Christ.' As is the heavenly, so also are they that are heavenly.7 This is the essential verity of the new creation in Christ, and to maintain it while yet in these bodies of humiliation is the true power of godliness. What we have to notice especially is that now, and not hereafter only, are our place and name in heaven. Our registry is there with our Life.8

Not only was their citizenship in Rome, but their laws, their government, their ways, their 'conversation', were all Roman: even though they lived in Macedonia. And so is it with us. Our 'citizen-life' is (not, ought to be) in heaven. We are: "Called from above, and heavenly men by birth (Who once were but the citizens of earth), As pilgrims here, we seek a heavenly home, Our portion in the ages yet to come." (J. G. Deck)

At this point we once again enjoy a glimpse of heaven, again from a particular angle and again with particular consequences. As redeemed people, we ourselves belong there. We already have "the passport in our pocket", so to speak. Our citizenship is there, so we are already "citizens" of heaven.

Secondly, we learn here that Christ is there and that we can expect Him, and that we can expect Him as Saviour. When He came in grace over 2000 years ago, He also came as Saviour. He laid the foundation for the salvation of our soul and body on the cross. The salvation of the soul (Heb. 10:39; 1 Pe. 1:9) is already complete, but our bodies are still waiting (Rom. 8:23). In this sense, the Lord will come again as Saviour. There are believers who suffer extreme physical discomfort or pain through old age or illness. Others feel limited by fatigue, etc. But all of us can gaze up into heaven. There we see Christ, who will come as Saviour and bring salvation to our bodies.

Indeed we are! One of the most dangerous and subtle things is earthly-mindedness. It is the very opposite of the high calling to which we have been referring, and the apostle goes on at once to say, "Our commonwealth has its existence in the heavens". That is the sphere to which we belong.

If our commonwealth has its existence in the heavens, it is "from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ". People may tell us we ought to be putting in our time doing what we can to improve things down here, but we are just waiting for Christ to come and take us away from the things down here.