INTRODUCTION
As Christians, many of us will readily say that we love Jesus, worship, and serve Him. However, how many of us can honestly say we love and live the way of the cross?
In Philippians 3:17-21, Paul reminds us how we ought to live as a people of God using the comparison of earthly behaviour and heavenly citizenship:
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Singapore is notably the most developed and prosperous nation in all of Southeast Asia. Among the other countries, it consistently ranks higher in economic competitiveness, smart city development, and overall quality of life, while also having the highest GDP per capita in the region. By God’s grace, Singapore is truly blessed.
Do we recognise this blessing and understand what we are blessed for? Or do we view our possessions and wealth as something we have earned, to be accumulated and kept for our own benefit? Do we live as though our god is our belly, having a lifestyle of consumption and decadence as opposed to generosity and simplicity? Can our material blessings cause us to lose sight of the true meaning of the Gospel, thus making us “enemies of the cross”?
By choosing the way of the cross, we agree with our identity as citizens of heaven. Being called such can often lead to the assumption that we no longer need to abide by the laws of our earthly country. However, Jesus shows us a better way.
In Mark 12:17, He calls us to “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s”. It is crucial to hold the tension between living for the things of God, while living as exemplary citizens of our homeland. We have dual citizenship, and as such, we are charged with dual responsibility.
Here are some ways the Bible calls us to be heavenly citizens living in our nation:
Living out this dual citizenship of being of the Kingdom and our nation is ultimately a witness to the humility and meekness of Jesus. We see how He modelled this posture of lowliness in Philippians 2:3-8:
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Let us embrace the cross in the same way Jesus did, and in doing so, live a life that is worthy of the gospel. (Phil 1:27)
DISCUSSION
For each passage:
MEMORY VERSE
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. – Philippians 3:17-21