Philippi was a Roman colony. People born in Philippi were Roman citizens by birth, and they were proud of the fact. I’m guessing that “I’m proud to be a Roman where at least I know I’m free” was a popular song.
When Paul writes the Philippians, he keeps this fact in mind. In Philippians 1:27, he asks them to “live citizenly” [politeuomai; to behave as a citizen, as Strong’s says], a phrase he connects with the gospel of Christ. Then in Chapter 3, Paul brags about his heritage and the things that he has left behind as a Christian. Interestingly enough, in his bragging, he doesn’t mention Roman citizenship, something the Philippians would have put at the top of the list. Still, Paul includes it in the “everything” that he now counts as rubbish for the sake of knowing Christ. Then comes the stinger. Paul writes: “Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven.” (Philippians 3:19-20)
You’re proud to be Romans, Paul says, but I want you to live as proud of the gospel. When I list the most import things in my life, I don’t even list Roman citizenship, and even the things I list are things I no longer value. They’re like garbage compared to my Christianity. How much less do I value that citizenship? That’s because we have a new citizenship: our citizenship is in heaven.
I’m wondering how well that went over in Philippi.
I know how well it doesn’t go over here.