In the book of Revelation, a contrast is made between God’s people and “those who live on earth.” In Letters From The Lamb I wrote:
Since the Philadelphians have been faithful, Jesus says that he is going to protect them from a time of trial that is coming on those that live on the earth. While at first glance we might think that all of us “live on the earth,” a survey of Revelation will show us that a distinction is made between those that dwell on the earth and those that dwell in heaven. The first term refers to the worldly people, those that reject God and follow the rebellious worship of the emperor. Those who dwell in heaven, on the other hand, are the citizens of heaven, even those that are still living their lives on this planet. They are in the world, but not of the world. Their passports and driver’s licenses may state an address here, but their actual citizenship is in heaven. So when Jesus brings punishment on those that live on the earth, his people are not included in that punishment.
(Letters From The Lamb, p. 138)
We are part of a kingdom that isn’t of this earth. Our loyalties lie elsewhere. We seek a heavenly city, not the country that we were born in. Living as aliens on this earth is an important part of our identity as Christians.
Great post Sir! I preached a sermon along the same frame of thought last night. It was called “Who is our King”. Our allegiance is the Christ our King and nothing else. Thanks for the reminder!
Thanks Trent. Would have loved to have heard the sermon.
This is the context that Revelation chapter 18 must be read in…a chapter which suspiciously is forgotten usually when contemporary Christian address the question of the Christian’s relationship and responsibility to the nation/government. And it should not go unnoticed that in chapter 18 the Christians are warned against having anything to do with the nation, lest they perish with it. What then does this look like in practice? What did it look like for the Philadelphians to practice this with such tenacity that they are recognized as “faithful”?
Grace and peace,
Rex
Good questions, Rex. Christians in the 21st century still need to wrestle with those questions.
It’s easier not to. That’s where compromise and syncretism come from.
Grace and peace,
Tim Archer
Yes…and I don’t think it is so much an issue that we get all the right answers to those questions right away or ever. As long as we wrestle with the issue(s) rather than ignore it, we are less likely to become compromised and syncretistic in our faith because we are then conscience of the dangers before us.
Grace and peace,
Rex
I think you are dead-on correct about the contrast between the earth-dwellers, whose life is from this world, and the people of heaven. “My kingdom is not from this world” and neither is our life.
I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it before, but Reversed Thunder: The Revelation of John and the Poetic Imagination by Eugene Peterson is my favorite book on Revelation (not written by someone I know, of course! :) ). Have you read it, perchance?
oops… that might be Prophetic Imagination not Poetic!
OR it might be, and in fact IS: Reversed Thunder-The Revelation of John and the Praying Imagination
ugh
I haven’t read it, but it is on my “wanna read” list. I included it in the resources on a website I’m putting together: http://www.sevenchurchesofasia.com