18 For through him we both have
access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19 Now therefore ye are no
more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the
household of God.
(Eph 2:18-19)
Our ancient citizenship and
birthright
From the moment of our birth into this world, the disease of sin begins to work
in our organs, and the process of a slow death begins its course. Each moment,
each hour, and each day draws us nearer to the gaping jaws of the grave. There
are no exceptions to the rule. Each person reading this devotion has a room of
dying which is already foreordained in the discretion of God for a visit from
the Angel of Death. For us who are living, there has always seemed to be a
tomorrow; but for many, there will be no tomorrow. When Judas attended the
Passover Last Supper with the Lord and the other Apostles, he had no hint or
clue that this would be his long night of eternity. Judas would never witness
another morning sunrise. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the
world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned." (Romans 5:12) That one man who opened
the floodgates of pain, suffering and death for us was our federal head - Adam.
The land that we inhabit today is the world. It is the land of our natural
nativity. We are natural-born citizens of the world, and it is the perversities
of the world that we must live with if we remain its citizens. The world, too,
is cursed and damned. It has a sentence of death upon its head. The time will
come when God will destroy this world with fervent heat. Nothing will be left
unless it is on deposit where neither moth nor rust can ruin - that place is
Heaven! "19 Lay not up for
yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where
thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and
where thieves do not break through nor steal." (Matt 6:19-20)
Those who owe their allegiance to the world cannot inherit the Paradise of
Heaven. But God has made a way, through the redemption made available through
His Son, for us to denounce our citizenship to the world and its sordid ways
and gain a naturalized citizenship in Heaven.
Our passport to paradise
Just as we were born into the world of sin, we must likewise be born into the
Paradise of God through the process of adoption (naturalization) if we are to
be spared the damnation coming upon the world. Even though we are ADOPTED into
the family of God by means of the redemptive works of Christ, we must also be
born into His Kingdom. Where, how, and when does that happen?
Where were we born anew?
Those
who have become citizens of the Kingdom of God were born anew at Calvary. "And
when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified
him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left."
(Luke
23:33)
How are we born anew?
By
a believing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by the gift of Grace of the Holy
Ghost! "I am the resurrection, and the life:
he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever
liveth and believeth in me shall never die." (John
11:25-26) These
words are a carefully worded legal document. It will answer the next question.
When?
The
'when' is a very important consideration. Please read again John 11:25-26
above. What is the meaning of these verses? Jesus says, "He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall
he live." The next part reads, "Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die."
At first glance, the first statement and the second seem to contradict, but
they do not. We are all dead in trespasses and sin until we have believed.
"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according
to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the
children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times
past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the
mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is
rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead
in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And
hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in
Christ Jesus." (Eph 2:1-6)
Yes, if we are true Christians, we were also dead in trespasses and sins before
the Holy Spirit quickened us and made us alive. Observe this point: The dead
can do nothing at all to come to Christ - it is an act of the Grace of God.
Lazarus lay four days in the tomb as his body turned cold and began to decay.
He could do nothing to save himself. But the Voice of Christ penetrated the
stone enclosure, the dead and rotting flesh, and the heart of poor, dead
Lazarus, and the warm pulse of life immediately awakened along with Lazarus.
That is how dead we were before we awoke to the Voice of Christ calling.
Our old father was Adam, but now, being born anew, we have a new Father in God.
We, in fact, have a new family since the old things are passed away. We have a
multitude of brothers and sisters in Christ. "For it became him, for
whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto
glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For
both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which
cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren," (Heb
2:10-11) "And
will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the
Lord Almighty." (2 Cor 6:18) If we are children of the
Heavenly Father, should we not bear a likeness to His express image? Just as
American coinage bears the mark of the United States, should we not be sealed
with the mark and likeness of our family Paternal Head - should we not bear His
name (Christian)?
Who shall make the sacrifice for us in the Holiest Place? It has always been
the High Priest who interceded for us at the Table of Incense before the veil,
and it still is the High Priest. Who is that High Priest? "Wherefore in all things it
behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and
faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for
the sins of the people. 18 For in that he himself hath
suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted." (Heb
2:17-18) That High
Priest if Christ!
Every nation has a fashion of dress appropriate for its disposition. But the
Children of God are also an army whose uniforms must peculiarly match their
duties and dispositions. What attire is proper? "And white robes were
given unto every one of them." Rev 6:11 "These are they which
came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white
in the blood of the Lamb." (Rev 7:14) The seven churches today that
nominally claim Christ as their husband (Rev 1-3) may be mentioned in Isaiah 4:1
- "And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We
will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy
name, to take away our reproach." These churches of our modern era
desire to take hold of our Lord for the sake of respectability; yet, they do
not want to eat of the Bread of Heaven (His Word) or wear the white robe of
righteousness. They prefer their own leaven-filled bread and their own filthy
rags of the prostitute.
The language of our Heavenly Paradise is unknown by the world. There are even
many preachers who have learned the Bible very well for the sake of making a
profit from its preaching, but have not the slightest idea what the Bible says
and means. They do not understand the Spirit's reminders of meaning.
Every land has a place of recreation and rest. So does God's Paradise. "He
that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow
of the Almighty." (Psalm 91:1) "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and
I will give you rest." (Matt 11:28) Our allegiance is to the Ensign
of Christ and no worldly potentate: "For through him we both have
access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more
strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the
household of God;" (Eph
2:18-19)
As strangers and pilgrims we wander the world looking for a city not made with
hands. As pilgrims, we travel lightly without the excess baggage of the world.
What city is it that we seek? "And he carried me away in the spirit to
a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem,
descending out of heaven from God, (Rev 21:10)
By what rite of passage shall we be admitted to our Heavenly Homeland? "By
the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus
Christ once for all.... 12 But this man, after he had
offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;... 14 For by one offering he hath
perfected for ever them that are sanctified....19 Having therefore, brethren,
boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus," (Heb
10:10-12-14-19)
SIGNATURE: I, Jehovah, have Spoken it. (I changeth not!)
DATE: Before the Foundation of the World!
