Our citizenship is in heaven

 Philippians 3:20

"For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jehoshua Messiah"

This verse is often quoted by Christians but they truly believe it? So many Christians live lives that show the opposite of Paul's declaration that we as followers of the Messiah have our citizenship in heaven.

When we truly believe that our citizenship is in heaven and live that out in a real way then we will not entangle ourselves in the affairs of this life:

2 Timothy 2:3-4

3 Suffer hardship with [me], as a good soldier of Messiah Jehoshua.4 No soldier on service entangleth himself in the affairs of [this] life; that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier.

Being a soldier of Jehoshua means willing to suffer hardship because to be his soldier means you are not of this world and you stand against the philosophies of this age. The philosophies of this age are what Paul warned against in Colossians 2:8:

"Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Messiah"

This warning from Paul in Colossians 2 comes right after he established the fact that the Kingdom of Jehoshua was already a present reality for the first century saints. Paul also referenced Psalm ,89;27 to show that Jehoshua was the now reigning Davidic King (Colossians 1:15). Paul wanted to establish the present Davidic reign of the Messiah in order to get the Colossians to reject any Philosophies that would take away their devotion to the new Davidic Kingdom of Jehoshua. 

The Judaizers were in direct view of Paul's warning to the Colossians, but this warning can apply to any philosophy or ideology that seeks to take one away from absolute loyalty to King Jehoshua. This would include the politics of this world as just about every political party believes in philosophies/ideologies that contradict the commandments of the Davidic King, Jehoshua Messiah. Also, political parties often present their candidate/s as messiah type figures and often times even Christians buy into these false messiah's. 

Colossians 3:1-3

1 If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.2 Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth.3 For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

When we are begotten from above we are spiritually seated with the Son of God in the holy of holies. Paul quotes Psalm 110:1 which is a prophecy of the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant. The fulfillment of the Davidic covenant is when the royal offspring of David would be set on the throne, establishing it forever. Paul says Jehoshua is at the right hand of Jehovah God on the throne of David and since we are raised with him, sitting with him in heaven, we should have our mind set on heavenly things. This means we need to be Kingdom minded just as Jehoshua stated in the sermon on the mount. 

Jehoshua said his Kingdom was not of this world and it does not come with observation, thereby we have no stake in the political affairs of this life. Jehoshua said his Kingdom is within us and therefore we must be minded about his Kingdom, which is a heavenly one. To get involved with politics shows that one does not take the words of Jehoshua and Paul seriously, because it shows that the person has their mind set on earthly things. Political affairs and loyalty to country is the ultimate example of earthly things and the affairs of this life.

Ephesians 1:20-23

20 which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly [places],21 far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:22 and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

This is an important set of verses to understand because it shows indeed that Jehoshua is already reigning from the throne of David in New Jerusalem. The phrase "heavenly places" denotes the holy of holies. The Messiah was resurrected from the dead and ascended into heaven and placed at the right hand of Jehovah God, thereby fulfilling the Davidic covenant as verse 20 is alluding to Psalm 110:1. This is why Paul says to have our mind set on heavenly things because we are raised with the Son of God in the holy of holies (Colossians 3) and have all the spiritual blessings he has in the heavenly places. Those blessings are Kingship/Queenship and Priesthood (Acts 13; Isaiah 55; Psalm 110, sure blessings of David).

  

In other words, we are reigning as Kings, Queens and Priests now under the Davidic covenant and Melchizedek priesthood and our thrones are in heaven in the holy of holies. Even though we are physical here on earth, spiritually we are in heaven but this only if we build our treasure in heaven and have our mind set on heavenly matters and not get entangled in the affairs of this life. Again, the affairs of this life especially pertain to politics and have loyalty to earthly kings and governments. Why is this important to grasp? Because involvement in politics eventually leads to agreeing with ungodly laws and practice, most notably wars. It also often leads to messiah type devotion to the leaders of your favorite political party and/or the leader of a country. 

Verse 21 of Ephesians 1, when Jehoshua was set at Jehovah's right hand he was enthroned as King of Israel and set far above all other rulers in heaven (angelic) and earth (human governments).  Jehoshua has the name above all other names (only begotten Son) in this age and the one to come. 

Verse 22 of Ephesians 1, Jehovah put all things under the feet of Jehoshua showing that his reign on the throne of David is a present reality. Jehovah gave Jehoshua to be head over all things concerning the ekklessia (congregation). It's important to understand that the Messiah is our head and no one else. So many so called Pastors and others in leadership in the so called church try to position themselves as lords over their congregations, however it is only Jehoshua that has been placed as head over the ekklessia. When so called leaders in the church try to lord their authority over others they are attempting to usurp the Kingship of the Son of God. 

Jehoshua was prophesied to be the King of Israel and affirmed to be such by Nathaniel (John 1:49), therefore if Jehovah placed him as head over all things concerning the ekklesia then the ekklesia is Israel (Galatians 6:16). The ekklesia is identified as the new covenant Davidic Kingdom in Acts 15, therefore the ekklesia, the Davidic Kingdom and Kingdom of Israel are one and the same. Verse 23 of Ephesians 1, the new covenant ekklesia is the fullness of Jehoshua and we as the new covenant Davidic Kingdom are the fullness of the Messiah and we fill all in all. This means that wherever we are the Messiah is present and his Kingdom is present. We fill all in all as we advance the Kingdom throughout the uttermost parts of the earth. 

Luke 17:20-21

20 And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God cometh, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:21 neither shall they say, Lo, here! or, There! for lo, the kingdom of God is within you.

It's amazing that most Christians today ignore this all important statement by Jehoshua and take the position of the pharisees in waiting for an earthly brick and mortar Kingdom. The Messiah made it clear that his Kingdom will not be earthly and will not come with observation. Despite this declaration by the Son of God, the Hebrew roots, Messianics and most Christians are promoting that Jehoshua will come back to rule in earthly Jerusalem with a Geo-political Kingdom with the Mosaic worship system reestablished. This is an antichrist perversion of the gospel because it directly goes against what Jehoshua said about the nature of his Kingdom. 

The Messiah saying that the Kingdom of God would be within us perfectly goes with Colossians 1:27:

"to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Nations, which is Messiah in you, the hope of glory"

The context of Colossians chapter 1 is the present Kingdom and Kingship of the Son of God and Paul says that the Messiah in us is the hope of glory. To be the Messiah is to be the King of Israel and just as we have the Kingdom within us, we have the Kingdom's King within us. The Davidic King lives within our hearts when we are begotten from above, therefore we have no need of an earthly King. The Davidic King is the only begotten Son of Jehovah God and when we have faith that he is the Son of God, we have the Spirit of Sonship ourselves:

Galatians 4:6

"And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father"

We have the Spirit of the Son of Jehovah in our hearts as we are also Sons.  Paul said in Colossians 1:27 that we have the Messiah in us, which is the hope of glory. Jehoshua said we have the Kingdom within us. All these things are the same. The hope of glory of the Messiah living in us relates the glory that he received at his ascension into heaven, which are the sure blessings of David (Acts 13). To have this glory in our hearts shows that we also have the sure blessings of David and that is why we are called and referred to as Kings, Queens and Priests throughout the new testament. 

All of this should show us where our loyalty and attention should be and that is New Jerusalem where we are said to have our names enrolled:

Hebrews 12:22-23

22 but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.

We are the firstborn of Jehovah God because we are the new covenant Israel. Old covenant Israel was called Jehovah's first-born (Exodus 4:22; Jeremiah 31:9). The new covenant church is the church of the first-born (Israel) and the membership book for this church is located in the heavenly Jerusalem.

In Galatians 4 Paul says that New Jerusalem is our home and mother and that it is the free one:

25 Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to the Jerusalem that now is: for she is in bondage with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother.

Paul is making the contrast between earthly Jerusalem and New Jerusalem. He says that earthly Jerusalem is in bondage along with her children and that New Jerusalem is free. Clearly, Paul is telling the saints that their citizenship is in heaven and not on earth and that those who still have their kingdom here on earth are in bondage. Paul compares the bondage of earthly Jerusalem with the Mosaic Sinai covenant, which gendereth to bondage. These people still hanging on to the old covenant are still esteeming earthly Jerusalem as their home and where their citizenship is. Paul says that the true children of Jehovah have their citizenship in the New Jerusalem, which is in heaven, and are in the new and better covenant.

While Paul is contrasting earthly Jerusalem and it's worship system with New Jerusalem and the new covenant, this concept can also be applied to today's church and it's involvement in politics and adherence to denominational creeds. Many so called Christians are entangling themselves in the political affairs of this life and yoking themselves up to political parties and politicians, thereby showing that their citizenship is on the earth and not in heaven. Also, their attendance and membership at denominational churches show that they still are in bondage to the religious systems of this earth.

Having your citizenship in heaven also means coming out of the Babylonian church system, which is all of Christendom:

Revelation 18:4

"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come forth, my people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues"

Clearly, the Kingdom of the Messiah is a heavenly one headquartered in New Jerusalem and we are commanded to have our mind set on this Kingdom not on the Kingdoms of this earth and their useless religious systems, many of which are Christian. 

Ephesians 1:3

"Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jehoshua Messiah, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Messiah"

The spiritual blessings that we have in the Messiah are the exact ones that he received upon his ascension into heaven (Acts 13). These are the sure blessings of David, which is the Davidic Kingship and Melchizedek priesthood (Psalm 110:1). This language about having the spiritual blessings of David with Jehoshua in the heavenly places shows that our reign as kings and priests is a present reality and that it is heavenly and not earthly in the sense of reigning over others in a political-military fashion. 

Ephesians 2:5-6

5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Messiah (by grace have ye been saved), 6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly [places], in Messiah Jehoshua:

When we are begotten from above by the Spirit of Jehovah, we are made alive and raised up spiritually to sit with Jehoshua in the holy of holies (heavenly places). This shows that even though we are physically on earth, spiritually we are in heaven reigning as Kings, Queens and Priests as that is the function of the Messiah in the heavenly places .

Hebrews 13:13-14

13 Let us therefore go forth unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.14For we have not here an abiding city, but we seek after [the city] which is to come.

The author of Hebrews was talking about earthly Jerusalem and it's temple religion. He is basically telling his Israelite brethren to leave them both behind in terms of where they view their citizenship and where the worship. He tells them that their city is the one to come, which is New Jerusalem (Revelation 3:12) as they have no abiding city here. This in it's immediate context is about earthly Jerusalem, the temple and the old covenant but it also could be appied to any city, country or religious system in our present day. In other words, we are citizens of heaven and no business getting involved in the political or religious affairs of earth. 

Hebrews 11:9-10

9 By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a [land] not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:10 for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Ultimately, Abraham was not looking for the earthly Canaan as the fulfillment of the land grant Jehovah bestowed on him but he was looking for the city which Jehovah built. We know this to be New Jerusalem which is called prophetically "Jehovah Shamma", meaning Jehovah is there - Ezekiel 48:35:

"It shall be eighteen thousand [reeds] round about: and the name of the city from that day shall be, Jehovah is there"

Hebrews 11:13

"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth"

These refers to the patriarchs and matriarchs of the faith and that they considered themselves pilgrims and strangers on this earth. By proclaiming themselves as such they declared that they were waiting for a better country, which is a heavenly one:

"For they that say such things make it manifest that they are seeking after a country of their own" (Hebrews 11:14).

Those that entangle themselves in the affairs of this life and make this earth their home say the exact opposite, which is that they are not seeking the eternal heavenly country. The above is a citizenship statement and that those that faith in Jehovah God count themselves as strangers and pilgrims on this earth. If we are strangers on this earth then what business do we have associating with political parties and candidates?

Hebrews 11:15-16

15 And if indeed they had been mindful of that [country] from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return.16 But now they desire a better [country], that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city.

Our mindset concerning politics and our earthly homeland should be that of Abraham and Sarah who did not look back but pressed forward to the celestial city of Jehovah God, New Jerusalem. Those who have the same mentality as Abraham and Sarah in not looking back to their earthly homeland and desiring a heavenly country are pleasing to God. The opposite is true in that those who count their citizenship as here on earth andnhave loyalty to earthly governments and monarchs are not well pleasing to God and he is ashamed of them.

The city that Jehovah God has prepared for Israel is not the earthly Jerusalem that Paul and others say is done away with and means nothing but rather it's the New Jerusalem that is in heaven currently (Revelation 3:12; Revelation 21).