Loyal Citizens

As the church of Jesus, we must walk in unity through embracing the attitude of Jesus, humbling ourselves by putting the needs of others before our own. As a result, we will live as lights in the midst of a lost and hurting world. As children of God, we are not merely citizens of the USA, but more importantly, citizens of Jesus’s kingdom. Therefore, we are to live our lives as a reflection of the kingdom of God upon this earth and to work together side by side for the advancement of the gospel.

Philippians 1:27-2:18, 27 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. 28 Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. 29 For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. 30 We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.

Have the Attitude of Christ

2 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

6 Though he was God,[a] he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.

7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges[b]; he took the humble position of a slave[c]     and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,[d]

8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. 17 But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God,[e] just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. 18 Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.

In this letter, Paul addresses the Philippians and confronts their status as dual citizens—citizens of Rome and citizens of the Kingdom of God. Philippi was known for its Roman patriotism, yet Paul reminds believers in Philippians 3:20, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Paul encourages the believers in Philippi to “only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27). The phrase “let your manner of life be” comes from a single Greek word that means “conduct yourself” and is the Greek political word referring to a citizen of a free state (Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament [Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993], Philippians 1:27).

Therefore, Paul instructs them to “live in the Roman colony of Philippi as worthy citizens of your heavenly homeland” (Gordon D. Fee, Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, New International Commentary on the New Testament [Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995], 162). Even though they are citizens of Rome, they are not to look to Caesar but to Jesus, who alone is Lord. As believers, we are to live as loyal citizens of heaven within our earthly citizenship in such a way that our lives reflect the values and truths of the kingdom of God over the kingdoms of this world—including the kingdom of the United States.

This is a pretty sensitive topic, especially in today’s political climate. I have very different views than many, even in my own family. Donny and I see this vastly different from one another. While many see this as a clear cut, black and white, issue, there are equally as many who do not. The thing is, I am convinced that there is a common ground, we may have to work to find it, we may have to compromise. But for sure we have to see that our first and foremost responsibility is not to any physical, earthly government, but only to our Heavenly Kingdom. That doesn’t mean we break laws or knowingly commit crimes. It means that we value God’s heart and perspective more than anything else. It means we allow our government leaders to do what is earthly necessary but we live by our biblical, godly convictions to take the gospel to ALL people, around the world and right here in our own nation.

Paul wants the believers to stand firm together in one spirit and one mind so that they will be “striving side by side for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27).

Not only are our lives to be a reflection of the kingdom of God upon this earth, but we are also to work together side by side for the advancement of the gospel upon the earth. Unfortunately, the church more often comes side by side to argue theological preferences than to contend together for the gospel.

A few weeks ago, I thought it was Beth Moore who shared on social media (but I can’t find it so, maybe not), that it would be so much easier for God’s people to stand shoulder-to-shoulder if we stopped standing toe-to-toe. I find it very interesting that right now, there is probably more unity among believers than ever before!

The key to unity is each of us walking in humility. We are to “do nothing”—absolutely nothing—“from selfish ambition or conceit” (Philippians 2:3). Rather, we are to live just like Jesus by choosing the same mindset and attitude as Jesus. “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” (Philippians 2:4–5). Whenever we put our self-interest before others and consider ourselves more important than others, then we create disunity and do not stand together for the kingdom upon this earth. The path for every follower of Jesus is the way of humility.

Paul gives a beautiful expression of Christ’s humility in the next few verses. Before becoming human, Jesus preexisted in a state of glory and equality with God. Rather than using his equal status with God to his advantage, Jesus emptied himself of his divine status by becoming human and a servant to all. Jesus’s humility not only allowed him to serve others but to be humiliated as he ultimately laid down his life for every person and died on a Roman cross.

However, despite Jesus’s shameful death, God, in his power, raised Jesus from the grave. Not only was Jesus resurrected, but God also “highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:9). God did this so that all creation will one day recognize and confess that, "Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:11).

With this amazing revelation of truth through the example of Jesus, Paul appeals to the church to walk in obedience to the lordship of Jesus. When Paul tells us to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12), he is not referring to our future salvation depending on the works that we do. We do not work to earn our salvation. Scripture declares, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9). Rather, working out our salvation means that our behaviors, words, and attitudes become an “outworking” of our present and future salvation in Christ.

Paul concludes this section in the same manner as he began. As citizens of heaven, we are to live upon this earth in such a way “that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15). The empires of this world are “crooked and twisted,” yet as representatives of Jesus and his kingdom, we are to live holy (set apart) and as lights to a lost and hurting world.