By Rev. Ron Purkey
Guest Columnist

Read: Phillippians 3:17-21

By Rev. Ron Purkey

“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20)

If you were moving to a new home, you would want to know all about the community to which you are going. And since we will spend eternity some place, we ought to know something about it. The information concerning heaven is found in the Bible. When we talk about heaven, earth grows dilapidated by comparison. Our problems and sorrows here seem so much less, when we have a clear anticipation of the future.

Nothing will keep our minds spiritual more than looking for the coming of Christ; but “watch out for the worldly crowd,” Paul warns his readers. He expresses here great sorrow in a letter filled otherwise with joy. Paul is weeping over the professed Christians whose lives were bearing the fruit of worldly-mindedness. He describes them: (1) they mind earthly things, which means they think only of this world and what it has to offer; (2) they live for the flesh, for their god is their stomach; and (3) their end is destruction. These people are the enemies of the cross of Christ. The cross defeated the world and the flesh; the cross speaks of sacrifice and suffering, yet these people live for the world and seek only to please themselves. What an awful thing, to be an enemy of the cross, yet a professed Christian.

Our citizenship (“conversation”) is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). When people become members of God’s family, their names are written down in heaven (Luke 10:20). They become citizens of heaven. This means they live for the glory of heaven and not for the praise of this earth. Citizens should honor their own countries, and surely the Christian will honor heaven. The people in Philippi were not governed by Macedonian laws, but by Roman laws; likewise, the church lives by heaven’s laws. Philippi was a colony of Rome in Macedonia, and Christians make up a colony of heaven on earth. Many times, the laws of heaven conflict with the laws of earth, but our responsibility is to obey God, not men.

What a blessed future the citizen of heaven has. Paul proclaims, “We shall be like him.” Our humble body will be changed to be like his glorious body. Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 to see what a happy event the return of Christ will be for the saint. Of course, this will be a day of resurrection and reunion, but it will also be a day of reckoning and reward. May we be found faithful to him and not ashamed at his coming (1 John 2:28-3:3).

A Christian has peace of conscience, peace of soul, and peace with God. In the midst of troubles and difficulties he has a spring in his step, a joy in his soul, a smile on his face and a home in heaven for all eternity.

Read Ron Purkey’s free Bible study outlines atrcpbibleoutlines.com. Purkey has been an ordained Baptist minister for 50 years.