Heavenly Citizenship Doesn’t Mean Cultural Withdrawal

 How should we react when our nation fills with racial and religious violence, when our current political leaders upset us with unwise or immoral policies, or when potential future leaders disturb us with their distorted views of what our country needs? In moments of frustration, a Christian might think: “Well, since this culture is hopeless and since my citizenship is in heaven anyway, I’m going to withdrawal my attention, energy, and time from the people of this world and retreat into my church family.” It is true that the apostle Paul refers to Christians as heavenly citizens (Philippians 3.20). That scripture, however, is not about hunkering down and ignoring our world; instead, it highlights our role as heavenly colonizers, bringing the culture of heaven to earth just as Roman citizens brought the culture of Rome to far off places.

Even in the Old Testament, God desired his people to never forget their purpose, regardless of where they were living. In Jeremiah 29, the prophet Jeremiah wrote a letter to the newly exiled Jews living in Babylon, telling them of God’s command to invest themselves in their new Babylonian life – to build houses, plant gardens, marry spouses, and have children. Rather than withdrawal from their earthly culture, they were actually commanded to “seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” (Jeremiah 29:7). In other words, the Jewish people must work toward goodness and peace in the land of their captors, because their lives were now wrapped up in its future. After Jeremiah wrote this letter, King Nebuchadnezzar’s army would destroy the Lord’s holy temple, slaughter the Jewish leadership, exile most of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and mercilessly taunt the captives they took back to Babylon (Psalm 137.3). During their seventy year exile, the Jews would live in a bloodthirsty, idolatrous, pride-drenched culture. However, while waiting for God to bring them home, the Jewish people were commanded to actively “seek the welfare of the city” – which implied serving, helping, and shining God’s light to Babylon.

So, as “sojourners and exiles” (1 Peter 2.11) away from our eternal home, are we deliberately seeking the welfare of our earthly country by praying for it and evangelizing in it? Similarly to Jeremiah 29, 1 Timothy 2.1-4 instructs Christians to pray for leaders of government so that we can live a quiet life and fulfill God’s desire to save all people. Yes, this world is not our home. Yes, we are citizens of heaven, first and foremost; but God has placed us in New England to be salt and light. If we are zealous about honoring Him, we will be zealous about seeking the welfare of the community into which He has put us.

Nathan