NOT OF THIS WORLD: Living on Earth as a Citizen of Heaven

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IF YOU ARE A TRUE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, YOU DO NOT BELONG TO THIS WORLD, BUT YOU ARE A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN (John 17:14-16; Philippians 3:20) BECAUSE YOU ARE A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN, YOU ENJOY MANY BENEFITS EVEN WHILE ON EARTH
  1. You have a home in heaven (John 14:1-3)
  2. You have treasures in heaven (1 Peter 1:3-4)
  3. You have rewards waiting for you in heaven (Matthew 5:10-12)
  4. You have protection from heaven (1 Peter 1:5; 
2 Kings 6:14-17)
  1. You have provision from heaven for your earthly needs (Matthew 6:31-33)
  2. You have assurance of heaven’s victory over hells’ forces working on earth (Revelation 11:15-18)
YOU ALSO HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES ON EARTH BECAUSE YOU ARE A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN
  1. You are called to represent your King well on the earth (2 Corinthians 5:20)
  2. You are called to live out your culture so others may see it and be drawn to the King you serve (Matthew 5:16)
  3. You are called to live properly so as not to bring shame to the King you represent (Romans 13:11-13; Romans 2:21-24)
  4. You are called to spread the culture of your heavenly country to the local (earthly) people you are living with (Acts 28:30-31; Acts 1:3; John 20:21)
  5. You are called to go out and make other places like heaven where you belong (Matthew 6:9-10; Matthew 28:18-20)
IMPLICATIONS OF BEING NOT OF THIS WORLD BECAUSE YOU ARE A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN
  1. It is normal that you are not too delighted with the good things of earth (Philippians 3:4-7)
  2. It is normal that you are not too shaken with the bad developments of earth (Philippians 1:12-13, 19)
  3. You see promotion and demotion as ultimately coming from the King of heaven and not from earthly rulers or powers (Daniel 4:36-37; Psalm 75:6-7) 
  4. You see authority for earthly events to take place as ultimately belonging to the King of heaven and not to human leaders (John 19:11) 
  5. You fight ultimately only for things that affect your heavenly citizenship and heavenly causes on earth (John 18:36)
  6. You see your salvation from suffering and evil as coming from the King of kings and not from earthly rulers and their programs (Philippians 3:20-21)
  7. You endure the in-between season (now and the time when the kingdom of heaven takes over the whole earth) with grace and faithfulness to the heavenly King
(2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
  1. You focus your mind and invest your life and resources on heavenly things (Colossians 3:1-4; Matthew 6:19-21