Ambassadors, Not Citizens

Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 3:20

Diplomats are protected from prosecution and harm while representing their country in another nation. Even a nation’s embassy is considered the sovereign territory of the visiting nation. In other words, diplomats are subject to the laws of their own nation, not the laws of the nation to which they have been appointed.

Likewise, Christians should think of themselves as diplomats, or “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20) during their stay in this world. While we are subject to the civil laws of the governments under which we live (Romans 13:1-7), we operate under the spiritual laws of our home nation: the Kingdom of Heaven. We live under Christ’s law of love (John 13:34) and the “law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:2). The “fruit of the Spirit” marks our behavior, and “against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). If you feel constrained to obey the laws of this world, you need to be set free from “the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2).

We are ambassadors to, not citizens of, this world—and should live accordingly.

Christians are not citizens of earth trying to get to heaven, but citizens of heaven making their way through this world.

VANCE HAVNER