Citizens of heaven

https://odb.org/2026/04/15/agents-of-a-higher-king

Philippians 3:4–11 (NIV): 4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence.
If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Anna and her husband lived in Argentina with their two children. They kept to themselves and spoke only fluent Spanish. But they weren’t Argentines. They were sleeper agents, spies who’d been born in another country. They’d mastered blending into their host culture, down to how to hold their forks. But a change in their civil registry aroused suspicion, and eventually the couple was caught. As the family was being flown to their true homeland, Anna looked at her eleven-year-old daughter. How would she break the news that they weren’t who her daughter thought?

Believers in Jesus have a citizenship even more vital. We’re agents of a higher king, for “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). The citizens of Philippi were proud of their Roman citizenship; they loyally served Rome as they lived in Philippi. Paul said their loyalty stretched even further. Their highest allegiance was to Jesus, who ruled Rome and Philippi from heaven. (Mike Wittmer, Our Daily Bread 15th April 2026)

We’re citizens of heaven through the blood of Jesus shed on Calvary. He hung on the tree for our sake and through His resurrection, we have victory over sin and death. The Kingdom of God is the ground that we stand on, where we live and work. We are the Kingdom of God as born-again believers of the Great I Am, the Almighty God Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Yet we are also citizens of the country we are born into, not by our own choice, but by birth. If our parents are not Malaysians, we will then follow the citizenship of our parents. Different countries have different citizenship laws but in Malaysia, we follow principally the citizenship of our father. If our father is not Malaysian although our mother is, we do not automatically become Malaysian even though we are born in this country. Steps are however being taken to rectify this situation.

What if our country of citizenship persecutes us because of our faith? Do we remain loyal to our country? The answer is a resounding yes! We are still citizens of this country in the natural as much as we are citizens of heaven in spiritually. We still live here and earn our living here. We still raise our family here on earth in this country. Unless we are called to emigrate to another country, this is where we were born, raised and will die and be buried. My parents were born and died here. If we are not loyal to our country of citizenship, which country will we be loyal to? There is none whatsoever. We only draw the line if we are called to deny Christ and for that, we are not afraid to die if we have to as Christ conquered death for us. That’s when our citizenship in heaven comes into play. When we depart this world, we have a place in our Father’s heavenly mansion. Jesus had gone ahead to prepare a place for us. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

It is highly unlikely anyone will make us a spy for their country. If it is for gratification, we must vehemently decline. Why? Because it amounts to a betrayal of our country. We must always remain loyal,  come what may despite the circumstances, the unfairness. The latter is not a justifiable excuse to be disloyal and neither is money. We are citizens of heaven, yet Malaysians by birth!