“As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

Philippians 1:27

Years ago, when Teresa and I were both serving on staff at First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas, the church conducted a seminar entitled “Making Your Mark”. We were challenged to live our lives in such a way that we would leave an indelible mark behind once we pass from this physical existence. The challenge was simple, yet powerful: live life as a sincere believer in Jesus Christ, totally committed to glorifying Him through absolute abandonment to His will. As I read the verse quoted above, I am reminded of that challenge.

I suppose everyone would want to live a life that counts for something. There are many worthwhile goals from which one could choose. Someone might choose to invest their life in the field of medical research, with the desire to find a cure for cancer. Someone else might choose the life of an educator, with the desire to instill in young minds qualities and virtues which would help them grow into mature adults who can give back to society. Still others might set their life goal on attaining monetary wealth with the desire to use that wealth for the benefit of others through charitable giving.

These are just a few examples of making one’s mark, and living one’s life in such a way as to influence others for good. But, each of these, as worthwhile as they are, fall short of the challenge offered by Paul in our focal verse: “As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Think with me about the challenge offered here.

First of all, let’s focus on the words “as citizens of heaven.” This is an extremely interesting statement. I can say that I am a citizen of the city of Pigeon Forge. I can also say I am a citizen of the state of Tennessee. Still yet, I am a citizen of the United States of America. As a citizen of this city, state, and nation, I am obligated to live according to the laws of each. I should live my life as a good citizen, living up to the standards of good citizenship as established by each entity. I should strive to be a good representative of each.

However, as a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, I have a far greater obligation and responsibility: to live as a good citizen of heaven. As a citizen of heaven, I am to understand that I am a representative, first and foremost, of that reality. And how do I live as a good representative of that citizenship? By living a life worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As I stated earlier: I should live in total commitment, and with absolute abandonment, to the will of God.

I don’t think it has ever been easy to live life in total commitment to His will as revealed in His Word. There are so many teachings in the Bible which are in total contradiction to the beliefs and practices of our modern American cultural scene. For example, the Bible speaks clearly on the subject of the sanctity of human life, and yet our modern culture has embraced, to a large degree, a culture of death. Abortion on demand has become a common practice in our land, even up to the moment of birth. Euthanasia is becoming more widely accepted as a sympathetic means of ending a loved one’s suffering. Alternative lifestyles are the modern day norm, even to the point that individuals are given the liberty to identify as a male or female regardless of their biological reality. Human sexuality is determined by God, the Bible making it clear by the simple declaration that God created male and female, with a clear distinction between the two.

Still further, the world would have us believe there are many roads that lead to heaven. We would be taught to believe that all religions of the world are of equal validity, and it doesn’t matter which religion, or which “god” you choose to believe in, as long as you believe with sincerity. But the gospel of Jesus Christ is one of exclusivity. Jesus Himself proclaimed that He is “the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through [Him].”

As citizens of heaven, we are to live our lives worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are to stand for truth in the face of falsehood. We are to stand for truth, even in the face of opposition. We are to stand for truth, even in the face of adversity. We are to stand for truth, and, as Paul says in Ephesians 6, having done all, to stand. It may at times seem as if we are on the losing side, but as citizens of heaven, we are always on the side of victory. We may suffer at the hands of non-citizens of heaven for being citizens of heaven, but let’s remember: we are on the winning side. There will come the day of absolute vindication when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ. It will be there that we will receive the reward of living a life worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Until then, let’s continue to keep our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. In the end, we will not be disappointed with the choice to live our lives for Him.