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By Persh Dela Serna

"All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."

Hebrews 11:13-16

"I’m going home for Christmas." To many who are living and working in a foreign land, hearing that statement alone easily evokes fuzzy feelings of warmth and joy, the longing to reunite with family and friends, and the sheer expectation of simply being welcomed home. Forget about the familiar sights, sounds or tastes that one would get to savor again; the mere thought of going home is more than enough to bring joy to one’s heart. Indeed, no matter where it may be, home will always be home.

Yet as Christians, we have even more reason to rejoice knowing that we too will be welcomed home someday – to the real home we are all headed for — Heaven — a place where we will dwell permanently with our Most High God, where sickness, sorrow and sin can never enter. We can live presently here on earth with the assurance of Philippians 3:20 reminding us that "our citizenship is in Heaven."

As citizens of Heaven, the benefits are already ours! We are saved from eternal death, all our sins are forgiven and we are declared holy. Our names have been written in the Book of Life, we are co-heirs with Christ, we have victory over sin and death and the righteousness of Christ has been accorded to us. The Holy Spirit now lives in us as a deposit of better things to come, and we have the promise of the resurrection. When we soak these all in, how can we not declare what a gracious and loving God we have to bestow on us undeserving souls all these unmerited gifts?

However, knowing all this, the victorious life we are meant to live while here on earth still seems so distant for many of us. We still find depression, defeat or despair often overtaking us. We find ourselves willingly giving in to the lures of this world, even though we already know we are supposed to be dead to them.

For us living in Singapore, the lure of materialism strongly beckons to us, constantly feeding the urge to buy the newest gadget, splurge impulsively at the latest sale or live a particular lifestyle. Another major lure is kiasu-ism (being afraid to lose) – of grappling our way to and staying at the top of whatever professional, social, financial, or educational ladder one is on.

Yet this need not be the way we should live. In contrast, we can be encouraged by those we find in the ranks of the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11 — Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and many others. Though their lives were marked with as many temptations, bumps and trials as we experience now, they purposefully lived their lives here on earth as pilgrims and sojourners, as aliens and strangers, realizing that this was really not their permanent abode, and neither is it ours. Taking an even closer look at their lives, we’ll notice that they all began living victoriously after they experienced an encounter with God that translated into a change of mindset.

Therefore, let us take a cue from them and re-calibrate our minds so we can begin truly living our lives on earth as citizens of Heaven. All throughout Scripture, we have reminder upon reminder of the importance of keeping our minds focused on God alone. We are commanded to:
"meditate on God’s Word day and night"
"love the Lord your God with all your heart… soul… mind… strength"
"the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace"
"put off your old self… be made new in the attitude of your minds"
"set your minds on things above, not on earthly things"

Paul also has a very strong message in Romans 12:2, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Indeed, the battle begins in the mind. If we are not transformed by the Word, then we will either be conformed to the world. We must first declare our allegiance to God in our minds then take captive every thought and surrender it completely to our Lord Jesus Christ. To do this it is imperative for us to:

  • Soak daily in the Word of God, reminding ourselves not to set our thoughts on earthly pursuits but rather on heavenly things. There is simply no other way, for if we do not fill our minds with God, then it will naturally fill itself with earthly desires.

  • Constantly remind ourselves that the things and circumstances around us are only temporal. Doing so will help us be content with where we’re currently at in life and help us instead focus on building our eternal legacy. Forgetting to do so will see us conforming again to the ways of the world.

  • Proactively surrender our minds and hearts to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Obeying God and taking Him at His Word will help counteract the desires and attractions the world hurls our way. It will help us live up to what we have already attained.

Indeed, truly living as citizens of Heaven is in essence living as a Christian really should. It is living lives worthy of our calling. May our lives mirror what we really are — children of God and citizens of Heaven.

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