By HUNTER GREENE

This past weekend, my family and I celebrated my mom’s 50th birthday with an ’80s themed surprise birthday party. Most of us, excluding myself, dressed up in some ’80s attire and fixed our hair. I have to say that I stood out like a sore thumb as everyone else around me looked like they were from a different world. Women had their hair puffed up and the guys slicked theirs back. Some of the guys popped their collars. People were wearing all these neon colored shirts, tights, and jackets. Even the ’80s music was very different than what my generation listens to today. If one didn’t know that it was an ’80s party, they would definitely think all these people were from a different planet.
I imagine, that as Christians, we are supposed to look this different to the rest of the world. Not necessarily in the way we dress or our hairstyle, but rather in our actions. The world should look at us and see that we are out of this world. Philippians 3:12-21 says, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) For our conversation (‘citizenship’) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”
Paul lays it out perfectly. We don’t have Heaven yet, but we are still commanded to leave the old things of the world behind and seek after God and His righteousness above all else. Why? Because we are now citizens of Heaven. I think we often forget that our citizenship, as Christians, no longer belongs to any earthly country, state, or county, but it resides in Heaven. We have not been issued a birth certificate from the Heavenly courthouse, but we do have our baptism into Christ Jesus to hold on to. Because we are now in the family of God and active citizens of the kingdom of God, our lives should look very different than they used to.
The first thing that our Heavenly citizenship changes is our behavior. We are now a part of a kingdom of love, peace, joy, self-control, and righteousness. The sin that used to hold us captive can no longer oppress us. The anger that used to control us is now replaced with love. The grudges we used to manipulate others with is now replaced with forgiveness. Our depression is now replaced with a fountain of joy and comfort. As a citizen of the kingdom, we mortify the fleshly way of living and put all our effort into glorifying our king, Jesus Christ.
Our prayer lives should also change. A soldier in our military does not ask his general if he can do whatever he wants in the heat of battle. Instead, a soldier will only ask what he or she can do to better serve their country. As Christians, we should do the same. We oftentimes ask God in prayer for so many material blessings and instant healings but sometimes our commander in chief who is on the throne has other plans. We should ask for His will and His plans to always be done in our life. Because we are Heavenly citizens and about our Father’s business, we should also be all about our Father’s will.
Finally, our hope will change residences. Many in the world put their hope in money, people, and material things that will always let them down. As Christians, we should put our hope in Heaven. Fire can take my possessions, a thief can take my money, and death can take my friends and family, but not even Satan himself can take my Heaven away. We are citizens of Heaven, and although we are not there yet, we should still live for that Heavenly kingdom where Christ will dry every tear and all pain will be gone. Put your hope in Heaven and not on earth, and your heart will not be troubled by temporary things.
You are a child of the God of the universe. You are a citizen of Heaven. I challenge you to start living a lifestyle that is out of this world because your true home is truly out of this world.
(The Solution Column is provided by Pastor Brandon Young of Harmony Free Will Baptist Church, Hampton, and his associate, Hunter Greene.)