How Did This Happen?

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

Philippians 3:20 

If we are citizens of heaven, how did it happen? Paul lays it out for us in other places. In Ephesians he writes, ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will….’ In Romans, he delineates it when he writes, ‘For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.  Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.’ Thus, our citizenship in heaven has happened because of what God had done. The effective means He has used has been the Person and work of Christ. It was Christ who took unto Himself a true body and a reasonable soul. It is Christ Who has lived perfectly to satisfy all the demands of the law of God in precept. He died sacrificially to satisfy all the demands of the law in penalty. By His death, He purchased our redemption. What Christ purchased, the Holy Spirit applies to all for whom it is intended. Thus we have become citizens of heaven because of the work of God. We have received regeneration, repentance, faith, and the effectual calling unto Christ. The adoption we have received has made us members of the family of God which means we are also citizens of heaven. God is both our Father and our King. His home is our home. His city is our city. His kingdom is our kingdom. 

High King of Heaven, 
we rejoice that You have made us Your citizens. 
We praise You that You are preparing us  
for our eternal home. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning