A PRESENT CITIZENSHIP
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. The Priceless Citizenship
Ephesians 2:19
"You are fellow citizens with the saints."
2. A Present Citizenship
a) Although we are presently in this world and not in heaven, we do presently have citizenship there. "Our citizenship is in heaven" affirms Paul (Philippians 3:20). He says "is". He does not say "will be". Paul does not say, "God will raise us up and seat us in heavenly places" although it would of course be true to put it in that way. However Paul chooses to state it as an accomplished work: "God... raised us up with him and seated us with him in heavenly places" (Ephesians 2:4-6). We are not in that state yet, but we certainly have that status. We are already privileged citizens. We are now journeying through a land in which we do not belong. We are journeying to our homeland above, the land where we do belong.
b) In Ephesians 2:7-10, you will note that Paul speaks in three different tenses, future, past, and present. In a way he is saying, "We shall be saved, we have been saved, we are being saved". Each tense, in its own sense, is perfectly true.
i) Future: "In the ages to come" we will see God's rich grace (verse 7).
ii) Past: "We have been saved" (verse 8).
iii) Present: "We are... created in Christ" (verse 10).
The End ...
1. The Priceless CitizenshipEphesians 2:19
"You are fellow citizens with the saints."
2. A Present Citizenship
a) Although we are presently in this world and not in heaven, we do presently have citizenship there. "Our citizenship is in heaven" affirms Paul (Philippians 3:20). He says "is". He does not say "will be". Paul does not say, "God will raise us up and seat us in heavenly places" although it would of course be true to put it in that way. However Paul chooses to state it as an accomplished work: "God... raised us up with him and seated us with him in heavenly places" (Ephesians 2:4-6). We are not in that state yet, but we certainly have that status. We are already privileged citizens. We are now journeying through a land in which we do not belong. We are journeying to our homeland above, the land where we do belong.
b) In Ephesians 2:7-10, you will note that Paul speaks in three different tenses, future, past, and present. In a way he is saying, "We shall be saved, we have been saved, we are being saved". Each tense, in its own sense, is perfectly true.
i) Future: "In the ages to come" we will see God's rich grace (verse 7).
ii) Past: "We have been saved" (verse 8).
iii) Present: "We are... created in Christ" (verse 10).
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