Your conduct will match your citizenship. This is one way to restate Paul’s main point contrasting the lives of those who are earthly-minded, and those who are citizens of heaven.            

Citizens of heaven know their end is not destruction, but salvation! In Christ alone, there is life and freedom from the power of sin. Instead of belonging to a kingdom whose god is self, the citizens of heaven worship a living Savior who did not seek to fill his belly, but offered his body as living bread. He did not come to be served, or serve himself, but to serve others. He did not come to condemn others, but show mercy. Finally, citizens of heaven glory in the cross of Christ. To the earthly-minded, the cross looks like foolishness and defeat. However, only through the cross, sinners from every background imaginable (rich and poor, strong and weak, black and white, young and old) come together with one voice worship the risen Lord.

Paul closes his appeal by pointing to the day that citizens of heaven eagerly await Jesus’ return, when he will transform the believer’s “lowly” body (which is susceptible to pain, brokenness, disease and death) into the likeness of his glorious resurrected body. Citizens of heaven are to look beyond earthly matters to the things eternal, things that matter to God—forgiveness, mercy, humility, unity, giving, faithfulness, and love. Your conduct will match your citizenship.

Take home Question

Where in your life have you become so earthly-minded that you either: a) Don’t believe God cares about your conduct, or b) your conduct does not align with your beliefs about the Good News of Jesus Christ? How would looking to Jesus’ example, or putting his words into practice change your perspective?