Our True Citizenship

Our True Citizenship

The second-century document known as the Epistle to Diognetus describes Christians in their relationship to earthly nations: 'They live in their own countries, but only as sojourners. As citizens they share in all things with others, yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is their fatherland, and every land of their birth is a foreign land.' This description captures a profound dual identity: genuine, responsible earthly citizenship combined with a primary belonging to a heavenly polis. The Christian is neither a culture warrior trying to Christianize the nation nor a quietist who withdraws from public life. They are a resident alien — fully present, primarily belonging elsewhere.

Paul writes Philippians from prison in Rome — the empire that claimed universal authority. His counter-claim is radical: our citizenship is not primarily here. The word politeuma (citizenship, commonwealth) referred to a colony of people living in a foreign land under the laws and culture of their home country. Paul is claiming that believers are a colony of heaven living in foreign territory. This means national flags are not our primary allegiance, political parties are not our primary identity, and national pride is not our primary loyalty. We belong somewhere else. This should make us the most generous, most honest, most compassionate citizens on earth — because we have nothing to defend, nothing to preserve by power, no earthly kingdom to protect.