Monday: Citizens of the Kingdom
In many nations, those who move there from other countries have to surrender all allegiances to their land of birth if they want citizenship in their new country. However, some countries allow a person to hold dual citizenship; that is, they can pledge allegiance to both places.
Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com
There’s no such thing as dual citizenship, however, in the great controversy. We are on one side or the other. The kingdom of evil has been battling the kingdom of righteousness for millennia, and it is impossible for a person to be faithful to both at the same time. We all have to make a choice about whose kingdom will have our allegiance.
Read 1 Peter 2:11, Hebrews 11:13, Ephesians 2:12, Colossians 1:13, Deuteronomy 30:19, and Matthew 6:24. What do these texts tell us about the impossibility of dual citizenship in the great controversy between Christ and Satan? What role does keeping the law have in helping to show where our citizenship truly resides? See Rev. 14:12.
Once people make a decision to follow Christ, they have chosen to turn their back on the devil’s kingdom. He or she is now part of another commonwealth, that of the Lord Jesus Christ, and as a result the person now obeys His rules, His law, His commandments, not those of the devil. The person’s obedience, however, isn’t universally appreciated, certainly not by the devil, who is anxious to get these people back, and often not by other people as well, who tend to distrust the strangers and pilgrims among them. Despite these obstacles, God has a people whose first allegiance is to Him, not to the ruler of this world (John 12:31, NKJV).
So often foreigners in a country stand out because they are different. How should we, as Seventh-day Adventists, as strangers and pilgrims here, stand out, as well? Or do we?
(17)
I really love this passage from Patriarchs and Prophets book of Ellen G. White page 209. "It is little things that test the character. It is the unpretending acts of daily self-denial, perform with a cheerful, willing heart, that God smiles upon. We are not to live for self, but for others. And it is only by self-forgetfulness, by cherishing a loving, helpful spirit, that we can make our life a blessing. The little attentions, the small, simple courtesies, go far to make up the sum of life's happiness, and the neglect of these constitutes no small share of human wretchedness."
The words written in bold will remind us how can we stand out as a Seventh Day Adventist Christian here on earth.. Because GOD weights the heart. God bless everyone 🙂
If anyone tries to look into a bottle with the two eyes, it is the nose that will see. So it is in the great controversy. He who want to belong to both side will end up joining where he/she does like.
Praise God, we have a God who is always so interested in us, that He wants us to be citizens of His home in heaven. No, visa, or passport, only the words of God stored in our hearts, and obedience to Him all the way.
We need to stand out by our character, which is shown outwardly. SDAs do stand out in many ways, but when applied to an individual SDA, there may be different levels of standing out, depending on their spiritual maturity, amount of faith, and understanding of God and His law.
We need to stand out as those who keep the Ten Commandments he gave Moses--all Ten of them, including the one which forbids the killing of innocent human beings, regardless of their size, race, location, or stage of development.
We should "stand out" as Jesus did. He is our example. Let love, mercy, forgiveness, inclusivity, humbleness define our citizenship to heaven.
Jesus draws people to Himself through those who have His character.
Dear ssnet family,
I would like to share this morning devotional with you. The devotional this year was written by George Knight.
"Peter's experience can teach us yet other lessons. One is that we as Christians are a mixed bag. In one moment I can have a divine insight, then in the next I can be a tool of the devil. At our best we are fallible creatures partly controlled by knowledge and partly by ignorance. All of us have one foot in the kingdom. We have been saved in the sense that we have accepted Jesus, but the plain fact is that He has a lot more to do in us.
Another lesson is that we need to be careful not to cast off people because of their stupidity and errors. Jesus, in the days and weeks to come, would demonstrate almost infinite patience in working with His erring disciples. One writer has pointed out that "only a massive stupidity could keep them from understanding", but they managed to do exactly that until the Resurrection. Jesus, however, did not abandon them as a lost cause. Our Savior had begun to teach them about the meaning of being the Christ. Just as He didn't give up on them, so He hasn't given up on me. And I shouldn't give up on you."
The scripture under discussion is Mark 8:31-33.
Eileen,You are right. When Peter declared Jesus to be the Messiah, the Lord commended him for this, but when he told him that he should avoid the cross, Jesus said to him: "Get thee behind me, Satan." This confirms what you said about how unpredictable our behavior is.
There will b alwayz challenges in this journey,bt only those that live by faith they wil b saved. The righteousness of Christ surpasses all.
When one chooses dual citizenship,,most of the time they don't choose because they want to be patriotic to both nations,,,it is because of an interest of convenience that only him knows,,and for whatever the reason maybe it is always like an alternative,,apparently all thase kingdoms or nations are never eternal,and they don't reach all our needs intact at times it becomes a burden,,they go to war anytime,economic crises and moral decadence and many more,,,
God's kingdom serves no interests of convenience,we chose His citizenship,,not for safety,power or sovereinty but for love that habours no grudge that drives eternal peace that cannot be a preserve of any other nation established by human hands,,as in the dream of Nebuchadnezzar Daniel 2:34,45 God's requirements demand true allegiance,,patriotism and citizenship to one kingdom.His kingdom
When Hebrew boys found themselves in Babylonian citizens by slavery.They had to adapt to the conditions and acustom themselves to live by them,,they had to choose between what the babylonian law required of them and what God's law required of them,they had to stay principled as from Jerusalem to Babylonian citizens hence were vindicated as citizens of babylon and richly rewarded as kings in the provinces there off,,because in every of their principles of living they uplifted the name of The Lord.Daniel 2:48,49
If we must claim heavenly citizenship,,we must be prepared to principle ourselves up to the statutes of This kingdom and far more realize and own up the cost that comes with that allegiance and our price is sure...amen
our strangness is determined by our characters, the way we build, the way we dress, eat. we have no abiding city here.
I am reminded of the words of Ruth who chose Israel and Israel's God,and the family and companionship of Naomi. Ruth had no desire for dual citizenship. She was totally commited and steadfast. Shehad decided that there was nothing for her in her old country.
Ruth1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
This must be our attitude toward our Savior and our Savior's kingdom. Never to return to our homeland; follow Him always; abide where He abides; His people will be our people; His Father our Father; we are to die in Him, be buried with HIm, and walk with Him forever. No turning back.