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Dual Citizenship
By William C. Summers
It is a puzzle to some how a person can be totally committed to God and His Kingdom, and still pay allegiance to the political government. We all know what a political government is and how we have to conduct ourselves as law-abiding citizens. However, some do not understand how to live in the world without being a part of the world.
The Kingdom of God consists of all persons everywhere who have made a commitment to serve and follow God. Those who have God’s Spirit are part of the Kingdom of God because they have the essence of that Kingdom, God’s Holy Spirit, dwelling within them. Today’s Christian is like Jesus Christ because they are to represent His Kingdom and bring glory to His name through their actions.
Before the crucifixion of Jesus, believers were forgiven by their faith and obedience, expressed in keeping God’s commandments, offering sacrifices, and so on. In the New Testament era, a person is forgiven by repentance and faith in the LORD Jesus Christ. This forgiveness is called being saved, a change of life, regeneration, etc. Jesus said, “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit” (John 3:6).
We must remember the cross of Jesus was erected in the midst of time. The cleansing power of the LORD Jesus Christ radiated all the way back to Adam and Eve, and forward into the future until it reaches the heart of the very last person to confess and believe in the LORD Jesus. By means of the blood shed on the cross, all the Jews and non-Jews who believed God and lived a life pleasing to Him were saved. Is there anyone who does not believe that Abraham, Noah, Elijah, and a host of other patriarchs, too numerous to name, will be saved? All these people, living or dead, from every millennium, plus all who since the crucifixion believed in and confessed their sins to Christ, will have a part in the Kingdom of God. Now you can see how vast and numberless the Kingdom will be when Christ returns to earth.
Jesus died for the entire world. This does not mean everyone is saved automatically.
It’s like a bus company offering free rides to anyone who wishes. However, only those who board the bus are able to ride to their destination. So God is offering salvation to everyone, but only those who accept are able to “ride” and ultimately be a member of the Family of God. In the life of the Christian, the Spiritual Kingdom is paramount. If at any time the laws of the land conflict with the Christian’s obedience to God, he will put God first.
The kingdom of this world is ruled by Satan. Not that he is ruler like God, but all the evil in the world can be attributed to him in one way or another. He began by tempting Eve in the Garden of Eden. She believed his lies and both she and Adam ate of the forbidden fruit. The Devil is always looking for people he can exploit. He finds a weak spot in a person’s armor, and pecks away at it until the person is made to think it’s all right to do that which is contrary to the precepts of God’s Kingdom.
The kingdom of the world is made up of all those who are opposed to God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Christians can withdraw from the world, or they can mingle with the world. Jesus chose to mingle in order to minister. He was criticized for keeping company with sinners. Why would He not? He came to a world of sinners that He might “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). One does not have to become like the needy to help them. In fact the opposite is true. Scripture says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this; to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). To live in the world, without being like the world, is the clear directive of Scripture for all Christians. We show the difference between the world and us by the way we live.
“Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap Him in His words” (Matthew 22:15).
But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought Him a denarius, and He asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And who’s inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied.
Then He said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
Jesus was well aware that the Christian lives in two kingdoms. One is spiritual and one is physical. We must be faithful to both.
Christians need to play an active role in their community in order to exert as much influence as possible in all areas of life. In politics, develop a positive relationship with the mayor, and all other elected officials. When campaigning time comes, do the research, find out as much as you can about every candidate, and particularly where he or she stands on the issues important to you. Impart this information to as many people as you can, so all can make an intelligent decision on Election Day.
You are not likely to find a candidate for any office who meets all your expectations. Make a list of the candidates. List all their good points on the left side of your paper, and bad points on the right. Compare the good side with the bad. Do this for each candidate. Now you are able to decide which candidate is closest to the standards, and issues, which you want him to support.
Once you have made your decision, follow through by voting. Make your positive Christian influence discernible to all. When you do not vote, you are throwing your vote away. You are making it easier for the least desirable candidate to be elected. You are not letting your light shine, but hiding it.
Sometimes you have an option to vote for a third party candidate. Before you choose this route, do your homework. Consider the probabilities. If there were no expectation of victory for this candidate, to vote for him/her would be equivalent to not voting at all.
When you vote for a person with no chance to be elected, you are depriving the better candidate of one vote. Elections have been won or lost by one vote. Get out there and vote for the better of two viable candidates. Don’t let the Devil have the day.
If you are a Christian, you have dual citizenship. You are a citizen of your country; therefore, you will obey its laws, and try to influence others for good by letting your light shine. You are also a citizen of the Kingdom of God. He is our King. We live for Him. We honor Him. We obey Him. His is an invisible Kingdom, no less real than the physical Kingdom. The manifestations of this Kingdom are seen by our eyes and ears, and felt in our hearts. In carrying out the demands of the gospel we have an unequaled source of strength. “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).
In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus instructed the apostles to pray: “Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Never “say” this prayer, but by all means “pray” this prayer. Then live so the Kingdom may be seen in the way you live and bring glory to God. i
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