For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

                                                                                             Philippians 3:20-21 

Main Point: True happiness comes when we know that we are heaven bound!

It’s something we all know and accept, the fact that we will not be here forever. A sure as we are born, all of us will eventually leave this world. Yet in spite of this glaring reality, it seems so many people continue living without the slightest concern for things to come after this life. But for the believer, the one who has placed his/her trust in Jesus for salvation, that reality is not something to be avoided rather embraced. Christians should be operating in this life with the knowledge and assurance that they are indeed heaven bound! I can think of no greater and powerful knowledge that any of us can possess than that of knowing that we are going to heaven.

Doubts and concerns surrounding eternal security are not uncommon in the church. When we add works as criteria for acceptance by God the natural question that flows from that belief is, “Have I done enough?” The answer, of course, is that none of us can do “enough” to be accepted by God. The only entrance into the kingdom of heaven is by the blood of Jesus Christ. That shedding of His blood is sufficient to redeem us from a state of depravity to that of belonging to God and set apart for His kingdom. When we are saved, we become citizens of heaven, even before we actually arrive. As born again believers and followers of Jesus Christ, Christians enjoy all of the benefits of salvation and redemption while they continue living here in the present. That is why Paul says that, as believers, our citizenship is in heaven.

There is no doubt or concern regarding this reality in the life of Paul. We should be the same. As believers, we trust in God for salvation and do not have to wonder whether or not that salvation is a reality. Because we are God-focused and not self-focused, this assurance can begin to take root and grow into a mighty tree of eternal security. This is what gives believers the power to go on living for the glory of God. As Christians, we have experienced the saving power of God in our lives and now possess His power in our lives. This saving knowledge of Christ and the assurance of knowing that our citizenship is in heaven is a major part of the redemptive power we are to experience in this life.

When we are unsure about our eternal destiny, spiritual insecurity and ineffectiveness will begin to surface. But when we know that we are heaven bound, not even death has the ability to quench our excitement and effectiveness. If you are a believer, rejoice today and celebrate the reality that your citizenship is in heaven!