Citizenship in Heaven

Sometimes, the Christian sees worldly people prevail. These are people who never submit to the commandments of God, but fare well materially. They have nice houses and nice cars. They seem to have it all, but they are not always honest with others. They do not consider all they have been blessed with, and they certainly don’t give God credit.  It seems that, at times, these people advance in life unscathed. How does this happen? Jesus said of the Father in heaven, “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt. 5:45). In other words, good things happen to bad people and unfortunately, bad things happen to good people. By design, there are some blessings of God that all benefit from, whether one is a good person or not so good.

The Christian must be careful not to live his life in pursuit of worldliness. A worldly life is contradictory to a Godly life. “Do not love the world or things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (I John 2:15). God does not play second fiddle to anyone or anything. The sooner a person realizes this, the better off they will be. The term “rat race” is a metaphor for a lifestyle focused on material gain. A man by the name of Bansky said, “You can win the rat race, but you’re still a rat.”

The first focus should be on living a life that is pleasing to God. Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37). This is the greatest commandment and should be our greatest focus. To love God is to submit to His authority. It is to put God first in our lives, even if this means losing friends and loved ones.

Secondly, “we should love our neighbor as ourselves” (Matt. 22:39). A sincere love for our fellow man is a must. The good Samaritan’s love and compassion towards the man who was beaten and robbed is a timeless example (Luke 10:25-37). “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those of the household of faith” (Gal. 6:10).

Lastly, we should remember our time on earth is short. “Man is like a breath, his days are like a passing shadow” (Psalm 144:4). We are like pilgrims in a foreign land, traveling through this life headed to our eternal home. A permanent home, where we can rest from our labor, where there is no pain, sickness, or sorrow. The Christian longs to be with the Lord and all the faithful in Christ who have passed from this life. Let us strive to live this earthly life, preparing for our heavenly home.

Brad Burkett

West End church of Christ • November 30, 2025