WE ARE ON ACTIVE DUTY

We live in an age when many "professing"

Christians do not even know what a true

Christian is.  They "profess" but do not

"possess".

We covered this in an earlier post when I

ask - do you know him, or only about 

him.  That is Jesus Christ.

Bear in mind that the apostle Paul is writing

to the "Christians" here.  Not just God's creatures.

Even a snake is one of God's creatures.

But if we are true believers in Jesus Christ and

have submitted to him making Jesus our Lord,

look at the encouragement below.

First we are citizens of heaven.  This earth is not

our final abode.  We are only passing through.  And

in the passage below Paul in essence is telling us to

live like it.

"Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven,

conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of

the Good News about Christ.  Then, whether

I come and see you again or only hear about

you, I will know that you ae standing together

with one spirit and one purpose, fighting to-

gather for the faith, which is the Good News.

Don't be intimidate in any way by your 

enemies.  This will be a sign to them that they

are going to be destroyed, but that you are go-

ing to be saved, even by God himself.  For you

have been given not only the privilege of trust-

ing in Christ but also the privilege of suffering

for him.  We are in this struggle together.  You

have seen my struggle in the past, and you

know that I am still in the midst of it."  

(Philippians 1:27 - 30 NLT)

Notice that if there is the Spirit of God living

in us we will have to stand up and fight.  After

all, while here on earth we are living behind

the enemies line, i.e. in the Devil's territory.  And

that struggle will often cause us to suffer for Christ.

But notice how the early apostles took their 

suffering for Christ after being imprisoned an

beaten because they stood up for Christ.

"The apostles left the high council rejoicing

that God had counted them worthy to suffer

disgrace for the name of Jesus."   

(Acts 5:41 NLT)

Even the apostle Peter sounds a similar alarm;

"Dear friends, I warn you as "temporary

residents and foreigners" to keep away from

worldly desires that wage war against your

very souls.  Be careful to live properly among

your unbelieving neighbors.  Then even if they

accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your

honorable behavior, and they will give honor

to God when he judges the world."  

(1 Peter 2:11, 12 NLT)

Heaven is to be our final destination, but it

will come with a fight.  But Oh!, the reward that

will be ours then.