[theophilus]

Philippians 3:20 says of Christians,

Our citizenship is in Heaven.

When someone is naturalized as a citizen of a country he gives up whatever citizenship he previously had and no longer has any allegiance to his former country. So does this mean that when we became Christians we gave up our citizenship in our earthly country? There are some Christians who think this is so and that for this reason Christians shouldn’t get involved in any form of political activity.

Citizenship in New Testament times was not the same thing it is today. Israel was part of the Roman Empire. Some of the people in that empire were considered citizens and had rights that noncitizens didn’t. Paul was such a citizen and if you read Acts you will find out that he exercised his citizenship rights when doing so would help him spread the gospel. But being a Roman citizen didn’t keep a person from also being a citizen of whatever part of the empire he lived in. This citizenship was in addition to whatever other citizenship he possessed, not a substitute for it.

It was similar to being an American citizen and also being a citizen of a specific state. I am an American citizen and since I live in Kansas I am also a citizen of Kansas. I can exercise both citizenships at the same time without any conflict. In the same way, the fact that I am a citizen of Heaven because I am a Christian is no barrier for my exercising the rights of my American citizenship.

In fact the Bible clearly state that human governments ultimately get their authority from God. Romans 13:1 says

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

And verse 4 says

For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.

It certainly can’t be wrong to take part in an institution which God has established.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that we must always do what the government wants us to do. When its actions or laws contradict God’s commands we must obey God. But as long as there is no conflict we must do whatever our government requires.

There are examples in the Bible of followers of God being involved in worldly governments.

Joseph’s faithful obedience resulted in his being placed in the position of being second in command in the Egyptian government.

Daniel was taken to Babylon and there rose to a position where he had a strong influence on the government.

Paul took advantage of his status as a Roman citizen and exercised the rights that came with his citizenship.

At least one member of the church in Corinth held a government position. Paul wrote the letter to the Romans from that city and at the end, in 16:22,23, he names some believers who sent their greetings to the Romans.

I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord. Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.

Paul gave this command to Timothy.

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life. 1 Timothy 2:1,2

In a letter written to the exiles in Babylon Jeremiah said,

Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. Jeremiah 29:7

Being a Christian should cause a person to be more involved in his government, not less, because in addition to the privileges and responsibilities that we share with other citizens we are also commanded to pray for our governments and our leaders.