ST. PAUL’S LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS 3:20-21; 4:1-3
Brethren, our commonwealth is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power which enables him even to subject all things to himself. Therefore, my brethren, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. And I ask you also, true yokefellow, help these women, for they have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
The KJV translates the word “commonwealth” above as “conversation”. This word is only used in this passage. The Greek word that is used is πολίτευμα. The KJV word is archaic and not commonly used today. Collins Dictionary shows this:
- Archaic
manner of living; behavior - Obsolete
social intercourse
Strong’s puts it as:
πολίτευμα políteuma, pol-it’-yoo-mah; from G4176; a community, i.e. (abstractly) citizenship (figuratively):—conversation.
The Father Clement put it well:
Clement Of Alexandria AD 215
We know that this is well said, for we ought to live as strangers and expatriates in the world … not using the creation to satisfy our passions but highmindedly and with thanksgiving. .
Christian Nationalism
For me, this passage demolishes all thoughts of Christian nationalism. This is not to say that we should not be good and loyal citizens of the places we live. We should be. This is to say our primary identity is as citizens of Heaven.
Tertullian of Carthage AD 220
But as for you, you are a foreigner in this world, a citizen of Jerusalem, the city above. Our citizenship, the apostle says, is in heaven. , or citizenship, is in heaven. , “such also are they that are earthy”-men again, of course; “therefore as is the heavenly “meaning the Man, from heaven, “such are the men also that are heavenly.”. of any other than Him to whom the law belonged. “Our conversation “says he, “is in heaven.”. From whence also we look for our Saviour Jesus Christ, who shall change our body of humiliation, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body”
Our Resurrection Bodies
What are our resurrection bodies like? They will be like Christ’s glorious body.
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