Heaven's Commonwealth

Welcome to the Days of Praise podcast, a daily devotional by the Institute for Creation Research, Heaven's Commonwealth. For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Philippians three twenty. The translators of the King James Bible use the English word "conversation" in eighteen passages, among which are five different Greek terms. Most of the words would be understood by our modern idea—manner of life or behavior.

However, in today's verse, the word "politima," derived from another Greek word, "politus." Our English word "politics" comes from that, especially in the sense of citizenship, as it relates to governmental oversight. The apostle Paul is the only New Testament writer to use the politics word, and he does so only two other times. On one occasion, all Jerusalem was in an uproar over Paul's supposed violation of the temple. After giving the testimony of his conversion and subsequent ministry to the unruly crowd, Paul said, "Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day." Simply and boldly declaring that he now lived as a citizen of heaven. Earlier in his epistle to the Philippian church, Paul challenged them, "Let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ.

That whether I come and see you or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs. That ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel." Paul's challenge is just as clear to us: live and think like our citizenship is in heaven. Heaven's rule may be best understood by our English word, "commonwealth," a political community founded for the common good. We are joint heirs with Christ, and we should look for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Hebrews eleven ten.

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