PART I: HEAVEN'S CITIZEN IN WORLD
PART II: SEPARATION THROUGHOUT BIBLE
PATRIOTISM is not only love of the country of one's birth, but also love of the country of one's naturalization.
Christian patriotism, therefore, is love of the country of one's Christian birth, the country of one's Christian naturalization.
Naturalization is that procedure through which persons born in another country - aliens, foreigners - become citizens of a certain country of their choice.
Is there, then, anything in Christian experience that corresponds to naturalization? Is there such a thing as Christian naturalization?
Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that at that time ye were without Christ, being ALIENS from the commonwealth of Israel, and STRANGERS from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.7
Ephesians 2:11-12
Aliens become citizens of a government by naturalization. You and I were aliens. We have become naturalized into the commonwealth of Israel, the kingdom of God. When someone becomes a naturalized citizen, what is involved? They take the oath of allegiance to the new government, the new sovereign. Here are the specifications - copied from a gentleman's certificate of naturalization:
"This is to certify, etc. that J___ B___ 'on being admitted to citizenship by this court, took the oath to support the Constitution of the United States of America, and that he then did absolutely and forever renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign prince, potentate, State, or sovereignty whatsoever, and particularly to the emperor of Germany.' etc., etc."
If he had been a British subject, it would have read, "and particularly to the queen of Great Britain and empress of India."
How much did he have to renounce? - "All allegiance and fidelity to every foreign prince, potentate, State or sovereignty whatsoever." And what in particular? - "And particularly to the emperor of Germany."
And how fully? And for how long? - "Absolutely and forever renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity." Thus he is to turn his back "absolutely" upon all his former "allegiance and fidelity to every foreign prince, potentate, State or sovereignty WHATSOEVER." That is in general. And in particular, to the one to whom he was particularly subject. In earthly governments, that is the way aliens are naturalized.
Now what about us? We "were aliens," but now we are fellow citizens with the saints:8 Deuteronomy 33:2, Jude 14
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but FELLOW-CITIZENS with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner-stone.9
Ephesians 2:19-20
That certificate of naturalization declares that, he, "on being admitted to citizenship, . . . did absolutely and forever renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign prince, potentate, State, or sovereignty whatsoever," and particularly to the sovereignty to which he had been subject.
In becoming a citizen of the commonwealth of Israel, a fellow-citizen with the saints, did you "absolutely and forever renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign prince, potentate, State, or sovereignty whatsoever," and particularly to the one to which you were formerly subject, as every alien must do to become a citizen of an earthly government?
If not, then do you count citizenship in the commonwealth of Israel, fellow-citizenship with the saints, of as much value as any alien must count citizenship in an earthly government?
If citizenship in heaven, in the commonwealth of Israel, is indeed as valuable as is citizenship in an earthly government, then in order to be truly a citizen of the commonwealth of Israel, just as certainly as to be a citizen of an earthly government, it is required that one shall "absolutely and forever renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign prince, potentate, State, or sovereignty whatsoever," and particularly to the one to whom, when an alien, he is subject, which is "the prince of this world."10 John 12:31
And if this is not done, what then? If all allegiance to every prince, potentate, State or sovereignty whatsoever, other than that of the commonwealth of Israel, is not absolutely and forever renounced and abjured, then there is certainly attempted a divided allegiance.
But will a divided allegiance answer? Will a divided allegiance be accepted? Will any earthly government accept a divided allegiance? If any alien asking to become a citizen of an earthly government should refuse to make that renunciation, full and complete as it is; if he should ask to have the renunciation divided, that he might retain and show some fidelity, only a little, to some foreign prince, potentate, State, or sovereign; would he be accepted? Everybody knows that he would not, not even for a moment. How, then, can it be supposed that such reserved, such divided, allegiance could be accepted in any one asking to be a citizen of the commonwealth of Israel?
It is not enough, however, to inquire whether a divided allegiance will be accepted. The true question is, Can there really be any such thing as a divided allegiance? And the true answer is, No; for it is written, "No man can serve two masters."11 Matthew 6:24
It is therefore certain that no alien, seeking to be a citizen of the commonwealth of Israel, can ever expect to carry with him any shadow of allegiance to anything in this world or of this world. It is written: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."12 1 John 2:15 Princes, potentates, States, and sovereignties are only of this world. To retain allegiance or fidelity to any of these, is to retain allegiance and fidelity to the things that are only of this world, and, so, to the world itself.
Christian citizenship is citizenship in heaven; for "our citizenship is in heaven."13 Philippians 3:20 Another translation reads, "For our country [the State to which we belong, of which we by faith are citizens] is in the heavens." - Alford. Another, an interlinear, word for word, translation gives it, "For of us the commonwealth in the heavens exists."
Christian citizenship is citizenship in the commonwealth of Israel; for we are no more "aliens from the commonwealth of Israel," "no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God."14 Ephesians 2:12,19
Christian patriotism is love of the country of one's citizenship. And true citizenship is the absolute and everlasting renunciation and abjuration of all allegiance and fidelity to every other prince, potentate, State, or sovereignty whatsoever.