C.S.

Lewis observed that if you aim to be successful only on earth, you

may never get to heaven even as the things of earth slip away. But if

you aim for the things of heaven, not only will the Lord graciously

bring you there; he will also make your life on earth something

wonderful. So if you aim only for earth, you get nothing. But if you

aim for heaven, you get everything—life to the full.

This

is Paul’s point too as he rounds out Philippians 3. We all are

citizens of one country or another here on earth. But believers in

Christ have a far more important status as citizens of heaven. All of

our other identities fall in line under our heavenly citizenship.

Paul

pointed this out for the Philippians because then—and now—there

are all kinds of ­influences that distract us from giving God’s

kingdom first place in our lives. We receive messages like this every

day: live for the moment, go for the gusto, do whatever feels right,

look out for number one. All this, Paul claims, makes people enemies

of the cross. It all amounts to self-centered living and reflects

none of Christ’s selflessness. But if we live as Christ’s people,

then one day we will be made like Jesus, ­arrayed in all the

glory of God’s kingdom!