This week’s devotions are based on Week 4 of the Series Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are (CLICK HERE)
Ephesians 2:19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
The consequences are significant.
When Christ Jesus goes to work on our behalf, the impact is profound. By fulfilling the law on our behalf, he imparts a status of “saint” on us. By paying the price for our sin on the cross, he marks our bill for sin as “paid in full.”
But it doesn’t stop there. Paul says, as a result of Christ’s work, you are no longer foreigners and aliens. Perhaps these terms evoke the immigration issue in our country as people from outside of our country (foreigners) desire to come in our country, unfortunately many of them come illegally (Illegal aliens). Why? Because our country has something they want.
There is also talk in our country of either deporting those here illegally or granting them asylum or a path to citizenship.
For some simply a declaration that their status is now “fellow citizens” of the United States would evoke great ire. For others, they would start a celebration.
Today’s devotion isn’t to settle the immigration issue in our country, but rather get us thinking about the amazing gift it was that the Father in heaven, through the work of Jesus Christ, declared us fellow citizens. We didn’t earn the visa or stand in line for an application. By faith we were connected to the saving work of Jesus and were given the status of “fellow citizen.”
Like in the USA, the one who receives as a gift the status of fellow citizen (even after breaking the law to get here) would embark on great rejoicing for the new status they were given. Perhaps others would meet this reality with great ire, or at least strong consternation.
But why? Why would even we be upset is someone, who was not part of God’s kingdom were declare “fellow citizens” with you?
I can think of a few reasons I would think that way…perhaps you resonate or have others.
- They don’t deserve it. Even though I did nothing to earn my citizenship in God’s kingdom, somehow my ego leads me to think I am more deserving of God’s favor than another person. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I don’t deserve it either.
- They aren’t going to bring enough value. Again this is a performance based evaluation assuming that I bring great value and they won’t. Again, way off.
- They are sinners. They are “too far gone” or lived too much of their life apart from God. They don’t deserve the grace of God.
Forgive me Lord for elevating myself superficially to make myself look better than others. The fact is that any of us would be counted as part of the kingdom of God is simply a gift of God’s grace. It is his kingdom. He aligned us all to the cornerstone of his Son Jesus and fortified his foundation with the teachings and writings of the Apostles and prophets.
What does this mean? Let go of judgment against anyone God has brought into his kingdom. Marvel that his grace is enough, not only for you, but for everyone else as well.
Apply: Do you sometimes have a moment when you think you deserve the favor of God more than someone else? Look at people differently and see that it is God’s grace, not you, who make them fellow citizens.
Prayer: Lord God, thank you for making me a citizen of your kingdom as a gift of grace. Forgive my pride and lead me to welcome all you have called into your kingdom as fellow citizens of your kingdom of grace. AMEN.