Dual Citizen

As a child of God, you are a dual citizen. You have rights in Heaven and on earth.

“Then Solomon began to build the temple of the LORD…The foundation Solomon laid for building the temple of God was sixty cubits long and twenty cubits wide…He overlaid the inside with pure gold. He paneled the main hall with juniper and covered it with fine gold and decorated it with palm tree and chain designs. He adorned the temple with precious stones. And the gold he used was gold of Parvaim. He built the Most Holy Place…He overlaid the inside with six hundred talents of fine gold. For the Most Holy Place he made a pair of sculptured cherubim and overlaid them with gold. He made the curtain of blue, purple and crimson yarn and fine linen, with cherubim worked into it. He made interwoven chains and put them on top of the pillars. He also made a hundred pomegranates and attached them to the chains.” 2 Chronicles 3:1-16

What is the biggest project you’ve ever undertaken? What is the greatest journey that you’ve ever embarked upon? What is the most difficult challenge you have chosen to pursue? Put yourself in Solomon’s shoes. He was undertaking the building of a temple for the Most High God who made heaven and earth.

Everything was inlaid with what was most valuable: gold, silver, precious metals. The modern value of the silver and gold alone is likely over $500 billion. That amount does not count the other materials or upgrades. How could one justly limit what was spent on the temple? In essence, the question arises of how to put a price tag on what God is worth.

Jesus told us to count the cost before choosing to follow Him. He challenged people to consider what it costs to build something lasting before starting the project. In deciding how to build the structure, the question was what was best, not what was cheapest or fastest.

How could this passage apply to us today? Many questions come up. Is there a limit to what you are willing to give to glorify God? Have you counted the cost of following Jesus as He commands us to follow? Is building a place for the presence of God important to you? What will you sacrifice so that others could find salvation?“Hasten, O God, to save me; come quickly, LORD, to help me. But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say, “The LORD is great!” But as for me, I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; LORD, do not delay.”Psalms 70:1-5

David sang one of the most popular prayers of all time. Lord, help me now. Hurry up. Only you could get me out of this mess. Have you prayed that prayer lately? Have you found yourself in a situation where you feel stuck, are uncertain, or need saving? You are not alone. There is good news. God already knows and wants to help.

David often does what is counterintuitive to us. When he is hurting, he is honest about how he feels, and then he lives in his identity as a shepherd. Rather than pouting, he prays for others. When you are feeling stressed, do you stop and pray that people who seek God will find Him? Or do you just keep repeating, help me, Jesus?

Praying for others changes our perspective and is the right way to use the power we have within us. David knew that one of the best ways to love God was by loving others, so he kept doing the loving thing. He kept interceding. He kept praying, and in doing God’s work, he was ultimately handing his worries to God.

You might wonder how this relates to Solomon building a temple. Think in terms of living out your kingdom identity. Think of how you individually can advance the kingdom of God. One of Solomon’s most important feats was temple building. It is ours too, but if we allow ourselves to be distracted or to drown in our worries, it is unlikely we will have the impact we could. Is there anywhere in your mind or in your heart where worry or hurry has gotten in the way of your kingdom work?

“A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not respond to rebukes. Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin. The light of the righteous shines brightly…“Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it, but whoever respects a command is rewarded. The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death. Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored. Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.” Proverbs 13:1-24

Solomon said listen. It makes you wonder if David was a disciplinarian. Solomon spoke of discipline in high regard. He said correction and instruction are the way to life. It is funny how we often don’t appreciate discipline until later on. Do you appreciate discipline? Do you avoid disciplining those who rely on you?

The classic example is teenagers. Teenagers may have been frustrated by their parents, only later coming to the realization that they were trying to protect them from harm. Then there is this beautiful circle of life that comes around when you have your own children and they put you through what you put your parents through.

The truth is, the majority of parents want to see their kids succeed. God wants you to succeed. He wants you to do the best you can with what He has given you. He also knows that there will be times you do the wrong thing and need help getting back on track. He wants to develop in you ears to hear and a heart that is humble enough to listen and do what He says. Have you counted the cost of embracing discipline in order to be an effective disciple of Jesus?

“The LORD has brought her grief because of her many sins. Her children have gone into exile, captive before the foe. The enemy laid hands on all her treasures…All her people groan as they search for bread; they barter their treasures for food to keep themselves alive. “Look, LORD, and consider, for I am despised.” “My sins have been bound into a yoke; by his hands they were woven together. They have been hung on my neck, and the Lord has sapped my strength. He has given me into the hands of those I cannot withstand. This is why I weep and my eyes overflow with tears. No one is near to comfort me, no one to restore my spirit. My children are destitute because the enemy has prevailed…The LORD is righteous, yet I rebelled against his command.“ Lamentations 1:5-18

The people of Israel had tremendous success under David and Solomon. They seemingly won every battle and prospered greatly. But their blessings became a curse because their hearts turned away from God. Time and again, they refused to listen to God and obey His commandments. This led to exile and suffering.

God disciplines those He loves. He does not spare the rod. He allows people to walk in free will down the path of pain. Suffering does not mean that someone has been sinful, but sin will lead to suffering. It makes you wonder why the people of God turned away from God. Was it not enough that He provided their every meal and met their needs? What turns a person from God?

Often it is the cost and the crowd. When the cost of following Jesus exceeds an allowable level of discomfort, many people desert. Surprisingly, living in a first-world country does not help one’s faithfulness. Comfort can become king. God wants to toughen up His people so that they can remain true to Him through the trials.

Another barrier is the crowd. Proverbs says walk with the wise and become wise. How are the people in your life helping you draw closer to God? How are they leading you away? We all can succumb to social pressures and be influenced by our relationships. Jesus wants us to listen to His voice above every other. He wants us to drown out the crowd noise and tune in to Christ within us.

“Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense…I am a Jew…I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law…I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. I persecuted the followers of this Way…About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ “ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. “ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth…What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me…the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ” The crowd listened to Paul until he said this…Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!”…the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged…As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said…Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?” The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes, I am,” he answered. Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.” “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.” Acts 22:1-28

Paul knew who he was and the authority he had. He knew who he had been in the past but did not dwell on that. Rather, he shared how encountering Jesus changed his life. He listened and responded to the call on his life regardless of the cost. Will you?

Doing what Jesus asked of him required discipline. Everywhere he went, he faced difficulty. Solomon said where there is strife, there is pride. The crowd rejected him and threatened him, but they could not dissuade him from his kingdom assignment.

Paul understood his rights in heaven and on earth. His citizenship shaped his life. He had rights, and so do you. At the same time, he had responsibilities, and so do we. We are meant to keep both in balance so we can do what is right in God’s eyes.

Solomon built, David prayed, and Paul proclaimed. Different roles, but all serving the same King and kingdom. Each used what God had placed in their hands to point people to the temple, to God’s presence. What has God placed in your hands? Who has He made you to be, and who does He want you to help and encourage as you faithfully live out your calling?

Listening and discipline matter if we are to live as full citizens of Heaven and earth. Proverbs said the wise listen, receive correction, guard their words, walk with the wise, and stay on the path that leads to life. Lamentations shows us the painful alternative. Like a parent, God’s discipline protects and prepares us for our calling. A disciple is disciplined. Disciplined to quiet the crowd, disciplined to listen to the Holy Spirit, and disciplined to do what is right. We will never please God by building our own kingdoms. We please God by using everything to build His.

You are a child of God and a citizen of Heaven. This means more than just a ticket to sit in a pew on Sundays. Know who you are. Take time to listen to Jesus. Walk in the authority He has given you and take a step of faith to build something for Him. Often that means building up others like David. Tell your story and give Jesus your best, regardless of the cost, remembering that the cost of your citizenship was the blood of Christ. It was your gift as His beloved child when you were born again.