Heavenly Citizenship-

               The Inhabitants of Heaven

“Where do you come from? Where do you go? Where do you come from, Cotton Eye Joe”

                                                 
    Its important to know where you have come from. In Eastern cultures people take a much higher view of a persons ancestry than we, in our western world, do. In his book ‘Walking from East to West’ Ravi Zacharias tells his life story, putting huge emphasis on his ‘roots’ and his family tree. The BBC Ancestry series, ‘Who do you think you are?’, has further highlighted the importance of knowing our history.
   Important though knowing our roots is, it surely is of a more vital importance (if you will excuse my grammar) to know where we are going. As one writer put it, knowing where we will finally end up ‘works backwards’ and thus dramatically influence our lives here and now. 
   Citizens of Heaven don’t become so when they arrive at the metaphorical pearly gates. No angelic immigration officer awaits, clutching their new passport and documentation. No, quite the contrary. Citizens of Heaven live as travellers, strangers and foreigners in this world first and then -after having lived away from their true homeland- they finally return there. The knowledge of the Heavenly City which awaits them totally transforms their thinking and even living in this world, making them Heavenly Citizens. Perhaps the bible passage which is best known for explaining this is Hebrews 11:

    These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.(Hebrews 11:13-16 ESV)

    So, who are these Heavenly Citizens? Who will populate Heaven?
    In the Gospel of John we discover that the people of Heaven need a guide to bring them home. Jesus says “I will come…and will take you to where I am going….I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” I could give other examples, but I think Jesus’ words are simple and concise enough. From the Bible we learn that the inhabitants of Heaven have been bought there by and through the Lord Jesus Christ- there is no back entrance.
   First and foremost, Heaven is a Gospel place. All citizens will share a bond greater than nationality or colour or creed: they have each been individually bought there through the grace of a God who died for their sins. It is obvious to assume therefore that Heaven is a joyful place! How could it not be?!
   As we further study the scriptures we discover, to our joy, that our guide and saviour- the Lord Jesus Christ- will be our neighbour and co-citizen in Heaven. Jesus tells us that Heaven is “my Father’s house”, that he will “take you to where I [Jesus] am going”. We are encouraged when he tells us that “you will be with me in paradise”, the Apostle Paul remarks that “we will be always with the Lord.” In fact, to our great delight, we find that Heaven is “the city of the living God”…“whose designer and builder is God.” The book of Revelation teaches us that Heaven is “the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ” and that “a great multitude” will worship God before his throne.
    So, to recap: the inhabitants of Heaven have been bought there by and through the Lord Jesus Christ- he is the only way in. They will be with Jesus and enjoy him; he will reign eternally. Heaven (whether a paradise-garden, city, house or throne room) is God’s own property which he has created and is preparing for his own people. 
    But how ‘real’ will Heaven actually be? Is Heaven simply a biblical metaphor for a ‘higher level of consciousness’?
    To answer simply: no.
    If we turn to our trusty bibles we have some more surprises in store. Jesus knew that death isn’t final. He spoke of a ‘resurrection’:  

    And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
(Luke 20:34-36 ESV)

    Furthermore, Paul spoke about our bodies being changed:

    But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.(Philippians 3:20-21 ESV)

    Revelation talks about the resurrection in real terms; we will no longer hunger or thirst, we will be clothed in garments etc.
    Paul also talked in length about the resurrection when he was writing to the Corinthian church. Apparently some people were asking what bodies people would have when they had been ‘resurrected’. Paul explained that though we die with earthly bodies we rise with heavenly bodies. He uses the example of a seed and a flower: “It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.”
   But even if none of these examples were in the Bible, the greatest reason to believe in a literal, physical resurrection of the dead has not yet been mentioned- the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead! Thomas felt the nail marks in Jesus’ hands and feet. Jesus had a physical resurrected body. Paul argues that our entire faith is based on this, he even goes so far as to say “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” Harsh words!
   We can be sure that the inhabitants of Heaven will possess literal, physical bodies- bodies that are new, glorious and ‘imperishable’. They will be transformed instantly and will bear a likeness to the resurrected King of Heaven- the Lord Jesus. They will not hunger, thirst or suffer pain.
   I don’t know about you, but I am looking forward to Heaven!
   One of my favourite hymns, includes these words (which I echo with all my heart), “And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight”. That is the desire of the Christian’s heart- to see the Lord Jesus Christ and to enjoy him for all eternity!
   C.S. Lewis pictured his longing for  Heaven like the earnest longing of a boy, stuck at a boarding school, for the school holidays. They seem so very very far away and yet he lives each day in the hope of the holidays. Lets do the same!