In front of the United Nations building in New York there is an arc of flags. They are the flags of the member nations. Every visitor sees them and looks for the flag of his own nation in that colourful parade. It is hard to say what it is that moves us when we see the banner beloved of our home country -- star-spangled or crossed like the Union Jack. No one is exempt from some emotion concerning the feelings which belong to his own country.

When travellers come to the customs and immigration posts at the frontier of another land after their journey by land or air they find themselves divided into two groups -- those who belong to that country and have right of access because their passports speak of their nationality, and those who are "aliens" or "foreigners" and are admitted as guests and visitors.

These differences of nationality are there in times of peace and become painfully clear in times of war. Each of us bears the stamp of his own country and with it he carries privileges and obligations. The privileges are obvious -- we live unmolested in our home land and share its prosperity and joys; the obligations are always there -- we have to pay our taxes, obey the laws and refrain from acts of treason and betrayal of our nation. All this can be understood and in many ways is a good thing.

But citizenship is not without certain difficulties. For most of us it comes to us by birth. Not by any act on our part or any choice, we are Americans, Britons, Spaniards by birth. For a very few in every land citizenship has come by choice -- by marrying a member of another nation and taking on that nationality or by an act of naturalization in which we have renounced the citizenship we had by birth and have taken on another under an oath of allegiance.

All this is very interesting and appears to have very little to do with the way of life in Jesus Christ. Does Jesus make any difference to citizenship? If so, what difference?

Let us look into this very interesting subject for a moment or two and we shall discover that Jesus makes a difference in everything and everyone He meets. The accusation against some of the earliest believers in Jesus was that they said: "There is another king, one Jesus." Of course the accusers were twisting the meaning of these words into treason against the Roman Caesar. But, even so, there was a truth in the accusation. It is true that there is another King, one Jesus. The whole of the gospel message is shouting that as clearly and joyfully as it is possible for men to shout. Listen to them.

"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth: and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:10).

Jesus is higher than any king or lord or ruler or president on earth. No one can compare with him and no one should take the honour which belongs to him. What happens then when a man or woman decided to follow the Lord Jesus Christ? What happens to his or her natural citizenship? Is an American still an American when he becomes a disciple of Jesus Christ? Does a Briton lose his ancient heritage when he confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord?

What do you think? Answer honestly to yourself after all the things you have read in our previous letters. I am sure that the least you can say is: Jesus must make some difference to me whatever nationality I am. And, that is true. Jesus does. Not that we can ever ignore the fact that we are American or English or Chinese. Nor can we cease to obey the laws of the countries in which we live -- we could not for our own safety and that of others fail to drive on the righthand side of the road, for example. That is obvious. But what about those deeper feelings concerning nationality and citizenship? Are they changed at all?

This is what the apostle Paul had to write about it in his day:

"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ. For as many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26-28).

Here is the key. Those who believe and are baptised into Jesus Christ have entered into greater privileges and assumed larger responsibilities than any which attach to natural citizenship. They have believed in another King, one Jesus: they are heirs to another kingdom, the coming kingdom of God; they are citizens of another city, the city of God.

Let us look at this again: it is important and it makes an incalculable difference to one's daily life. This is how Jesus puts it:

1. The gospel is the word of the kingdom.

2. The believers are the children of the kingdom.

3. The end of the world is when Jesus comes back to this earth and the righteous inherit the kingdom of God on earth.

You can read about that in Matthew chapter 13 -- verses 19, 38, and 43 tell about the points outlined above.

Sometimes it is easier to look at things from the negative point of view, saying what a thing is not rather than what it is. Paul does this when he talks about the man who does not belong to Jesus. He describes him like this:

"Remember . . . that at that time (before believing in Jesus) 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." (Ephesians 2:12).

What a terrible plight! Such is the man who doesn't believe. He has no passport to God: no communion with Christ: no hope of life: no citizenship of the kingdom of God. What then of the one who has heard the glad tidings of the kingdom of God and has believed it and has shown his belief by the humility of baptism by burial in water? Paul rings out the wonderful message like bells dancing for joy:

"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." (Ephesians 2:20):

This new relationship, this new citizenship is higher and greater than anything we have previously enjoyed. It makes demands upon us and it gives us boundless blessings. The demands can be summed up by saying that we must live like citizens of the kingdom of God while waiting for the return of Jesus Christ. The blessings can be described quite simply by saying that we are members of God's family and He looks after us.

What attitude then do we have to the state or country in which we live? Do we become rebels and plotters against the government? Do we despise the law and order which we enjoy and lead lives of disobedience and disruption? What think you? We are not left to guess: the Bible makes our position altogether plain:

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour." (Romans 13:1 and 7).

"Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. Servants be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the gentle and good, but also to the froward." (1 Peter 2:17 and 18).

From this it is clear that we are to become faithful, law-abiding citizens of the natural countries, being examples of doing good at all times and in all places. Prompt and full in the payment of our taxes without grumbling: respectful to dignitaries and all in authority: giving full measure in our daily work whether our employers are good or bad. Such is the exemplary service of the disciple of Jesus. He behaves always as though he is rendering his service direct to Christ.

But what happens when the law of the state comes into direct conflict with the commands of the Lord Jesus Christ? The answer is clear enough: Jesus has our first loyalty, indeed He has our only loyalty because even the service we render to the communities among whom we live we render it in the name of Jesus. Therefore, if the state or country to which we belong commands us to be disloyal to Christ by breaking His word, then we have no option but respectfully and humbly to refuse. Such occasions are rare. Most of the countries of the western world have centuries of tradition behind them which is based to a large extent upon some of the laws of the Lord Jesus Christ. But there are times when a cleavage appears.

Let us take an example from the Bible first of all. Peter and the other apostles were law-abiding men of Palestine. They used respectful language when they spoke to rulers and the like. When, however, they were commanded by those rulers to do something wholly different to the law of Christ, they said:

"We ought to obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29).

"Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye." (Acts 4:19).

Therefore, they obeyed God even when it meant that they had to go to prison.

In our own days a similar situation arises when the state commands us to enlist in the fighting force in times of war. Quite apart from the fact that if we obey this we could well be engaged in fighting fellow believers of other nations, it is abundantly clear that the followers of Jesus must not fight and kill, no, they must not even hate another man in their hearts. At such a time with quiet firmness the follower of Jesus must make known his conscientious objection to military and allied service. It is the moment when he must stand by the banner of Jesus even though it brings shame upon him.

For this reason too, the disciple of Jesus does not participate in politics and does not vote. He has cast his lot with Jesus and belongs to the army who wait for His coming kingdom. Therefore he is content to be subject to the country in which he lives, to obey its laws and to pay his dues, but not to be active in its government. This is clearly how Jesus lived.

I am sure you will wish to read more of what the Bible has to say on this whole subject. Here then are some key passages: Matthew 5:9, 21-26, 38-48; Matthew 26:47-53; Romans 12:18-21; 2 Timothy 2; 1 Peter 2.

Questions on Letter 16 (answers)

1. When we confess Jesus does it make a difference in our responsibilities?

2. What is the gospel?

3. Who are the children of the kingdom?

4. When is the end of the world?

5. When we are baptised into Christ what do we become citizens of?

6. When we are in the household of God what should our attitude be toward the country in which we live?

7. What should our attitude be if the law of the state comes in direct conflict with the laws of Christ?

CONTENTS | LETTER 17