The privilege of belonging to a city or country. Scripture portrays believers as living in two realms, being members of both human society and of the heavenly city. In both realms there are duties as well as privileges.
Dual citizenship
Matthew 22:21 parallels Mark 12:17, Luke 20:25 See also Ezra 7:26
“Caesar’s,” they answered. So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
Earthly citizenship
Privileges and duties of citizens
Romans 13:1–7 See also Ecclesiastes 8:2; Matthew 17:27; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13–17
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God. Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval. For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer. Therefore it is necessary to submit to authority, not only to avoid punishment, but also as a matter of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes. For the authorities are God’s servants, who devote themselves to their work. Pay everyone what you owe him: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.
Privileges and duties of Roman citizenship
Acts 16:37, Acts 22:25–29, Acts 23:27, Acts 25:10
Heavenly citizenship and the Christian hope
Philippians 3:20; Hebrews 13:14 See also Luke 22:29–30; John 14:2; 1 Peter 1:4; Revelation 21:2, Revelation 21:27, Revelation 22:3–5
But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
For here we do not have a permanent city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.
Gentiles are included in the citizenship of heaven
Ephesians 2:19 See also Ephesians 2:12–13
Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household,
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.