“For our citizenship is in heaven…”  Philippians 3:20

Scripture has much to say concerning this heavenly citizenship.  As born again believers, we are sojourners here on earth, but our true citizenship is in heaven.  In this we greatly rejoice with thanksgiving!  (Please read the following verses in context.)

This citizenship is a source of real joy:
“Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”  Luke 10:20

This citizenship promises a place of permanent residence:
“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places, if it were not so, I would have told you; I go to prepare a place for you.”  John 14:2

This citizenship provides a glorious inheritance:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept for you in heaven.”  
1 Peter 1:3-4

The names of the citizens of heaven are written in The Book of Life:
“But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”  Revelation 21:27

And what of our heavenly home?
It is a safe for treasures:
“…lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”  Matthew 6:20

It is where our glorified Christ has entered:
“But he (Stephen), full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
And he said, ‘Behold I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’”  Acts:7:55-56

It is built by the hand of God:
“For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in heaven.”  
2 Corinthians 5:1

Obedience is the condition of entrance:
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.”  
Revelation 22:14

Christ Jesus is our access.  In the list of I am’s of Christ we see that He is the door:
“Jesus therefore said to them again, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.’”  
John 10:7
“I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved…” John 10:9
“And I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand.”  John 10:28

We now live under an open heaven with free access to our Heavenly Father:
“For through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.”
Ephesians 2:18
And,
“…we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him." 
Ephesians 3:12

Therefore,
“Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”  Hebrews 10;22
“by the washing of the Word.”  Ephesians 5:26

In the world, not of it!    Amen