November 16 –Citizens and Members

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household” Ephesians 2:19 (NASB)

God’s kingdom is made up of the people from all time who have trusted in Him. There are no strangers, foreigners, or second-class citizens there. Redeemed sinners not only become heavenly citizens but also members of God’s own family. The Father bestows on believers the same infinite love He gives His Son.  This verse reminds us of our identity as Christians. This is the promise God makes for each of us and He wants us all to recognize the great change that His promise makes in our status and identity the moment we believed in Jesus as our Savior – the only way to heaven. Our verse speaks of our former status as foreigners and aliens without standing in God's family. But now we are citizens. God sent His Son into this world to make this change possible. God recognized that we, His creatures didn't belong to Him but He wanted us to be His by new birth. We are citizens together with God people, citizens with eternal rights to heaven. Even more, we belong to God's household, members of His family. What a life affirming promise that is for us today.

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July 12

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,”  Ephesians 3:17b-18 (NIV)

This is a prayer the apostle Paul was praying for the believers in Ephesus. Did you notice that he included you and me in his prayer? He said "together with all the Lord's holy people" If you have believed in Jesus as your Savior, God has set you aside for Himself. That is what is meant by the words "holy people" another word is "saint" – someone set apart for God. So this prayer is for us. The request is that we might grasp how great the love of Christ is. We are human. God’s love is divine. We will never understand it fully but with His help we can learn more of its greatness.