Citizens of Heaven (Pt. 2) - Access To God
In Philippians 1:27, Paul reminds us: “Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.” Citizenship in heaven is not only about our rights but also about our responsibilities. Last week we learned that faith in Jesus grants us this heavenly citizenship. Today, let us focus on one of its greatest rights: access to God.
Access Restored
From the beginning, God’s intention was clear: His people, in His place, enjoying His presence. Eden was designed for fellowship. Sin disrupted that plan, but God’s intention never changed. Through Jesus, access is restored. On the cross, when the temple veil was torn, the era of location-based worship ended. God’s presence was no longer limited to a building or mountain; it was made available to all who believe.
We have moved from Eden, to the temple, to the person of Jesus, to the indwelling of the Spirit within us. Now, God’s Spirit lives in us. We are His dwelling place. His presence is not something we travel to find—it abides in us daily, whether in joy, struggle, or prayer.
The Purpose of Access
Having access alone is not the point. Every visa comes with a purpose—study, work, or travel. In the same way, God grants us access with purpose. Scripture shows us that the purpose of access is fellowship.
Fellowship means sharing in God’s love, exchanging our burdens for His rest, and walking in daily relationship with Him. It is not transactional; it is relational. We are invited to come as children to a Father, not just subjects to a King. Our Father desires closeness, not distance.
But fellowship also shapes how we live with one another. As John writes, “If we live in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other” (1 John 1:7). Access to God binds us into family. It unites us beyond race, class, and culture, and demonstrates to the world the love of Christ. Unity in the church is not just nice—it is spiritual warfare. That is why Jesus prayed for it before He left.
The Responsibility of Access
With rights come responsibilities. God has removed every barrier on His side through the blood of Christ. Our responsibility is to guard that fellowship by removing the barriers we allow—sin, discouragement, laziness, or even a shallow, transactional view of God. Access without fellowship is wasted. Judas had the same access to Jesus as the other disciples, yet his relationship was different. Access is not enough; relationship matters.
We must be intentional. For some of us, that means setting alarms, finding accountability, or praying in ways that keep us awake and engaged. Whatever it takes, we pursue fellowship because God’s presence in us is too precious to neglect.
Living It Out
As citizens of heaven, our access to God gives us confidence, intimacy, and unity. This access transforms our inward life, overflows into our outward conduct, and strengthens our bond with fellow believers.
The right of access finds its value in the responsibility of fellowship. Our identity in Christ precedes our doing, and it is in fellowship with God and His people that we discover who we are and what we are gifted to do.
So let us live as citizens of heaven—standing together with one spirit, one purpose, fighting for the faith. We have access. Let us not waste it. Let us walk in fellowship with God and one another.