Therefore, since we
receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we
may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe . . . (Hebrews
12:28)
On the November 2, 1852, my great-great-grandfather, Johann
Friedrich Boberg, appeared in Knox County, Indiana, Circuit Court to sign a “Declaration
of Intention” to become a citizen of the United States of America. In that
declaration, Johann renounced his allegiance to Prince Leopold of Lippe in what
was then The Kingdom of Prussia, and swore his allegiance to the United States of America.
That declaration was five years and one day after Johann arrived in the port of
New Orleans – the minimum residency requirement for citizenship. Since the five-year
anniversary was on a Sunday, he had to wait until Monday morning to apply.
Johann Friedrich Boberg was eager to become a U.S. citizen!
Christians have pledged their allegiance to
Jesus Christ as Lord and King. That allegiance takes precedence over any and
all other allegiances. Christians, however, have a sort of dual citizenship. We
are in this world – as to our
physical existence – but not of this
world as to our spiritual, eternal life. This world is passing away (1
Corinthians 7:31), decaying from within because of its sinfulness and rebellion
against God, but “whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17).
My physical citizenship in this world is limited in both its nature and duration. As to its nature, my physical citizenship is limited to
the realm God has assigned to human government, which has no authority over my
relationship to God. The duration of my citizenship in this world is also
limited. First, it is limited by my earthly lifespan. It may also be limited by
the very existence of the nation in which I live! For example, the Kingdom of
Prussia that had been Johann Friedrich’s home was dissolved in 1918, following
the devastation of the First World War. Everything in this world is tentative
and fragile. And God has promised that He will “shake” this world system, and
then remove that which was shaken:
At that time his voice
shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Yet once more I will shake not
only the earth but also the heavens." This phrase, "Yet once
more," indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things
that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and
thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our
God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:26-29)
God shook the world at Mt. Sinai when He gave His Law to the
nation Israel. He shook both heaven and earth in the death and resurrection of
Christ. And the writer of Hebrews says there is another “shaking” coming! When God
shakes the heavens and the earth the next time, He will also remove what He has been shaken.
I’m thankful that by God’s grace, I have citizenship in an
eternal kingdom! The most important citizenship a person can have is in the
Kingdom of God. And we can have that citizenship through repentance from our
sins and faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We must renounce all
allegiance to the prince of this world, and declare our total spiritual
allegiance to Christ.
Johann Friedrich Boberg couldn’t wait to cast off the past
and declare his allegiance to a new country. How much more eager should we be
in these dark, sinful, violent times to renounce allegiance to this sinful
world and declare our allegiance to God through Jesus Christ!
But our citizenship is
in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will
transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that
enables him even to subject all things to himself. (Philippians 3:20-21)
Therefore let us be
grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken . . .
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