The US Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments in the Trump v. Barbara case regarding birthright citizenship. At issue is the interpretation of the 14th Amendment and especially the clause, “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States. The influx of millions of undocumented migrants and other situations where women have entered the county only to bear their children have raised concerns about legal and financial privileges including rights to vote and to receive government benefits. From their questions, the nine justices seemed hesitant to end this practice, but we must wait for their official decision.
Citizenship issues are mentioned in the Bible and we find Paul referring to Roman citizenship multiple times. In Acts 16, he and Silas were imprisoned when their ministry reduced the bottom line of some slaveowners in Philippi who were using a girl’s demonic powers for their profit. While many remember from Sunday School how the apostles were miraculously freed at midnight as they sang God’s praises, we often skip the rest of that story. After the jailer and his family became believers and were baptized, the magistrate freed the two missionaries. Instead of leaving Philippi quietly, however, Paul mentioned that they were Roman citizens who had been beaten and jailed without trials. When the authorities learned they were citizens, they attempted to appease them by apologizing and personally escorting them from the city.
Later in Acts 22, Paul again finds himself crosswise with the authorities when he is arrested in the temple courts. As they were stretching him out to be flogged, he mentioned his Roman citizenship that required a trial prior to such punishment. When the commander asked Paul about this, Paul told him he had been born a citizen of Rome. The commander responded that he had to pay a high price for his own citizenship emphasizing what a privileged status Paul enjoyed.
The Archaeological Study Bible states that there were three ways to become a Roman citizen. One could be awarded citizenship for some heroic deed or outstanding service for the empire. A second method was by purchasing it, usually at an exorbitant price set by rulers who encouraged bribery. Finally, one could be born to an existing citizen who had become one by one of the above methods. The Bible doesn’t tell us how Paul’s father had become a citizen, but the Apostle’s birthright citizenship protected him from certain abuses that non-citizens were not shielded from.
But writing in Philippians 3:20, Paul says, “Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ…” So although he had Roman citizenship and used its privileges to escape extreme torture and possibly death, and to later appeal to Caesar, he stressed that he was also a citizen of heaven thus claiming dual citizenship.
The privileges of heavenly citizenship far outweigh those of any earthly nation both in duration and quality. Heavenly citizens enjoy God’s presence forever which ensures perfect peace, health, love, joy and all other attributes of the Heavenly Father. But there is no birthright citizenship into heaven. It doesn’t matter if one or both of your parents were devout Christians, if you were born into a Christian community as part of a church, or even born in the Vatican itself. Every single heavenly citizen must become naturalized by accepting Jesus as Savior and submitting to His jurisdiction. We can’t bribe our way in with generous offerings nor can we earn it with heroic deeds or faithful service. Heavenly citizenship is only granted to those who recognize the King’s Son as their Savior and Lord and request admission in His name. When that is done, none are excluded and all are welcomed. Our dual citizenship begins immediately and continues until death ends our earthly allegiances and we are ushered into God’s glorious eternal Kingdom. If you’ve never requested citizenship in God’s Kingdom, do so today by accepting His Son. Blessings, George