Ephesians 2:19 “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household…”

When we travel overseas, we immediately recognize some disadvantages of being in a foreign country. It is hard to understand what is going on around us because we don’t speak the language.  Some of the laws and customs are different than what we are used to. As foreigners we don’t have the same rights the citizens do. The natives may treat us well, but we always know that we aren’t at home.

That is what the Gentiles in Ephesus experienced before Christ was preached to them. That is what it is like for anyone who doesn’t know Jesus as their Savior yet. There is this language of God’s Kingdom which is hard to understand–words like repentance, justification, sanctification. There is a way of life that doesn’t make sense to people who are used to living only for themselves. There is a fear of God instead of the right to come before him confidently. Unbelievers don’t feel at home when they have to think about God or they are confronted with his word.

But the peace which makes us people of God changes all that. We have the privilege of being close to God. We are no longer foreigners and aliens. We have the privilege of being fellow citizens.  The language, and the way of life, start to make sense. The rights that we have to full forgiveness for all sins,  eternal life in heaven, the strength to live a Christian life, and answers to our prayers are privileges of citizenship we especially appreciate.

In fact, this closeness goes beyond citizenship. We are a part of God’s own family, members of his household. We enjoy a personal, intimate relationship with him in which he listens to all our concerns, and takes care of all our needs right down to the smallest detail. He knows everything about us and uses what he knows only to love us and care for us. The peace we have with God assures us that in his Kingdom we have finally found our home.