For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ...(Philippians 3:20).

Ancient Philippi was an usual city.  It wasn't near Rome, but it was a Roman colony.  While most of its inhabitants had never seen Rome, they were Roman citizens.  They wore Roman clothes and spent Roman money.  Many had Roman names.  The Philippians were quite proud of their citizenship.

God uses this opportunity to remind Christians that we are citizens of heaven.  While we don't live in heaven yet, our citizenship is there.  So should our allegience, our anticipation and our loyalty.

Our relationship to the earth is described as that of a pilgrim or sojourner.  "Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear" (I Peter 1:17b).

A sojourner is literally, "one with a home nearby," implying a foreigner, a pilgrim, a person travelling through a country which is not his own.  Like the Phillippians, we live in one place but our citizenship is in another.

"If ye, then, be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth." (Colossians 3:1,2).

"Set" (from the Greek phroneo), means "have the same sentiment as, exercise the mind of,  interest yourself with the same things;  be at one with, etc."  To "set" indicates a deliberate act of our will.  It is something that we can choose to do.

There is no limit to what God can do in and with His people if they deliberately and diligently dedicate themselves to having the same attitude that their spiritual citizenship implies.

As the grand old hymn says, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus.  Look full in His wonderful face.  And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."