2 Corinthians 12: “2I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to THE THIRD HEAVEN… 4How that he was caught UP INTO PARADISE, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter”

It is now clear to our readers that Heaven is not a geographical location rather that it is present everywhere, wherever God is, that God’s house in heaven is the church made up of the Saints of God.

But what do we mean, our citizenship is in heaven? If Jesus came from God, where did we come from, and where are we now? What do we mean “OUR CONVERSATION IS IN HEAVEN? (Philippians 3:20)

“20For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ 21Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself,” Philippians 3:20-21.

In the first place, the word conversation is (4175 POLITEUMA) and means a community; i.e. (abstr) citizenship (fg) conversation – (way of life). This simply means that our Stalk, origin is found now in the heavenly realm. And we being part of this Christian community, we are now having our existence in the heavens. For “Though they are in the world, they are not of this world.” See John 17:14-15. “And Christ Himself who dwells within the innermost being (Spirit) of those who make up this community, shall be revealed to change our vile bodies – Christ in you, the hope of glory,” Colossians 1:27.

This is from where we are looking for him to be manifested as our life. Colossians 3:3-4 “3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”

Friends, is it not clear that the Church is the Lamb’s wife? Ephesians 5:32.

So how can the church be somewhere in heaven and her Children (The Saints) are not there with her? We must be where our Mother is (Galatians 4:26); and that is heaven.

That the church “descending out from God” (Revelation 21:9-10) is to say that the Church is emerging out of God (Spirit) into the visible realm in the position of power and authority that has never been witnessed since the beginning of Church history.

This is the manifestation (unveiling) of the sons of God that the creation is eagerly waiting for. “THE CREATION IS EAGERLY WAITING FOR GOD TO REVEAL HIS SONS,” Romans 8:19 (JB). Just as Jesus Himself came, descending from God – heaven – the realm of spirit…, I AM COME OUT FROM THEE (God) John 17:8c, to reveal God’s nature, so will the Church reveal the glory of God on earth.

If Jesus came from God, what about us, and where are we now and where shall we return to?

“Lord through all generations you have been our home, before the Mountains were created, before the earth was formed,” Psalms 90:1 TLB.

The Word of God says that the God of eternity Himself who dwells IN HEAVEN has been our home.

Meaning that we had existed from eternity and our coming out of God, our eternal home, and association with the fall of Adam disconnected us from our heavenly existence. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23.

This fall resulted in man being driven out of God’s presence, not to partake of His life (Genesis 3:24a). But in the infinite plan of God, a provision for man’s return to the place of glory was made in Christ even before the world was formed.” Revelation 13:8. And so we read,

“That which hath been is now, that which is to be hath already been, and God requireth that which is past (driven away), that which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man,” Eccl. 3:15; 6:10a.

Glory!

Therefore it pleased the Father that in Him ( Christ) should ALL FULLNESS (God’s creative presence) dwell, it was through what His son did that God cleared a path for everything to come to him – all things in heaven and earth for Christ’s death on the cross has made peace with God. You were his enemies and hated him and were separated from Him by your evil thoughts and actions, yet now He has brought you back as His friends …and now as a result Christ has brought you INTO THE VERY PRESENCE (HEAVEN) of God, and you are standing there before Him with nothing against you, for IN HIM we live and move, in Him WE EXIST (Colossians 1:19-22a; Acts 17:28a KJV, TLB, NEB).

This is why Paul will address the Church of Thessalonians by saying, I Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians WHICH IS IN GOD the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Did you see it? Where is the Church? In God! Where is God? In Heaven! So if the Church is IN God and God is IN heaven, then where is the Church? Answer that yourself.

Friends, we are returning back even now into our eternal home (God), to take up the priesthood ministry of the Melchizedek order of an endless life (Hebrews 7:15b), God’s image, likeness and dominion on earth.

Next will be the “First Heaven of God”

To be continued…