Ron asked:
Did the apostles belong to the age of Israel, or the church age, or both? I assume that since they are to be sitting on twelve thrones and ruling over the twelve tribes of Israel that they will be part of Israel during the coming kingdom. But then again, they obviously were key players in the beginning of the church age.
Ron’s question is a variation on one I’ve heard before: Will Jewish Christians be dual citizens in the coming kingdom? I remember hearing Dr. Arnold Fructhenbaum say he was convinced that would be the case.
I have a theory based on Scripture. But I must admit, my theory is speculation. The Scriptures do not directly answer the question about whether the apostles will be citizens of Israel or the Church, or both. Neither do the Scriptures tell us whether other Jewish Christians (i.e., Jewish believers during the church age) will be citizens of Israel or the Church, or both.
If the twelve apostles will rule over the twelve tribes of Israel, doesn’t that strongly suggest that they will be citizens of Israel? I’d say no.
My theory is that believers from the church age who are chosen to rule with Christ in the life to come will rule in whatever country they spent most of their life and ministry. That means the apostles would logically rule within Israel, where they grew up and served for many years. I do not think they will be citizens of Israel. They will rule there. But they will identify as members of the Church.
The Church is not a country. So, no one is—or ever will be—a citizen of the Church.
I was born in Los Angeles and spent my first twenty-two years in Southern California. But I’ve lived and ministered in Texas for nearly fifty years. I would imagine that if I were chosen to rule, I’d rule somewhere in the new Texas. I’d be a member of the Church who lived and ruled in Texas. But I would not be a citizen of Texas or of the Church.
My theory includes exceptions for those who, like me, grew up in one place but spent most of their lives ministering in another. While Texas and California are parts of one big country, they are really far different from one another. Let’s say someone was born and raised in Texas but spent fifty years serving in Spain. I’d guess that if that person were chosen to rule in the life to come, he would likely rule in the new Spain. He’d be a member of the Church who was a ruler in Spain.
Considering 1 Cor 10:32, I believe that all who believe in Jesus for everlasting life during the church age (from Pentecost to the Rapture) will be part of the Church forever. If they rule in the life to come, they will likely rule in the country where they most ministered during this life. But that would not make them citizens of that country.
But doesn’t Paul say, “our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil 3:20)? While that is a common translation, the word often translated citizenship (politeuma) is so rare that it is used only this one time in the NT. BDAG suggests it means “our commonwealth is in heaven.”
We won’t live in heaven (Rev 20-22). Heaven has no literal citizens. Heaven isn’t a literal commonwealth.
Paul was speaking figuratively. He was saying that we are part of the commonwealth of the coming kingdom, whose King is now in heaven.
Everyone on earth will be a part of the kingdom. Most will also be citizens of individual countries. Jews will be citizens of Israel and the kingdom. Gentiles will be citizens of their country and the kingdom. But glorified church-age saints will be citizens of no country. We will be citizens of the kingdom and members of the Church.
Keep grace in focus and you be ever watchful for the Lord’s soon return.
