As God’s intelligized and confident heaven-bound people, we of Christ’s “one body” (Eph. 4:4) should have a different view of things than most of Christendom does today. Though we might still live on the earth, our current spiritual state and our eternal destiny is to be actualized “in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).

¹ If [since] ye then be risen with Christ, Seek Those Things Which Are Above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on Things Above, not on things on the earth. Col 3:1-2

¹³ Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious [heavenly] appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Titus 2:13 (KJV)

This message is unknown in the bulk of Christendom. Few have any idea of where Christ is seated today, or where He is enthroned. There needs to be more study of “the Word of truth” and total abandonment of religious tradition. Didn’t Jesus scold the Pharisees saying they were; ¹³Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. Mark 7:13 (KJV)

About all that is traditionally known of the future eternal state is that someday there will be a great general judgment, maybe before the great white throne, and it is assumed that good folks will go to heaven, and the bad folks go to torment in hell. Then of course, there is little idea of what heaven and eternal loss are. So, we have the problem of malfeasance in the teaching of “the word of truth” for us today.

So, where is Christ sitting today? Is it in the New Jerusalem? On the clouds? On some planet in our universe? The fact is that the God and Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ raised Him from the dead and set Him at His own right hand “in heavenly places.” This is “Far Above” every ruler and power that one can mention.

Note the words of Eph 1:19-23.

¹⁹ And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, ²⁰  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the HEAVENLY PLACES, ²¹  FAR ABOVE all [angelic and human] principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: ²²  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the Head Over All Things To The Church, ²³ Which Is His Body, [which is] the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Ephesians 1:19-23 (KJV)

The believing saints and faithful members of today’s “church, which is His body” are today quickened [enlivened] with Christ’s own resurrected “Spirit of life” (Rom. 8:2), we are raised up with Him, and seated (enthroned with Him) “in heavenly places.” Note the words of Eph 2:4-6.

⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, ⁵ Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened [enlivened] us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) ⁶ And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places IN Christ Jesus: Ephesians 2:4-6 (KJV)

Note this contrast;

• There is not one word in the Bible about the believing Nation of Israel having a hope of dwelling “in the heavenly places” as their eternal destiny. Israel has the hope of the heavenly “New Jerusalem” coming down to the earth.
• There is not one word in the Bible about the earth being the eternal dwelling place of today’s grace-age believers who are adopted as members of “the church,” which is “the body of Christ.” The members of “the church, which is His body” do have the “blessed hope.”

¹³ Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious [heavenly] appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Titus 2:13 (KJV)
⁴ When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in [heaven’s] glory. Colossians 3:4 (KJV)

²⁰ For our conversation [Old English for ‘citizenship’] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Philippians 3:20 (KJV)

Paul says “our citizenship is in heaven,” is not on the earth (cf. Phili. 3:20). Being on earth, we are but Christ’s “ambassadors.”  Yet, the faithful believers of today’s “dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph. 3:2) have no part in the things of the earth. We might still be in the world but we are not of this world. That is why our Apostle Paul tells us to set our “affection on things far above,” where we are already spiritually seated “in Christ.”

What about the earth? The faithful believers of the Nation Israel as the children of Abraham by faith, do have an inheritance with Christ on the earth, that is the promised land and much more. But this promise was suspended when Israel became lo-ammi [“Not my people” Hos. 1:9], being set aside by the words of Paul quoting Isaiah in Acts 28:26-28 due to repeated unbelief and rejection of God, His prophets and their Savior, Jesus Christ.

In connection with ‘the covenants of promise’ to Abraham concerning the children of Israel, there were the washings (baptisms), feasts (Passover, of unleavened bread, tabernacles) and the like. Also, they were circumcised. Thereby, a relative few Gentiles were “grafted in” during the last 18 years of the Acts period to ‘provoke Israel to jealousy.’ This was all related to Israel’s earthly hope.

Now why would one who is of today’s “church, the body of Christ” want to take part in what was John’s baptism in water. John’s ‘baptism of repentance’ was to mark out the Israelites who received the Messiah, along with keeping Israel’s feasts and the so-called “Lord’s supper”? Read Col. 2:16.

Why would we of “His body” today be looking for Christ to come down to the earth when our “citizenship is in the heavenly places”? We look to Go Up! Why should we look for the tribulation, which wrath is to come upon Israel and the world AFTER we GO UP?

In other words, we who are heaven-bound do not set our affection on the earthly millennial kingdom or on “the New Jerusalem,” for they are things pertaining to the remnant of Israel on the earth.

We should know to “Seek those things which are above… Set your affections on things above.” Col 3:1-2. There are things above that we are to seek, upon which we are to set our affection.

What things? At the very start of the revelation of the dispensation of the mystery, we are told that in heavenly places we already “have every blessing that is spiritual” (cf. Eph 1:3).

These are found in union with “in Christ” Who currently is in “the heavenly places.” And these things we are to look after, strive to find, and think upon continually. There is an inheritance in the real, heavenly, “the holy of holies” that we should seek to know about (Eph 1:18). There is one throne for each of us as we of “His body” are perfectly “in Christ” (Eph 2:6).

⁶ And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places IN CHRIST JESUS: Eph. 2:6

There is a ‘citizenship’ to cherish (Philip. 3:20) and above all, there is a “crown of righteousness,” a prize as a reward which, we are to seek.

¹⁴ I press toward the mark for the prize of the high [above] calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14 (KJV)

Where exactly is this “high calling”?

We have already answered that. Those things are “in the heavenly places,” “far above all,” where “Christ sitteth, the right hand of God,” in glory. This is “THE HOLIEST OF ALL.” This is “Far Above” the whole creation, that is “the heaven and on earth,” known by the Greek word the ‘kosmos.’ This is beyond the stars, and out Far Above the open space, and above God’s meeting place with the angels on “the sides of the north.” (Psa. 48:2) which is first mentioned in Deut. 10:14 where it is called “the heaven of heavens.”

Who? Who is above, upon Whom should we set our affection, and Whom we should diligently seek?

Who is the only Man that has entered the heavenly places? (See John 3:13). You should be able to guess. Who is “The Head” of “the church, which is His body”? Who is in that place ready to be manifested (to shine forth in all His glory), and His church with Him? Christ is now sitting with His Father on His throne awaiting the day when He will have a throne of His own?

Now, what was the promise made before the ages began? We were chosen in Him before the overthrow of the Kosmos (Eph 1:4).

² In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised Before The World Began; Titus 1:2,

⁴ According as He [God] Hath Chosen Us in him before the foundation [Gk. katabole, the overthrow] of the world, that we should be [for us to be] holy and without blame before him in [His] love: Eph. 1:4 (KJV)

We can see that even before Lucifer initiated his rebellion, a plan was in the mind of God. Something would be done that would heal this breech in the government over the kosmos [i.e., heaven and the earth]. Some will take the place of Satan and the angels that followed him in revolt. Those who failed to be numbered among ‘the principalities and powers in the heavenlies’ will be replaced by this great “body,” “the church” of which Christ is “the Head.” We of His body have a HIGH calling to serve Him “in the heavenly places,” “Far above.”

The eternal plan and purpose of God for the restoration of the heavenly government … predates His spoken plans for Israel’s restoration. The restoration of the Kingdom to Israel was spoken of AFTER or SINCE the foundation [Gk. katabole overthrow] of the world.

²¹ [Christ] Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things [the Kingdom], which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets Since The World Began. Acts 3:21 (KJV)

Do you personally have a place in God’s grand purpose of the ages?

When will His eternal purpose be actualized? This is the question that many ask.

• We have the Bible’s prophetic dating for Israel’s end time activities and hope for the “Kingdom come on earth.” We find a period of 490 years mentioned in Dan 9:24 which will end with the 70^th week of years with the 2^nd coming of Christ to earth to save and rule over Israel and the nations on earth.  
• By contrast the manifestation of the Gentile “church, which is His body” destined to heaven’s glory is still largely a secret to most Christians.

But we who have been studying to become intelligized to Paul’s Post-Acts epistles know that …  we of “His body” will simultaneously “appear with Christ” in heaven when He is manifested to “appear” in heaven’s glory.

¹ If [since] ye then be risen with Christ, Seek Those Things Which Are Above, Where Christ Sitteth On The Right Hand Of God. Set your affection on Things Above, not on things on the earth. Col 3:1-2

¹³ [We are] Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious [heavenly] appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Titus 2:13 (KJV)

⁴ When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in [heaven’s] glory. Colossians 3:4 (KJV)

<> Portions adapted from Oscar M. Baker