Yes — when we become believers, our citizenship immediately becomes heavenly; we are citizens of heaven who remain on earth as ambassadors of that homeland.
Les Feldick teaches that every believer, though still living on the earth, already has citizenship in heaven — the same allegiance to heaven over earthly government that caused the early Christians' conflict with Rome (Clip 1). At salvation the Holy Spirit places us into the body of Christ (Clips 3, 4), and we are left on earth as visible representatives, or ambassadors, of our heavenly homeland (Clip 0).
Philippians 3:20 — Paul's clearest biblical statement that a believer's citizenship is in heaven; it is the truth Les teaches plainly in Clip 1.
Colossians 1:12 — The verse Les explicitly cites in Clip 0, connecting the believer's heavenly position to the Father's preparation of us for the saints' inheritance.
Paul declares that a believer's true homeland is heaven: “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). In the King James wording, the believer's “conversation” is his citizenship — his real home is in heaven, and he lives on earth looking for the Saviour. Paul also writes, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20). An ambassador is the visible representative of a homeland where his citizenship resides. In Colossians 1:12, Paul gives thanks “unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.” The Father has prepared believers to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints.
Les Feldick teaches that the moment a person becomes a believer, even though he is left here on the earth, his citizenship is already in heaven (Clip 1). This is the same truth that got the early Christians into trouble with the Roman government: they gave their allegiance to nobody but their God, so their Roman citizenship became secondary (Clip 1). Because our homeland is heaven, we are left here as ambassadors of that homeland, just as foreign service people are visible representatives of their government (Clip 0). Les also clarifies what this citizenship does and does not mean. Becoming a believer does not make you a Jew — Les is emphatic: “No, you do not become a Jew” — but spiritually we come into that position with Christ that Israel enjoyed as a nation; it is a positional thing (Clip 2). At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit places the believer into the body of Christ, the worldwide congregation of genuine born-again people (Clips 3, 4). Finally, Les teaches that heavenly citizenship changes everyday conduct. A practicing believer will be a good citizen — a true child of God will not be giving the police department fits — and will be a good parent, grandparent, child, and teenager (Clip 5). The true believer is the common, ordinary good citizen and church member operating according to God's precepts (Clip 6). Every believer has a change of appetites, lifestyle, behavior, and attitude because we are a new person, the result of a creative work of the Creator God (Clip 7).
Les Feldick explains that just as foreign service people are supposed to be visible representatives of their government — so that the Japanese people, for example, could watch an American ambassador and see a typical American — so believers living in the here and now are left on earth as ambassadors of their homeland, which is heaven (Clip 0). Because our citizenship is in heaven, our Roman or earthly citizenship is now secondary (Clip 1).
Les addresses this question directly, noting that people have asked him whether becoming a Christian makes you a Jew. He answers with a practical observation: if you became a Jew at salvation, you would immediately have gotten a Jew's black hair, dark eyes, large nose, and all the other physical features — and that does not happen. He is clear: “No, you do not become a Jew.” Spiritually, however, believers come into that position with Christ that Israel enjoyed as a nation — it is a positional thing (Clip 2).
Les teaches that the moment we believe the gospel, the Holy Spirit places us into the body of Christ — a baptism that no organization or denomination can perform; it is something only the invisible Almighty Spirit of God can do (Clip 3). The entrance is by salvation: when a person understands that he is a lost child of Adam and genuinely believes that Christ died for him, shed His blood, was buried, and rose from the dead, God makes that person His child and puts him into the body of Christ (Clip 4).
Yes. Les says a practicing believer will be a good citizen — you will not find a true child of God giving the police department fits — and he will be a good parent, grandparent, child, and teenager. A community of 100% born-again believers would be a pretty decent place to live (Clip 5). The true believer is the common, ordinary good citizen and church member operating according to God's precepts, not an oddball out in left field (Clip 6). And every believer has a change of appetites, lifestyle, behavior, and attitude because we are a new person — the result of a creative work of the Creator God (Clip 7).
Ambassadors of a Heavenly Homeland
Les explains that believers living here and now are left on earth as ambassadors of their homeland, which is heaven — the same role as foreign service people who visibly represent their government.
Citizenship in Heaven
Les states plainly that every believer's citizenship is in heaven even while we remain on the earth, which is what brought the early Christians into conflict with the Roman government.
Not Jews, but a Spiritual Position
Les clarifies that becoming a Christian does not make you a Jew; spiritually, however, believers come into that position with Christ that Israel enjoyed as a nation.
Placed into the Body of Christ
Les teaches that at the moment we believe the gospel, the Holy Spirit places us into the body of Christ — the worldwide congregation of genuine born-again people.
How We Enter the Body of Christ
Les emphasizes that when a person truly believes that Christ died for them, shed His blood, was buried, and rose from the dead, God makes that person His child and puts him into the body of Christ.
Heavenly Citizenship and Good Earthly Conduct
Les explains that a practicing believer will be a good citizen, parent, grandparent, child, and teenager — the kind of person who enhances society.
The Believer as the Ordinary Good Citizen
Les describes the true believer as the common, ordinary good citizen and church member operating according to God's precepts — not an oddball or a kook.
A New Person with Changed Appetites
Les teaches that every believer has a change of appetites, lifestyle, behavior, and attitude because we are a new person — the result of a creative work of the Creator God.
Philippians 3:20: For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
The core biblical statement that a believer's citizenship is in heaven — the truth Les teaches directly in Clip 1.
Colossians 1:12: Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
The verse Les cites in Clip 0, showing that the Father has made believers meet to share the inheritance of the saints.
2 Corinthians 5:20: Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
The scriptural foundation for Les's teaching in Clip 0 that believers are ambassadors of their heavenly homeland.
The moment you believe the gospel. Les Feldick teaches that every believer, even though left here on the earth, already has citizenship in heaven (Clip 1), and the Holy Spirit places us into the body of Christ at that same instant (Clips 3, 4).
No. Les says that if you became a Jew when you were saved, you would have immediately gotten a Jew's physical features — and that does not happen. He is clear: “No, you do not become a Jew.” Spiritually, however, believers come into that position with Christ that Israel enjoyed as a nation — it is a positional thing (Clip 2).
Because their citizenship was in heaven and their Roman citizenship was now secondary. They would give their allegiance to nobody but their God, which put them in conflict with Rome (Clip 1).
As believers living here and now, we are left on earth as ambassadors of our homeland, which is heaven. Just as foreign service people are meant to be visible representatives of their government, believers are to represent their heavenly citizenship as they walk on this earth (Clip 0).
Watch the Teaching: How Are We Reconciled to God? 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 Explained