Believers say they’ve been saved by grace but can sound at times like they think they must earn their grace. Some wise sayings are more of a parody of the gospel, than the truth. Still, many Christians pride themselves on their practicality, or solid work ethic, being down to earth, etc. But we are not just saved by grace, we also live by grace, as citizens of God’s kingdom. We rely fully on God, working by His Spirit in us, to transform us into the likeness of Jesus. He, after all, was the One who said, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 So let’s make more space for grace.

I recently returned from a ministry trip to India where I visited our 3M (Mangala Mission Movement) project. Starting with zero believers five years ago, we now have 1,108 new churches with thousands of new believers in this region. What began with the Mangala, now reaches Madiga, Mala, Kolla, and other peoples. God’s mercy and grace and the Mangala believers’ witness has now produced a wonderful movement of God.

The 3M leaders asked me to speak on spiritual formation to help new leaders mature as well as multiply. We know trees that grow tall trunks with shallow roots fall more easily and we wanted to avoid that. New believers must understand their new world reality as citizens of a different kingdom. As Indians or Americans, we grow up learning what is “normal.” But the kingdom of God is a new promised land—with different rules, priorities and goals. (See Matthew 5:3–12) Some who were strong and capable before Christ struggle now to leave behind things that worked in their old life. Everyone who is born again must learn to live under new leadership, with a new value system and a new “normal” as citizens of the kingdom of God. It is a lifelong process all believers go through as they become new citizens of His kingdom and work to build it here on earth.

When I became a U.S. citizen, I learned about the laws, history and culture of America. I needed to understand what it meant to be American. When we are born again from heaven, we need to learn what it means to be heavenly. If you are too earthlyminded, you will never be of much heavenly use. But take heart. God helps us to do the things we cannot do alone. Congratulations on becoming a citizen of heaven and a foreigner and alien in every nation on earth. There is a lifelong citizen test too. It is multiple choice, so it’s easy. The right answer will always be to choose to follow the way of Jesus each day, which is the way of the beatitudes. I encourage you always to choose the way of “bless-ed.”

The days after the first Easter were truly extraordinary. Christ rose on April 5, but it was only on May 17, when He ascended. A week later, He sent the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. During those 42 days before Ascension, Jesus did not appear to all Israelites, but only His disciples. In fact, those who were to be the new citizens of the kingdom of God on earth. Christ prioritized this time to encourage His new brothers and sisters to be faithful citizens of heaven. He commanded them to seek first and build the kingdom of God on earth by disciple-making and filling the earth with sons and daughters of God. If I am to be a model citizen of the kingdom of God, those will need to be my priorities too. Grace to you, as you grow into the likeness of Christ.

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Chris Jones is the Global Outreach Director at New Hope Church. He longs for the unreached people of the world to experience the life-changing love of God and for people at New Hope Church to find fullness of joy by obeying the Great Commission.