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1. "Conversation" has much the same meaning as the political word "constitution." "Citizenship" is a good rendering if to the ordinary meaning of political standing and privilege be added the mode of a nation's government, the character of its laws, the tone and habits of its citizens.

2. The word rendered "is" denotes that our constitution endures and rules.

3. States have their heads; ours is "the Lord Jesus Christ."

4. There are here two practical motives by which St. Paul urges the Philippians to walk so that they have true Christian teachers for an ensample.

I. THE ENERGY OF LOYALTY.

1. Loyalty is reverence for, not mere submission to law. A man may be obedient for fear of punishment. A loyal man will not think much of a penalty to be escaped. The privilege of his citizenship was the protection of every Roman. By pleading this Paul escaped the lash. But that would be a poor loyalty which only pleaded privilege without the homage of submission. The loyal Roman would behave himself as a freeman. Regard for others would be instilled into him by reverence for the law which protected all. They are not loyal Englishmen who by their vices have brought shame on the English name in foreign lands. Attachment to one's country will lead a man to live worthy of it.

2. You see how loyalty to heaven affected Paul. It was a pain to him that there were Christians unmindful of their heavenly character, dishonouring themselves and casting contempt on their citizenship. The honour of the heavenly citizen is the strong motive by which he appeals to his disciples. Loyalty to a higher order is an energy to resist temptation. True patriotic pride is an impulse to sons to prove worthy of their sires; a name is theirs which they must not dishonour. The higher law of the household constrains many to purity of thought and manly struggle. The thought of home, wife, children, parents, deprives temptation of all its force. Loyalty to the sanctities of household piety is the energy of a pure and reverent life. In this way Paul appeals to the Philippians when he says "we are citizens of heaven." He is putting them on their honour, while around them are many who have fallen from their profession.

3. Reflect on the obligations of your heavenly home. How pure, lowly, gentle, etc., you expect to be when there. But to all this we are actually called now. Many a man reflecting on his end hopes for a previous time of amendment. In this he shows his recognition of the heavenly character. And we are now citizens of heaven, and its life must be our life on earth.

II. THE INSPIRATION OF HOPE.

1. Note the sudden change in Paul's writing. Having introduced the fact of the heavenly citizenship, as an admonition he turns to dwell on the hope it inspires. The Philippians had seen Paul's degradation change into triumph on the mention of the words, "I am a Roman citizen." Then the imperial law of Rome had been his protection; now he was enduring wrong at the hands of the emperor himself. The contrast between human statecraft and heavenly rule comes up sharp before him, and in a burst of triumph he utters his expectation of his King's appearance.

2. Paul knew what was the bondage of the body. How often had the zeal of his spirit worn out the feeble flesh. It is deeply pathetic to think of this man of inspired will, dauntless courage, and deathless energy, suffering humiliation because of the tried and suffering frame. But the body was not "vile." He is finding no fault with it. It is answering the purpose of humiliation for which it was designed. His master was keeping him down in feeble flesh that any spiritual pride in him might be checked. Think of it, you of hasty spirit; this man, noblest of all who have borne Christ's image, submitted meekly to this restriction.

3. But it was in hope of a blessed transformation. Wisely ordered is the body of humiliation, lest the terrible sin of spiritual arrogance should be ours. But wise and kind as is the discipline, we long for it to be over. Our body is, indeed, a "body of humiliation"; we must have it changed ere we can be free. But we shall be free. Guard we the Spirit, and He by the energy with which He is able to subdue all things to Himself will "change the body," etc.

(A. Mackennal, D. D.)

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KJV: For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

WEB: For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;