A little over 15 years has past since we first came to the United States of America, and today (March 14, 2013) my wife and I were granted citizenship. As part of the naturalization process, we had to take the oath of allegiance.
The oath of allegiance as it stands goes as:
“I hereby declare, on oath,
that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen;
that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic;
that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;
that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law;
that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law;
that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and
that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion;
so help me God.”
Over 22 years ago, on September 30, 1990, I got another citizenship status granted, and this was my citizenship in heaven, when I believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. I wish I had taken then, a oath like the one I had to take for the United States. But as they say, it is better to be late than never, and so in addition to the US oath of allegiance, I take my Christian oath of allegiance as well today.
“I hereby declare, on oath,
that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2), to the beggarly state of my former self and of the world (Galatians 4:9), or to the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4), to whom or which I have heretofore been under bondage to;
that I will support and defend the Bible (the Constitution of all constitutions) and the laws written within, against all enemies of the cross of Christ (Philippians 3:18), whether they be external or from self (domestic) (1 Peter 3:15);
that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same (so that when the Son of God returns, he will count me worthy of having kept the faith) (Jude 1:3);
that I will bear spiritual arms wearing the spiritual armor (Ephesians 6:10-18) and be a spiritual warrior (Nehemiah 4:17), when required of me;
that I will serve only Jesus Christ, my Master (Matthew 6:24) and perform noncombatant (peaceful) services and proclaim his gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15);
that I will perform work of heavenly importance under God’s will and direction (Luke 22:42) and the direction of his saints (fellow civilians Christians) (Hebrews 10:25); and
that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion (but with a renewal of my mind) (Romans 12:2);
so help me God.”
Points to ponder:
Is this your oath of allegiance to the one true King, Jesus Christ as well? If not, why not?
Philippians 3:20-21 (NLT)
20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.
21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.
Acts 17:7 (NLT)
7 …, for they profess allegiance to another king, named Jesus.”
