The church is in a sense a pre-modern creedal state. The earliest declaration of the church asserts Jesus is Lord.[1] The church’s membership was self-identified—voluntarily composed of those willing to proclaim Jesus as Lord and Savior. It was the cornerstone of a new order. As the Apostle wrote, “Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”[2]
Commentators explain the nature of the Christian citizenship is above: “True Christians set up no commonwealth here on earth, their great commonwealth exists in heaven, they are strangers and pilgrims here.