According to the truthful sense, the Christian life of faith is a life that lives heaven on earth. But many people seem to live their lives opposite way. I remember the time to set the motto of my ministry as "the community of hope that lives heaven on earth by faith." I have been preached this theme to the congregation quite often since I believe it is truly the essential element of the Christian life. However, far from living heaven on earth, there are many that can be found fighting alone everyday, living meaninglessly in despair and hopelessness.
On the other hand, observing from the worldly perspective, many people from wealthy families who should be enjoying a heavenly life do not enjoy their lives in that way. Even the people who received the salvation still live with the worldly standards and values. They believe and even seek a satisfaction simply by attending the church services regularly and receive an affirmation from the church and its members.
We believers are given the rights as citizens of heaven as soon as we receive the salvation. But, if we give up the privileges and insist on living like the people in this world, it would be a foolish thing by adding up a waste of life. God does not want us to be satisfied just by the fact that we are saved. He wants us not only to be saved, but also come to the fullness of the truth. The Lord wants us work out our salvation with fear and trembling as written in Phil. 2:12: "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling"
We are able to enjoy the abundant heavenly lives more in the midst of trials and adversities than when all things go well and we are in peace. Think about the warriors in the world of faith shown in the Bible such as Joseph, Daniel, and Paul. The common things among these people are that they truly walked with the Lord in the times of persecution and hardships and did not compromise with the world. Throughout the 2000 years of Christian history, there probably is no one who enjoyed a more abundant life of heaven on earth than the apostle Paul. Let us keep this in mind that we are created and called to live like heavenly citizens in this world as all the ancestors of faith did.
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