We realize that to believe in Jesus Christ is to be a citizen of the Kingdom of God which puts us in the crosshairs of the world. Understanding that from the beginning of our Christian walk is crucial. To be a Kingdom citizen is to be saved from sin so that we would be saved to Jesus. This means we will live differently and be treated differently as followers of Christ living in a kingdom that is not our own.

With so many things vying for our attention in this world, the Sermon on the Mount reminds us where our true identity is as citizens of God’s Kingdom. As we look at the beatitudes, we see that they don’t describe how one becomes a citizen of God’s kingdom, but rather how one lives as a citizen (or disciple) in God’s Kingdom.

How is gospel transformation, the process of overcoming sin and by His grace, being made more like Jesus, accomplished in and through us? Looking at the fruit in our lives, we trace it back to the root, the heart, in order to identify the sin in our hearts and experience true change through the gospel of Christ.