Philippians 3:20 tells believers that their true citizenship belongs to heaven, and that they are living now while waiting for Jesus Christ to return as Savior. The apostle Paul wrote these words to the church in Philippi, a Roman colony whose residents took special pride in their Roman citizenship and its privileges. He used that familiar idea to remind the Christians there where their real home and loyalty lie.
For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ…
Philippians 3:20 (WEB)
What Philippians 3:20 Means
The word “citizenship” points to a whole way of belonging. In Paul’s day, a citizen of a Roman colony enjoyed legal rights, a shared identity, and a clear allegiance to a city and its ruler, even when that person lived far away. Paul says the same is true for believers. Their identity, protection, and ultimate allegiance are tied to heaven, so the values and direction of that home should shape how they live on earth.
The phrase “we also wait for a Savior” describes the present posture of the Christian. We are not yet fully at home. We are waiting, and the one we wait for is Jesus Christ, whom Paul calls Savior and Lord. The verse does not promise a timetable or a particular set of circumstances. It promises a certain hope: the Lord who saved us will come back for us.
The Context of Philippians 3:20
Philippians is a warm letter Paul wrote from prison, probably in the early 60s, to a congregation he had founded and loved. Much of the letter encourages unity, joy, and steadfastness under pressure. Chapter 3 contrasts two ways of life. Paul warns against people who live for their appetites and earthly status, describing them as enemies of the cross whose glory is in their shame. Right before verse 20, he urges the believers to imitate him and others who walk in the pattern of the gospel.
Read in that setting, verse 20 is the reason for the contrast. Those who set their minds on earthly things have no lasting home, but believers belong to a kingdom that does not fade. The surrounding verses also set up the promise that follows, that the Lord will transform our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body. The verse therefore sits at the hinge between warning and hope.
Key Phrases in Philippians 3:20
Ephesians 2:19
So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God…
(WEB)
This verse says believers are no longer strangers and aliens but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of his household. It widens the picture from individual citizenship to shared belonging within the family of God. Read together, the two passages show that our heavenly citizenship is both personal and communal.
1 Thessalonians 4:16
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first…
(WEB)
Paul describes the Lord himself descending from heaven with a shout, which gives concrete shape to the expectation of Christ’s return. This passage fills in what waiting for a Savior may look like. It strengthens the sense that the hope in Philippians 3:20 is anchored in a real, visible future event.
A Short Prayer From Philippians 3:20
Lord, you have made me a citizen of heaven through your Son, Jesus Christ. When my attention drifts toward what this world offers, bring my heart back to the home you have prepared for me. Help me to live today in a way that reflects where I truly belong. Teach me to wait for my Savior with patience and hope, trusting that he will come and make all things new. Keep my eyes fixed on him, and let my life show the peace of a citizen who knows the King. Amen.
