As believers, we are citizens of the most powerful kingdom on the earth. When we first believed, we received the Holy Spirit as a pledge of our inheritance through faith (Eph. 1:13-14). All our old ties were broken away, and all the riches of the Lord became ours. Through this pledge the Lord gave Himself to us — that we should be one with Him in His life. For many years, we may not realize the reality and immensity of the truth relayed in the Bible — that God wants to have a relationship with us. But from the moment when we first believe, we have the privilege to look beyond the old, dusty things of the earthen life and instead look forward to a better country (Heb. 11:16). This nation is one of true freedom (2 Cor. 3:17).
But what does it really look like to exercise this pledge — this freedom? Someone who grew up in the United States might recite the pledge of allegiance each day at school yet find little meaning in such a ritual. Just like we may be an American all our lives and yet take our privilege for granted, we can also claim to be a believer and yet not own our inheritance. But for those who have immigrated and have newly become American citizens, having gone through an intensive process to obtain their American identity, this “pledge” has a much more significant meaning. There is a meaning, depth, and relationship to this identity that cannot be taken for granted. Our heavenly citizenship likewise has been won at a cost — not by us, but by Him.
Today, exercising our spiritual pledge is simply owning our relationship to Him. He went through a process to become the life-giving Spirit to us that we could be freed from our old creation and assume a new identity. He is not just an abstract idea or an almighty but distant God. Do we see that the Spirit — which is now in our spirit — is our pledge? That we can own this identity as children of God, citizens of this heavenly kingdom, enjoying all the rights and privileges of this house? Here, there is freedom to own and enjoy Him. Just as a child to a father, we can be free to ask Him, to entreat Him, to praise Him, to share with Him, to love Him because of who He is to us (Luke 11:13).
No matter if you were “born” into a family of believers or just met the Lord today, this pledge is your taste of God’s kingdom that you can enjoy today with all its freedom and glory in the church (Phil. 3:20). We shouldn’t treat our gathering together, our bread-breaking, our prayer, or our fellowship in the church as a practice. Rather, we should pledge ourselves to Him. It is not a ceremony. It is not a ritual. You are involved. Today, we have a way to be committed, to be a part of the bread that was broken — which is Christ Himself, who broke His flesh so you and I could enter into this heavenly country. This spiritual pledge brings us into the freedom of life as citizens of His kingdom — to mingle with and enjoy the life of the King Himself!
(Above are notes of fellowship taken from a gathering on 1/26/2025, not reviewed by the speaker.)