Citizens of Another World

There has been one United States president who, when he died, was no longer a citizen of the United States. It was the country’s tenth president— John Tyler. John Tyler served in office from 1841 to 1845. But more than being an American, Tyler was a Virginian. And so when Virginia, along with the other southern states, seceded from the union, Tyler stayed true to his home state and joined them, renouncing his U.S. citizenship.

Tyler had actually served as the chair of the Virginia Peace Convention, which was held in 1861 in Washington, D.C. It was an effort to prevent a civil war. When no compromise was achieved, however, he viewed secession as the only option and joined Virginia and the other states in abandoning their citizenship.

From there, he was elected to the House of Representatives of the Confederate Congress, but it was a position he would never fill. He died on January 18, 1862, before ever serving one day in office. And thus, he is the only president in the history of the United States to die as a former citizen.

Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, shares some interesting news about our citizenship: “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). Though we might have been born in America or Canada or some other part of the world, as Christians, our true citizenship is in heaven. Thus, we are invited to renounce our allegiance to the world and respond to God’s invitation to take up the mission of our heavenly home—which is to spread the good news to the citizens of this world.

Key Bible Texts

Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. (John 18:36 KJV)