How can the Church make the believer a “firstborn whose name is registered in heaven”?

St. Paul says in his epistle to the Hebrews, “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven , to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect” (Heb. 12:22–23). Many Church Fathers comment on this verse; especially his use of the words, “ church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven .” We became firstborn in Christ Jesus, the Firstborn. Christ’s birthright is different from the worldly birthright in which the one who receives it, deprives those who are born after him from it. Instead, Christ’s birthright grants others to partake of it. This birthright is different from the world’s concept of birthrights.

According to Origen , “This teaches us that with God they are not considered to be firstborn who come first in terms of physical birth, but rather it is those whom God himself who has examined the purpose of their mind, indicates are to be received into the order of the firstborn? For thus Jacob, who was born later, was adjudged by God to be the firstborn, and he received the blessings of the birthright (Gen. 27:11).”¹⁰²⁹

Origen also comments on St. Paul’s words in Hebrews 12:22–23 saying that there are four categories in heaven: Mount Zion; the heavenly Jerusalem the city of God; the

1027 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 2 on Eutropius (NPNF I/9:253).

1028 St. John Chrysostom, Homily 2 on Eutropius (NPNF I/9:256).

1029 Origen, Homilies on Numbers , ed., Christopher A. Hall, trans. Thomas P. Scheck (Downer Groves, IL: IVP Academic, 2009) 3.2.3: p. 10.

multitudes of angels; and the Church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven. The highest of these ranks belongs to one’s membership in the church of the firstborn where the person enjoys communion with Christ the firstborn.

“So if you have understood from these things what is the order of the firstborn ones and what is the mystery of that term, prepare yourself and strive as hard as you can to make progress in actions, life, character, faithfulness and principles, in the hope that perhaps you may be able to come to the ‘church of the firstborn ones, which is written in heaven.’ But if you are not that strong, but are a little weaker, then come to the ‘multitude of praising angels.’ But if you cannot reach that order, strive at least to hasten to the ‘city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.’ But if you are not suitable for that, at least strive for ‘Mount Zion,’ that ‘you may be saved on the mountain.’ All that matters is that you do not reside on earth, that you do not remain in the valleys, that you do not continue in the submerged lower places.”[1030 ]

The Levites were the Jews’ spiritual firstborn. God accepted them on behalf of the entire holy nation, instead of their firstborns according to the flesh. But now, all the faithful became the Church of the firstborn, through their unity with the Son, the true Firstborn.