A Balanced End-Times Perspective

How to be both "heavenly minded" AND "earthly good"

Have you ever heard someone make this statement? “She’s so heavenly minded, she’s no earthly good.” It’s not a kind thing to say. It’s an insult—a way to talk bad about people who are so spiritual they don’t seem to accomplish very much.

It might even be a way for some to talk bad about people who talk about the Rapture or the Second Coming, as if our focus on the future prevents us from serving others in the present.

Of course, that’s not true. Being heavenly minded shouldn’t be an insult. In fact, if someone describes me as “heavenly minded,” I would take it as a compliment.

When we look at history, it’s pretty clear that the people who have done the most for this world have been those who thought more of the next one.

For example, look at our own nation. Some of our nation’s greatest universities—like Yale and Harvard—were started by Bible-believing Christians with the intent not only to educate people, but to teach them about Jesus Christ. Yes, it may surprise you today, but Yale and Harvard have solid Christian roots.

This is typical of the direction Christians have taken throughout history. Faithful Christians have always wanted to make an impact on our culture. Followers of Jesus have started hospitals. They’ve started homeless shelters. They’ve have reached out to the downtrodden and the hurting in our world today with the gospel of Jesus Christ, clothing them, feeding them, and taking care of them.

Pay attention when a problem develops in the world. Whether it’s a famine or natural disaster or some other crisis, you’ll find Christians are often the first to react and the first to begin serving on the frontlines. Believers usually lead the way through relief organizations and are always ready to do something for others.

Why do they do this? They react this way because they are heavenly minded. And those who are truly heavenly minded will be of the greatest earthly good.

Practical, Balanced Spirituality

When the Apostle Paul said, “To live is Christ,” he was speaking of the fact that he had an interest in the things of this life in addition to the things of the next life. Later he said this:

“I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.”—Philippians 1:23-24, NLT

He was saying, “I want to go be with the Lord, but I still have a job to do.” What I appreciate about Paul is that he had a practical spirituality. Yes, Paul loved Jesus and wanted to live for Him. Without question, Paul had a holy passion for the things of God.

But at the same time, Paul was utterly human. He didn’t live in stained glass. He didn’t walk around with a little pedestal that he climbed up on when he wanted to make a pronouncement. Paul was someone like you and me!

For one thing, the Book of Acts and other letters he wrote tell us that Paul had conflicts and disagreements with the people around him. Acts 15 tells us about how “the contention became so sharp” between Paul and Barnabas on one missionary journey that they parted ways for a while. (The two men reconciled later.) Even Paul got into disagreements.

He also got upset at times. On one occasion, Paul was standing before the high priest, Ananias, on bogus charges. At one point he said something to Ananias, and as a result, Ananias commanded that he be struck in the mouth.

Paul shot back:

“God will slap you, you corrupt hypocrite! What kind of judge are you to break the law yourself by ordering me struck like that?”—Acts 23:3, NLT

Let’s be honest: That doesn’t sound exactly like turning the other cheek to me. It sounds like something I might do!

Yet Paul didn’t sit around with some kind of death wish. He was imprisoned and chained to a Roman guard, but he wasn’t saying, “I hope I die today. I hope my life is taken from me.”

One occasion when his life was threatened, other believers lowered him in a basket over the city wall to help him escape during the night. Paul was practical. He wanted to live. Actually, I don’t think anyone loved life more than Paul did! But he had his priorities in order. He had a balanced spirituality—he loved the life God had given him and wanted to make a difference in his world. But he also kept his mind on Jesus.

That’s a genuine, world-changing spirituality.

Real, Genuine Faith

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of meeting some amazing men and women of God. These leaders have always impressed me with their genuine spirituality.

I’ve been lucky enough to spend time with people like Billy and Ruth Graham, Chuck Smith, and Alan Redpath, all of whom have since gone to be with the Lord. I’m not dropping names to brag. I’m saying this to tell you that the godliest people I’ve known are real people.

I can also tell you they loved God and had their priorities in order. Like Paul, there was a balance to their lives. They had a spiritual mindset and that focus drove them to do good in the world.

That kind of spirituality isn’t a spacey, wild-eyed, one-taco-short-of-a-combination-plate spirituality. I’m talking about practical faith, a real faith that the Bible proclaims. That is the kind of spirituality Paul was speaking of when he said, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

It’s not an elite spirituality. It’s not the kind of spirituality only available to people in the Bible, or those who knew Jesus, or the first generation of Christians.

Instead, Paul is speaking about an experience—a lifestyle that should quite literally be the norm for every follower of Jesus Christ, from the days of Paul and his first-century missionary journeys to our moment, right now, in the 21st century, as we watch our world hurtle at full speed toward the events of the end times.

Breathtaking Dominance

But if we’re honest, we have to admit that the Christianity of the New Testament does seem different from the Christianity of today. Many of us live in cities or neighborhoods where it is not unique for us to follow Christ. We are surrounded by other Christians. Our friends and family members and maybe even work colleagues are Christians. In some situations, it might even be a disadvantage to not be a Christian.

But back in the first-century world, there were no social advantages to being a Christian. In fact, a person could lose his or her life by making it public that they follow Jesus.

Yet the way the first-century Christians impacted their culture was nothing short of breathtaking. Christianity was once a tiny movement within Judaism. It has since become one of the most dominant religions in the world.

But how many people do you know who still worship the ancient Greek or Roman gods? Probably none, because Christians defeated the paganism of the first century.

But it’s worth noting that those early Christians made no attempts to conquer paganism and dead religion by reacting blow-by-blow. They didn’t schedule debates. They didn’t stage protests in front of their temples. Instead, the early believers just outthought, outprayed, and outlived the nonbelievers.

Their weapons were positive, not negative. They didn’t organize boycotts. They didn’t put on campaigns to try to unseat the Roman emperors. Instead they prayed, preached, and proclaimed the message of Jesus Christ. And to a large degree, they won over a good portion of their culture. They, like Paul, could say, “To live is Christ.”

It’s easy to be negative. It’s easy to complain on social media or to “participate” in a social media boycott. But #hashtag activism doesn’t do a whole lot. Neither do bumper stickers. If we want to be “earthly good” in the real world, we should be working hard to impact our culture by helping others and serving the “least of these.” To be a light in a dark world.

The most effective way to do so is in how we live—and to live is Christ.