Heavenly-Minded. Earthly Good.

Transcript:

Hello, this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective.

One of the critiques of Christianity is that it makes its followers so heavenly-minded that they are of no earthly-good. This assumes that heavenly-mindedness is somehow contrary or detrimental to earthly-good. I beg to differ. Any honest look at history will tell you the exact opposite; the most heavenly-minded did the most earthly-good.

For example, the movement to abolish slavery was largely a Christian movement, animated by the basic biblical principle of the dignity of every person made in the image of God.

The push for universal free education was likewise a largely Christian-animated movement. We forget that there was a time when a basic education was considered a privilege only for the elite.

Likewise, Dr. Peter Brown of Princeton shows that the development of the hospital, as a place of care for all regardless of means or status, was a Christian invention. Prior to the church, the world had never before seen such an institution.1

The list could go on.

But, why is it that the most heavenly-minded are of the most earthly-good? Because the God of the Bible cares about His world. He not only created it; He also came to redeem it. The Bible tells us that one day He will make it all new. Jesus promises a new heaven and a new earth—not just a new heaven but a new earth too. God’s coming judgment will not destroy the world but restore it. As the prophets foretold, all sin and evil will be removed, and “justice [will] roll down like a river and righteousness as a mighty stream” (Amos 5:24).

Those animated with this vision have no illusions they will perfect this world. God alone can do that. Nonetheless, this hope makes them stalwart to live into that vision in the here and now.

Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective.

“Alas, you who are longing for the day of the Lord,
For what purpose will the day of the Lord be to you?
It will be darkness and not light;
As when a man flees from a lion
And a bear meets him,
Or goes home, leans his hand against the wall
And a snake bites him.
Will not the day of the Lord be darkness instead of light,
Even gloom with no brightness in it?

I hate, I reject your festivals,
Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies.
Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings.
Take away from Me the noise of your songs;
I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.
But let justice roll down like waters
And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

~ Amos 5:18-24 (NASB)

References:
1 Poverty and Leadership in the Later Roman Empire by Peter Brown (University Press of New England, 2002).

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