For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven.  2 Corinthians 5:1-2

There is a saying that has been around in the church for many years. It goes something like this – “Don’t be so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good.”

I think the point of this adage is that as believers in Jesus Christ we are called to be a part of the rhythm of life, living and ministering in our communities for the benefit of all people.  Leading a cloistered life is antithetical to the biblical mandate to be salt and light.

As with many other things this principle can be carried too far though.  The apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthian believers reminded them that life on earth would be followed by life with God in eternity.  The bodies we now have, what Paul refers to as our earthly tents, will one day pass away and we will receive new bodies, “a building” perfected by God for all eternity.

A larger point is missed however, when we think that being salt and light and being heavenly minded are mutually exclusive. Consider for example the Apostle Paul’s great exhortation to the believers in Rome in chapter 8 of his letter to that congregation.  There we find Paul exhorting the believers to live a spirit-filled life in the here and now always keeping eternity in view.

This truth is exemplified in statements such as “If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” What are these “all things” Paul describes? They include most importantly the truth that we will all receive redeemed, glorified bodies for all eternity. The Bible says that believers are to wait “eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.”

When we view life from this perspective it makes sense to be constantly heavenly-minded as a reminder that this life does not define who we are or who we will become.  God has already declared us righteous, holy, and redeemed.

Brothers and sisters – that is a transforming truth.