Salvation: What does it mean to “mind” only earthly things?
To “mind” something is to be occupied with something in one’s thinking. In this case it is to be occupied in one’s mind with temporal and material things. Unfortunately, that’s what most people spend all their time thinking about. Our apostle Paul warns us as believers about doing this.
Philippians 3:18-19
18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly [KOILIA = hollow or womb, metaphorically used to refer to a person’s emotions], and whose glory is in their shame, who MIND [NOUS = mind, be occupied in one’s mind with] EARTHLY things.) [Emphasis added]
Here in this verse to “mind” is used for pursuing only temporal things that have no eternal value. In this case it means giving priority to temporal desires, goals, ambitions, and pursuits related to this world over spiritual and eternal matters. This is very much the same as being carnally minded. It implies a focus on immediate pleasures, material possessions, earthly achievements, and neglecting one’s relationship with God and one’s future beyond one’s life here on Earth. A very important command we’ve been given to deter this is this one—
2 Timothy 2:15
15 Study [SPOUDAZO = be diligent] to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [Emphasis added]
Essentially, “minding only earthly things” can be seen as a form of materialism or a lack of spiritual awareness. The focus is on the here and the now rather than on a larger purpose or future. This is what Jesus was talking about in what is commonly referred to as the Sermon on The Mount.
Matthew 6:20-34
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon [a common Aramaic word for riches, material things].
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought [stop worrying] for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
All this passage is speaking of is thinking that the believer is to avoid. Worry about temporal matters is completely contrary to God’s will for His people. For more information about this, please see my other articles about it—
Worry: How can it be overcome?
Worry: How are we as Christians to address it?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought [worrying] can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought [again, stop worrying], saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
This whole passage and more [Matthew 5-7] was addressed TO Israel regarding a promised EARTHLY coming kingdom. It would have been fulfilled then if they had accepted Jesus as their promised Messiah, something they refused to do. Therefore, this promised thousand-year “millennial kingdom” on Earth was put off to a future time. For more information about that kingdom, please see my articles about it—
Kingdom: What makes up the kingdom of God?
Kingdom: What will be our place in Christ’s Kingdom?
Millennium: What will be its features?
Matthew 16 continued…
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof [meaning every day has its own causes for worry]. [Emphasis added]
This command had an application for them at that time as they were anticipating the establishment of Christ’s promised earthly kingdom. We see that it was this, apparently more than anything else, that was on the minds of the apostles right before Christ left them and ascended into Heaven. Here’s the record of what was said—
Acts 1:6-9
6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. [Emphasis added]
There are those who have claimed that this promised kingdom was totally spiritual and not material, but His answer clearly refutes that belief. A coming kingdom is what was promised and that earthly kingdom is still future in fulfillment. What’s stated in Revelation about this is all literal.
Revelation 20:2-5
2 And he laid hold on the dragon [Satan has many titles], that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. [Emphasis added]
Today we’re to be preparing ourselves for a judgment that will determine our rewards for when we’ll be living in Heaven. That coming judgment is called in Scripture the Judgment Seat of Christ, the BEMA Seat judgment. As believers today our future is not in an earthly kingdom but one in Heaven. Our focus doesn’t need to be primarily on earthly things but on serving Christ well now as members of this which is called the Body of Christ so we will be greatly rewarded then.
2 Corinthians 5:10
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. [Emphasis added]
To now only be occupied with temporal things will mean that we’ll be excluded from the best of the rewards that’ll then be presented at this Judgment Seat of Christ. Those qualifying for these rewards will be those who learned and applied the commands given to us for our time.
One of the best stories in all the Bible about this minding only earthly things is found in the book of Luke. I remember preaching a sermon about it over fifty years ago. It tells us all we’re to be primarily mindful of heavenly things.
Luke 12:15-21
15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness [PLEONEXZIA = a desire to have more, not satisfied with what one has]: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. [Emphasis added]
So, what are you focusing on? Don’t you realize that life here is short in comparison to all eternity? But it is in this “short” time that we’re qualifying for rewards that will last FOREVER. Shouldn’t we give our attention to this matter, rather than just the material things of this life here? Again, look at what we’re told—
2 Corinthians 5:10
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. [Emphasis added]
If you’re still not a believer who has accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you won’t even be at this judgment. You’ll be at another one called the Great White Throne judgment. Everyone there will end up in what’s called The Lake of Fire.
Revelation 20:15
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life [speaking of all unbelievers] was cast into the lake of fire. [Emphasis added]
So, how can you be sure that your name will be in this “book of life?” If you invest hardly any time at all on this website, you’ll know because I so often mention it. As wonderful as Heaven is going to be for us, it isn’t something that’s earned or deserved.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. [Emphasis added]
If you’ll put your faith solely in Jesus Christ and what He did to make your salvation possible, you’ll be saved and saved forever.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: [Emphasis added]
It was there on that cross that Christ paid the full penalty for your sins to give you this opportunity.
2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For he [God the Father] hath made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]
What He did for you made it possible for you to gain the righteousness, the perfect goodness God’s justice demands for your salvation. This was a tremendous expression of His love for you.
Romans 5:8
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. [Emphasis added]
If you will accept this as the sole basis for your salvation, you will be saved immediately and permanently. You will then be prepared to live in this wonderful place called Heaven. It is because of this that you should live a life where you don’t just mind earthly things but heavenly ones. In other words, you should then work to do things that’ll please God.
Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus UNTO good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. [Emphasis added]
This means we don’t do these works of righteousness to get saved but because we are saved, we’re grateful for it, and we want to qualify for the best Heaven will have to offer. You’ll find an article on this website that addresses this. Here’s the link to it—
Rewards: For what will God wish to reward you in eternity?
Obviously, none of this is to be taken lightly. Both where and how you’ll spend eternity after you leave this world are extremely important. Studying and believing the truths you’ll find on this website, these HEAVENLY things, will be a great help to you in this.
