It’s been said (by some in the church world) that we should live with eternity in mind. What does this mean? How do we do this? And what about the saying that the person was too heavenly minded to be of any earthly good. What does That mean? Are these 2 opposing views, and, if so, which one should prevail. If we focus on the former are we subject to the problems of the latter?
Paul, in his salutation in Titus says:
“Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Jesus Christ, for the faith of God’s chosen ones and [to lead and encourage them to recognize and pursue] the knowledge of the truth which leads to godliness, based on the hope and divine guarantee of eternal life, [the life] which God, who is ever truthful and without deceit, promised before the ages of time began, and at the appointed time has made known His word and revealed it as His message, through preaching, which was entrusted to me according to the command of God our Savior—” (1:1-3, AMP)
Perhaps lengthy, but Paul identifies who he is and why he is writing and teaching what he does and the authority from which he is saying so that there are no doubts about his authority or commissioning. Relevant to this specific discussion are the words in bold: hope and divine guarantee of eternal life. Do you believe this for yourself? And if not – why? You can’t earn it. You can’t purchase it. But it is yours as a son/daughter of the most High God through your acceptance of the Lordship of His Son – Jesus.
How does having eternity on your mind, the understanding of where you will live after this life, affect how you live your life now? In every way… But what ls eternal life? [To expand and more fully understand verse 3, read 17:1-10, and this begins to give us understanding about eternity and everything associated with it.]
“Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true [supreme and sovereign] God, and [in the same manner know] Jesus [as the] Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3, AMP)
In verse 3 notice that Jesus’ prayer is for us to KNOW. I believe that He is inviting us to know Him and Father God. Know goes beyond and is an eternal and essential truth to understand. But what, exactly is eternal life? Romans 6:23 says:
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God [that is, His remarkable overwhelming gift of grace to believers] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Believers receive the gift of eternal life… with Jesus and the Father. Expanding on this discussion is https://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-eteral-life.html provides an excellent understanding on this topic.
I was taught that everyone ends up ‘someplace’ after their time on earth. Bottom line is EVERYONE goes to either heaven or hell. However, for the Christian we have the gift of eternal life with Jesus and the Father. The choice is ours. Never apologize for having the eternal on your mind because it affects who you are and how you act. Being ‘eternally minded’ means you have the security of your future so you can act now in boldness and compassion. YOU have the answer and as you share who you are now, you witness to what their choice is.
Perhaps I haven’t provided a broad enough statement about what ‘eternity’ is. Simply… it is a place where you choose to go after your time here on earth is finished. The only way to this place is By accepting the free gift from the Father by accepting His Son. As to the specifics of what eternity is… you, like I, will have to wait till we get there.
Though there are many scriptures in the New Testament, especially by John, that speak of eternity and eternal life, one of my favorites is when Jesus says:
““I assure you and most solemnly say to you, the person who hears My word [the one who heeds My message], and believes and trusts in Him who sent Me, has (possesses now) eternal life [that is, eternal life actually begins—the believer is transformed], and does not come into judgment and condemnation, but has passed [over] from death into life.”
(John 5:24, AMP)
