HEAVENLY-MINDED, YET DOWN-TO-EARTH

Why we should not be so heavenly-minded that we forget our earthly roles.

Paul engages in lofty theological discourse on justification and predestination in Romans. We would have surmised he is a heavenly-minded man who hardly thinks of earthly concerns.

But we are mistaken. Here is a godly man who is absolutely down-to-earth, blunt and forthright in four areas:

1. Providing for our family (1Timothy 5:8)

Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

2. Managing our family (1 Timothy 3:4-5)

“He (an overseer) must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?” 

2. Providing conjugal rights within marriage (1 Corinthians 7: 4)

The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife

3. Self-reliance: working to support oneself (2 Thess. 3:10)

For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”

Paul worked hard as a tentmaker to support himself, not making use of his rights as a preacher to live on donor support.

That said, there is nothing wrong with being a donor-supported minister, if that frees your mind to focus on God's work and if that is God's will for you.