Apart from God’s intervention, we would never have known how empty, lost, and dead we were in sin. But now our eyes have been opened. And now we can not only see the goodness of Jesus; looking back, we can see the truly desperate need. We are compelled, then, to be of earthly good in light of that need.

Johnny Cash sang it in the song, “No Earthly Good”:

“You’re shinin’ your light, and shine it you should, / But you’re so heavenly minded you’re no earthly good.”

He wasn’t the first one, of course. This has long been a criticism of Christians, one you’ve probably heard before. It’s a criticism about impact; it’s about relevance. It’s also about being present, and exercising compassion.

And it’s also incredibly ironic.

It’s ironic because of the hundreds of verses in Scripture that direct Christians to be all about earthly good. To care for the widow. To protect the orphan. To leave room for the foreigner. To care for the sick and the one in prison. These are the practical implications of believing the gospel, of being a Christian. And thus the reason why the criticism is ironic.

But just because it’s ironic doesn’t mean it’s not true. There have surely always been Christians who have practiced an easy kind of discipleship, believing that the gospel is exclusively about their eternal destination with no implications for their present situation. And if that’s what you believe, then there really is no reason for you to be of any earthly good.

But if you understand the gospel to not only change where you’re going but who you’re becoming, and if you understand that the finished work of Jesus compels us to continual work among the people of the world, then being heavenly minded ought to have the opposite effect.

That is to say, those who are the most heavenly-minded are the most earthly good. Why might that be? Here are a few reasons to consider. 

Read More