Thinking about earthly things (Phil. 3:19, the last verse) is clearly being contrasted with our citizenship being in heaven.
And the posture of eagerly awaiting a savior (an internal posture) contrasts with "their god is their belly," and "their end is destruction (Phil. 3:19)."
That our savior is coming means no destruction for us (Phil. 3:19).
The fact that our citizenship is in heaven means it is what we think about, what we identify with at our core, and what defines us. That is who we are. That is what we seek first and prioritize. We prioritize the things of heaven, the things having to do with Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:21).
We should reject worldly thinking, the thinking that turns scriptures into a means to earthly ends, rather than a revelation of Christ, so that we can live for His glory and live in conscious awareness of His impending return.
We should reject the thinking that says our treasure is on earth, rather than in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21).
Paul did not give any hint of when Jesus is coming back in this verse. But we are waiting. So how do we live ready, waiting for his return?
John said that is what should motivate the pursuit of holiness (1 John 3:3), the pursuit of a lifestyle that pleases Christ.
Various parables of Jesus show the master going on a long journey and coming back (Matthew 25:14-30, Mark 13:34-37, Luke 19:12-27), and the people were supposed to be careful not to abuse their fellow servants, be careful not to let down their guard, and be careful to busy themselves in exemplary service as slaves.
Jesus said Be on your guard because you do not know when the master (He) is coming back (Mark 13:35-37, Luke 21:34).
The elephant in the room is that it's been hundreds of years since those words were written. But be sure that the words are as true now as they were then.
***
Let's hear what Peter has to say.
8 Now, dear friends, do not let this one thing escape your notice, that a single day is like a thousand years with the Lord and a thousand years are like a single day. 9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; when it comes, the heavens will disappear with a horrific noise, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze, and the earth and every deed done on it will be laid bare. 11 Since all these things are to melt away in this manner, what sort of people must you be, conducting your lives in holiness and godliness, 12 while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God? Because of this day, the heavens will be burned up and dissolve, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze! 13 But, according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness truly resides. (2Peter 3:8-13)
Let's break it down what that passage means verse by verse:
Vs 8: We should not fuss too much about the details of the time.
Vs 9: God is fulfilling His purpose in the time that has passed and in whatever remains for Christ to come back. He is, in my opinion, targeting the size of the believing population and the depth of their repentance.
v10: The need to be vigilant cannot be overstated. Also, reality itself would be reborn. It also talks about deeds done on the earth being laid bare. The point is that, whether in a day or over thousands of years, it's all coming to an end, with consequences awaiting us in the hereafter.
v11 What will melt away is whatever is earthly, hence the point Paul is making in this focus verse about the need to be those who do not think about earthly things and not have our belly (temporary things) as out god.
Many people think about earthly things, but we are different. We set our gaze on heaven in anticipation of the return of Jesus, our savior.
It does not mean we are not engaged in earthly endeavors; it means we think about them differently.
We think about them from the angle of heaven.
You give birth to children, but how you think about them is different.
We work and earn money, but how we think about the work and the money is different. Do you get?
It's our conduct that counts, not our acquisition, is what Peter is saying in this verse.
Since all these life's things will melt away, should we put our hope in them, and allow them to define us? No.
V. 12 In waiting, we pursue holiness. And we hasten His return with the work of the ministry, executing the will of God on the earth, in whatever shape that takes for each person in each generation.
V. 13 This talks about reality being redefined, with new heavens and a new earth as the frame and righteousness as the reality.
The new heavens and new earth will be seeded with children of righteousness. In short, we are being told what God regards as important.
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Truly our citizenship is in heaven, where Christ is right now at the righthand of the father, from where He poured out the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:33), which seals us as God's possession (Ephesians 1:13-14), His seal of ownership (Ephesians 4:30), as He has bought us with His blood (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 1 Peter 1:18-19).
From the focus verse, we learn that we belong to another kingdom; we are other-worldly by nature.
Our citizenship is where our attachment is, where our love is tied to.
But one thing we do not hear in this focus verse is death, at least not an emphasis on it. Why? Looking at things from the heavenly vantage point, death, as we know it, is different from God's perspective.
With a focus on Christ, death is not death, but a termination point where our seed sowing ends, but we can continue to have influence.
Paul is continuing to have influence. As Jesus was sown bodily to reap a harvest of sons (Hebrews 2:10), now we are sowing the seed of spiritual influence.
I am saying that shows that death does not register as a big deal in the ultimately scheme of things as defined by God.
So we are urged to constantly have heaven as the backdrop of our thinking, knowing that Jesus is coming back to transform our bodies (Philippians 3:21) into something undying, and we will forever be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Glory!
From Addiction to Freedom by Favour Oyinloye
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