Topical Bible: The Earth: Man by Nature Minds the Thing of

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Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical narrative, the earth is not merely a physical realm but a significant theological concept that reflects humanity's relationship with God, creation, and sin. The earth is the stage upon which the drama of human history unfolds, and it is within this context that man, by nature, tends to focus on earthly things.

Creation and the Earth

The earth was created by God as a good and perfect environment for humanity. Genesis 1:1 states, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." The earth is depicted as a place of abundance and beauty, designed to sustain life and reflect God's glory. Humanity, created in the image of God, was given dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:26-28), tasked with stewarding and caring for it.

The Fall and Earthly Focus

The fall of man introduced sin into the world, fundamentally altering humanity's relationship with the earth. Genesis 3 describes how Adam and Eve's disobedience led to a curse upon the ground: "Cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life" (Genesis 3:17). This curse signifies a shift from harmonious stewardship to a struggle for survival, and it marks the beginning of humanity's tendency to focus on earthly concerns.

Earthly Mindedness in Scripture

Throughout Scripture, there is a recurring theme of humanity's preoccupation with earthly matters. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul warns against this tendency, urging believers to set their minds on things above rather than on earthly things. Colossians 3:2 exhorts, "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." This admonition highlights the spiritual danger of becoming overly concerned with the temporal and material aspects of life.

Jesus Himself addressed the issue of earthly mindedness in His teachings. In the Sermon on the Mount, He cautioned against storing up treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and instead encouraged storing up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20). This teaching underscores the transient nature of earthly possessions and the eternal value of spiritual pursuits.

The Earthly and the Spiritual

The tension between the earthly and the spiritual is a central theme in the Christian life. While the earth is God's creation and is to be valued and cared for, it is not the ultimate focus for believers. The Apostle John warns against loving the world or anything in it, stating, "If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15). This passage emphasizes the incompatibility of a life devoted to worldly pursuits with a life devoted to God.

Redemption and Restoration

Despite humanity's natural inclination to mind earthly things, the biblical narrative offers hope through redemption and restoration. Through Jesus Christ, believers are called to a new way of living that transcends earthly concerns. Romans 12:2 encourages believers to be transformed by the renewing of their minds, indicating a shift from earthly to heavenly focus.

The ultimate restoration of the earth is promised in the eschatological vision of a new heaven and a new earth, where God's presence will dwell with humanity (Revelation 21:1-3). This future hope serves as a reminder that while the earth is significant, it is not the final destination for believers.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Philippians 3:19
Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Every Thing Proceeding from the Corrupt Nature of Man Damnable.
... the Church, that though darkness should "cover the earth, and gross ... its lusts, doubtless
there is not a man who would not show that his nature is capable ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 3 every thing proceeding.htm

Man's Place in the World.
... to till the ground; but a mist used to rise from the earth and water ... of good and
evil placed in the garden to develop man's moral nature by temptation or ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kent/the making of a nation/study i mans place in.htm

God's Love for Man
... to Him by unnumbered tokens in heaven and in earth. ... been given, the enemy of good
blinded the minds of men ... He took man's nature, that He might reach man's wants ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/steps to christ/chapter 1 gods love for.htm

Anxious About Earth, or Earnest About the Kingdom
... I to XII ANXIOUS ABOUT EARTH, OR EARNEST ABOUT THE KINGDOM. ... Nature is a parable. ... Man's
'days are as grass; as a flower of the field so he flourisheth'; but his ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/anxious about earth or earnest.htm

Man's True Treasure in God
... No man that makes the worse choice of earth instead of God ... I have been everything,
and it profits me nothing.' No creature can satisfy your whole nature. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/mans true treasure in god.htm

"Therefore, Brethren, we are Debtors, not to the Flesh, to Live ...
... and earth could amount to." Suppose by some rare alchemy the earth were all ... a conformity
and suitableness of some things to the very nature of man that is ...
/.../the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xxxiii therefore brethren we.htm

The Doctrine of Man
... in making man the crowning work of God, and that there will be no higher order of
beings here on the earth than man. ... The nature which man now possesses ...
/.../evans/the great doctrines of the bible/the doctrine of man.htm

God's Ways and Man's
... are many glories of the divine nature set forth ... can neutralise and destroy the fact
of man's transgressing, wiping ... as the loftiest heavens are above the earth. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/gods ways and mans.htm

"And Truly Our Fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son,"
... odds and enmity between the families of heaven and earth? ... with Jesus Christ the Mediator
between God and man. ... crosses he hath fellowship in our nature, to bear ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon vi and truly our.htm

That Perfect Love Binds to God Without Loosing and Makes Man ...
... all stand in labour and grief, and no man can eschew ... The nature certain of true love
and not feigned is ... Hate thou no wretchedness on earth except that they thy ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/rolle/the fire of love/chapter xi that perfect love.htm