The mindset that God wants every believer to have is: Our home is in heaven; we are only temporarily living in this world. In Philippians 3:20-21, the Apostle Paul gave three reasons why we are not the same as unbelievers who mind only earthly things.

1.  We are waiting (Phil 3:20)

Believers “look for the Saviour” (Phil 3:20), i.e. wait for the return of Jesus Christ, because He is coming again. Unbelievers are not waiting because the earth is their home. The earth is all that they know and have. We are to use the things of the earth to serve our God. They will eventually be destroyed by fire. Therefore, on earth here, our emphasis must be on the people – to share the Gospel with them. We must have the sense of urgency because we are waiting for the Lord’s soon-return. When He comes again, He is going to destroy this world. Our minds can only think of one thing at a time. Thus, if we mind earthly things, we cannot think of heavenly things.

2.  We will be fashioned (Phil 3:21a)

The fashion of the world will want to shape and form us to be like the world. On the other hand, the fashion that is according to Jesus’ glorious body is for heaven. Do not blindly follow the fashion of the world, because that is exactly the symptom of one who minds earthly things. Our body is “vile” (Phil 3:21a) because it is made of the dust of this earth, it is weak and depends on water and food to survive, and it can get tired and needs rest and sleep. When Jesus comes again, He is going to transform this vile body of ours and fashion it like unto His glorious body. We know this will be our future experience, then why do we want to mind earthly things?

3.  We receive His energy (Phil 3:21b)

The word “working” (Phil 3:21b) means energy, the energy (i.e. the power with the Holy Spirit’s help) to say “no” to the devil, to say “no” to the fashions of the world. This energy from God enables us to have the strength, the courage, the discernment to obey Him. With the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, we have the mind of Christ and the love of God. Thus, we can have the conviction to obey Him. Example: This energy gave William Tyndale the boldness and courage to go against the power and might of the Roman Church and to translate the Bible into English. Being truly born again in Christ, we will want to obey Him, and He will enable us to do so.

May God help us to be people whose “conversation is in heaven.”