Aligning Natural Desires with Spiritual Treasures in Christianity

‘That better state’

‘Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’ (Matthew 6:19–21 KJV)

“But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” (Hebrews 10:32–39, KJV)

Christianity, be it remembered, proposes not to extinguish our natural desires, but to bring them under just control, and direct them to their true objects. In the case of both riches and honor, she maintains the consistency of her character. While she commands us not to set our hearts on earthly treasures, she reminds us that we have in Heaven ‘a better and more enduring substance’ than this world can bestow; and while she represses our solicitude respecting earthly credit, and moderates our attachment to it, she holds forth to us, and bids us habitually to aspire after, the splendors of that better state, where is true glory, and honor, and immortality.

FOR MEDITATION: Charles Spurgeon said that Thomas Brooks was the most readable of the Puritan divines. Here is what Brooks had to say of those who know they have ‘in heaven a better and more enduring substance’: ‘If you would do gloriously, look to faith; give faith scope, give it elbow-room to work. Faith is a noble grace, and will ennoble the soul to do gloriously for God.

‘Faith is that that will carry a man over all difficulties; faith will untie all knots; it will carry a man through the valley of darkness and over mountains of difficulties. Faith will not plead “there is a lion in the way,” and that such and such men will frown if I do this or that for God and the general good. Faith will carry a man bravely over all. You know that story in Hebrews 11; you have several instances of the saints doing gloriously. But what enabled them? It is all along attributed to faith. By the power of faith they did gloriously: they stopped the mouths of lions; they turned to flight the armies of the aliens; they waxed valiant in fight; they refused to be delivered,—and all by the power of faith. Oh! faith will enable men to do gloriously.’

Wilberforce, W. (1830). A Practical View of the Prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians. T. Cadell. (Public Domain)