We Seek The Lord For Wisdom He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.'". A second important element is the listing of a number of their sins, all of which are what we would call "social sins." One of the benefits of salvation is that you get endued with the righteousness of God. Do we go through long stretches of time when we think only of carnal or secular things? This results in a man’s iniquities being forgiven and his sins covered. Paul is telling us where the focus of our attention needs to be. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws” (Ezekiel 36:26-27). Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! Seeking God (Part One): Our Biggest Problem. The great obstacle to seeking the Lord is pride. They were required to rise early and gather their daily amount before the sun "became hot" and melted it away, or they would go hungry for that day—and perhaps for the next day, if it were a Preparation Day for the Sabbath. If we are seeking where a problem might lie in our lives, we will be examining: "When did I first notice this problem? Ps 24:4-6 - He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear deceitfully. This is interesting within the context because it begs the question: What does a person who is not mindful of God think about? It is an objective truth about him and about the world. His power is ever-present in sustaining and governing all things. The fact is the price of your righteousness is so high that all the money in the world could never buy it anyway. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com. “ ‘But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness’ ” (Matt. Both the Old and New Testaments say it is a “setting of the mind and heart” on God. Thus a person who single-mindedly pursues God's Kingdom and His righteousness will have moral healthiness and simple, unaffected goodness. Therefore do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" Used when searching for a human being, implies difficulty in the effort. The sins Amos addresses are matters of the strong taking advantage of the weak. Amos 5 and the Feast of Tabernacles. There is nothing more required. We should not seek to find revenge against those who sin against us, but leave vengeance to God (Romans 12:17-21). This lays bare the central issue here. Biblical faith, trust, is firm. of or "What shall we drink?" But this does not eliminate the obligation that Christ gives us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Thus it develops the second half of Matthew 6:33, “and His righteousness.” The first message was, God will grant true blessing when we put His house first. "Seek those things which are above" (verse 1). God’s righteousness is his holiness. Just because it doesn’t remove your declaration or lead to condemnation, you may still have to pay the price in this life over sinful choices. The cares and pulls of the world seem to distract us easily, and we lose our focus on God. [PHILIPPIANS 3:9] That the “righteousness of God” refers to a divine gift is clear from Philippians … » Job 14:1-2: Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. When God declares you righteous he is in effect dismissing your original sin case with prejudice. This is what God desires in our lives anyway. None of these is wrong, but the Bible's use of "righteousness" is both specific and broad—so broad that in some places it is treated as a synonym of salvation itself (Isaiah 45:8; 46:12-13; 51:5; 56:1; 61:10). What does seeking after God’s kingdom and His righteousness really mean? Therefore, the definition of righteousness is the state or condition of being declared upright, moral, just, or virtuous. What can he think about? It means putting Christ and the things of the Spirit first in our lives. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you" (verse 16). Your problem of original sin had been dealt with and you are not only the righteousness of God, you become his very special possession. Can we seek without doing something? Central to understanding verses 4-15 is the word "seek," which appears four times: three times in relation to seeking God Himself and once to seeking good. Seek God instead." To pursue righteousness means we must recognize that we cannot please God in our sinful state (Romans 8:8). Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake. That is a pressure that is simply too great to carry and one I don’t want you to carry. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing” (Romans 7:18-19). The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment Sign up for the Berean: Daily Verse and Comment, and have Biblical truth delivered to your inbox. What the Bible says about “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; and all these things shall be added unto you.” —Matthew 6:33 Please notice carefully that Matthew 6:33 does NOT say, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and OUR righteousness...” Rather, the Bible says ... seek HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. However, the apostle Paul charges us with this very obligation in II Corinthians 10:3-5: For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. Live like it. If you have received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior then this moment, right now, you are righteous in God’s sight. What this means is the case is dismissed forever. The biblical word "faith" is most synonymous with the English word "trust." Pro Tip: Jesus told us that in this world, we would have trouble and suffer for our faith. He comes forth like a flower and fades away; he flees like a shadow and does not continue. » James 4:14: For what is your life? However, that’s good news because God doesn’t ask you to buy something you could never afford. We are to seek the things of God as a priority over the things of the world. It is important to understand the role sin plays in relation to God’s declaration of righteousness. Though the Bible uses "righteousness" so broadly, its comparison with "salvation" does not help us much in understanding it because "salvation" is one of the Bible's most comprehensive terms. Paid for by the blood of Jesus and applied to your account so that your sinful account is now paid in full. If we are seeking in terms of research, we will be digging into a book or many books. Living faith is direct; it has its foundation in diligently, actively, consistently, zealously seeking Him in study and prayer and in conforming to His will. Likewise, for us who are believers today, it means to trust in Jesus’ own righteousness – as opposed to trusting in our own good works or performance. Copyright © 2021, Bible Study Tools. To seek the kingdom of God is to intentionally focus on and fully experience relationship with God, usually through avenues He has provided such as prayer and meditating on His word. So don’t seek to be more righteous, you already are, seek to be more like Christ. In fact, I would say go ahead and get your shout on! John W. Ritenbaugh What the Bible says about 1 – It’s Not Earned, It’s Given Through Exchange. We know from John 1:31, that John himself had been unsure about the … When you do this, you reflect who he is in the earth. Righteousness is the perfect holiness of Christ. It is an essential attribute to the character of God; quite literally meaning “One who is right”. Seek the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, you that have wrought his judgment: seek the just, seek the meek: if by any means you may be hid in the day of the Lord's indignation. Pride resists God rather than seeking Him. 12:28). Paul acknowledges that in this body you will have struggles with your sinful nature, however that struggle does not disqualify your right standing with God. Is everything we do filtered through the spiritual knowledge God reveals to us for creating Himself in us? This is a wonderful question to consider, but I think it is the wrong question. 33. The great promise to those who seek the Lord is that he will be found. A literal meaning is often the most likely understanding, yet the continuing context of the chapter suggests He had more spiritual matters on His mind. We turn from trying to justify ourselves by our good deeds and instead seek the mercy of God. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:21-24). First is the righteousness of God Himself. By the way, he wrote these words right after talking about the struggle we all face with our sinful nature in Romans 7. anazeteo- to seek carefully and diligently. Does everything we do pass the bar of His standards? Yes, you could tell him that God is powerful, loving, kind, and merciful, but those words describe the acts of God more than His nature or character. I don’t know what is the most important thing to know about the righteousness of God, but knowing that you are approved in his sight might be one of them. It does not. We seek His righteousness by agreeing to allow His death to pay for our sins. Wait a minute! “ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Nevertheless, they are not God. The difference is the price you pay is temporary and not eternal because that has already been dealt with. It is nothing more than a vapor, a breath, a shadow. That issue is over and done with, once and for all. Used when searching for a human being, implies difficulty in the effort. Paul described the Gospel as the revelation of God’s righteousness (Romans 3:21). John 6:35 provides an answer: "Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life. According to Jesus, God's Kingdom and His righteousness are the very top priorities in all of life. This happens through “seeking.” Continual seeking. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? That’s why I want to share with you three things to know about the righteousness of God. This is a powerful statement: "There is none who seeks after God." At other times, it shows this by associating pride with its fruit. But what does that mean practically? Martin G. Collins This is apparently the only material request in the entire model prayer; all the other requests are for spiritual aid such as forgiveness, protection, and guidance. We can give our minds over to a lot of things, for instance, to our jobs - and there is a place for that. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. 2 I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. Righteousness, is not as complicated as a lot of people perceive it to be. . Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, Bible teacher, author and co-founder of The Bible Study Club. “So, now that we have been made righteous by his blood, we can be even more certain that we will be saved from God’s wrath through him” (Romans 5:9). This righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe (Romans 3:22). An alternate translation of the last clause in verse 4 is, "All his thoughts are, 'There is no God.'" Another wonderful aspect of God’s righteousness is that it really doesn’t cost you anything, but it cost Jesus everything. Pride, Humility, and the Day of Atonement. Let’s answer that question, and in addition I want to share with you three things to know about the righteousness of God. In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus instructs us not to worry (or be concerned) about the necessities of life because our Father knows we have need of these things. It is not enough to ambitiously yearn to accomplish. Primarily, it means we are to seek the salvation that is inherent in the kingdom of God because it is of greater value than all the world’s riches. The account of the giving of the manna in Exodus 16:4, 14-21, 26 shows that the Israelites had a part to play in receiving nourishment from it. You are declared righteous and justified because of the blood of Jesus Christ. This means that there are 1.5 times as many scriptures about righteousness as there are about faith. This dovetails perfectly with the hunger-and-thirst metaphor. Job 33:26 - He prays to God and finds favor; he sees God’s face and shouts for joy, and God restores His righteousness to that man. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10). It means “to seek with all their might with much sweat or with much stress.” However, the way God wants us to “seek” in “seek first the kingdom of God” is the Greek word zeteo, which means “to hunger, to … The Bereans "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:10-11). He will bring justice in the end. I must admit that sometimes Christians struggle with sin, repentance, forgiveness, and God’s righteousness. Walk in the Spirit. This comes to the fore in the Beatitudes, where Jesus pronounced a blessing upon people whose goal is righteousness: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matt. In essence, they live the right way. The Bible teaches that righteousness is based on what God says about what makes us right in His eyes. The omnipresent God is always near to everything and everyone, and he has promised to be with his children always. John W. Ritenbaugh It has already been paid for. We see in this verse not only a broad New Testament application of the term but also, more importantly, its priority to life. While sin may not affect your declaration of righteousness, it does affect your ability to have close fellowship with God. Salem Media Group. First is the righteousness of God Himself. We see in this verse not only a broad New Testament application of the term but also, more importantly, its priority to life. But He has overcome the world! 3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. But should you fall into sin, repent quickly so you will be able to maintain your beautiful fellowship with the Father. He will try to get our attention back where it should be—on Him and His righteousness—through trials or other circumstances. Are you not of more value than they? But before we can ever begin to seek him, God must do something first in our lives. We seek not only a coming kingdom, but one in which the governing laws, precepts, and principles shall themselves show forth the Righteousness … Does everything we do reflect the way the Family of God would do things? Pride blinds people to their needs. To seek his presence means to seek a vibrant, personal relationship with God. This is not only unique, it is also a relief because it takes the burden off. By stating that we should seek “first” the kingdom of God and his righteousness, it seems that Jesus is permitting us to seek other things as well, as long as the first thing we seek is God’s kingdom and righteousness. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you—This is the great summing up. Today my friends, you are declared righteous. If Jesus Himself says, "I can of Myself do nothing" (John 5:30), what chance does an individual have to overcome without Christ in him? “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Why Does Matthew Use “Kingdom of Heaven” Instead of “Kingdom of God”? Yet ultimately, in order not to override our choice in the matter, God will allow us to slip away unless we repent and actively seek Him and ask for His Spirit. Answer: Jesus said to seek first the kingdom of God in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:33). In "the Lord's Prayer," Jesus is instructing His followers to rise early every day and ask God to send the unleavened, sinless Bread of Life to dwell in them. Are not people all over the world are seeking after a god to worship? Here is how the exchange works: Christ takes on our sin, in fact he became our sin and in exchange for our sin we receive his righteousness. What makes us right or righteous in God’s eyes is not anything that we have done. You and I were guilty as sin (no pun intended). Without the indwelling of Christ through God's Spirit, there is no spiritual life in us (John 6:53, 55-58). Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come. If you thirst after righteousness, God will bless you. Jesus said that the main thing we should seek after is God’s righteousness. What Does “Seek First the Kingdom of God" Mean in Matthew 6:33?. Amos especially indicts Israel's corrupt court system. We can see in this why God has such a strong issue with pride: because pride generates self-sufficiency, and self-sufficient people will not seek what they do not think they need and therefore do not want. In the minds of those who believe man is so great, considering all of his vaunted achievements, there is room for none greater, because that person cannot see anything greater. Thus it develops the second half of Matthew 6:33, “and His righteousness.” 33. He has spent more than 30 years serving the body of Christ in various capacities and has just released his first book, The Pursuit of Purpose. Where did it likely come from? Thanksgiving or Self-Indulgence? Thus he constantly relates the events of his personal life to God because he is living by faith. We are seeking. The second and fourth are messages of encouragement. God is not like an evil demon that will possess us and take control of our lives against our will. The poor are those whom we would say have little or no economic, political, or judicial "clout" or "pull." What It Means to Seek. He also mentions other sins that afflict the poor, such as bribery, unjust judgments in the courts, truth being ridiculed, and righteous testimony being thrown out. That’s why Paul could write in Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”. . All rights reserved. Luke 12:32 elaborates on God’s desire to provide for us, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” The term includes them, but here the meaning is "weak." Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. Tags: E. W. Kenyon Foundation Galatians 3:6 Genesis 24:1 GotQuestions.org In righteousness you will be established Isaiah 54:14 Jesus is the Way the truth and the life John 14:6 Righteous Righteousness Righteousness means the ability to stand in the presence of the Father God without the sense of guilt or inferiority. “ ‘If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you’ ” (Matt. Our inheritance is the Kingdom of God. A layman’s definition of righteousness is simply, “right standing with God.” Righteousness is the condition of being in right relationship with the Lord. “ ‘But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness’ ” (Matt. Do my work colleagues bring it out or make it worse? The best part is the Holy Spirit is here to help you do it. He is seeking God and thinking about Him almost constantly because he wants to honor and glorify Him with every word and deed. God does not expect us to purposefully endanger ourselves or our loved ones. Then we should be looking into God's Word to find out what He says we should do! Though other lines may start at the same point, only one will reach the second point. The fundamental differences are in how important God is to each and how accurate their thoughts about Him are. Indeed, humans need to set their minds on many things, but they need to be prioritized correctly - put into the right niche and position. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. See what over 145,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. 6:33). With the help of the Holy Spirit live like one who has been tried and found not guilty, because that is what you are. 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