He said Seek Him First, not Put Him first

As I walk with the Lord, I find myself challenging the Christian dogma that was given to me over the last 40 years. Many of the scriptural understandings I had were shaped by well-intentioned preachers and Sunday school teachers who taught along similar lines. The thematic similarities that flowed through their teaching were the goodness of God, the weakness of man, and my acceptance of Jesus makes it all better. Along with these basic truths were the rules to observe the Ten Commandments and to love God with all my heart and love my neighbor as well. However, after 40 years of faithless walking, I now am free to take a fresher look over my life to try and understand what contributed to me walking away from the faith years ago. Today, I am a spirit-filled believer, yet I still must analyze how I ended up in the valley in the first place. I strongly believe that if we do not learn from the past, we are destined to repeat it. Given how low I fell, I fear I would not recover from another fall from grace.

As I juxtapose my current strong communion with God, in contrast to my former self, one bible verse dances around my heart and mind. This verse has become a guiding principle for my new walk with the Lord. Yet, the Holy Spirit has been revealing to me that I never truly or fully understood it. Let us dig into the scripture together and uncover something special. In Matthew 6:33, the text states, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well”. The word seek in the Greek is zēteō. It means the following, relative to context:

1. to seek in order to find:

a. by thinking, meditating, reasoning, to enquire into

b. to seek after, seek for, aim at, strive after

2. to seek i.e. require, demand:

a. to crave, demand something from someone

Note the hungry like definitions of the word seek, regardless of context. It is a desire to obtain something or a commitment to concentrating on a subject to capture its greatest meaning. The classical understanding of Matthew 6:33 is to “put God first in our life”. However, that definition cheapens the very truth about who God is. For to put Him first means that we have found Him and now can place Him at the forefront of our lives. Therefore, if you found Him then you comprehend Him and can position Him where you perceive is His proper place. Do you see how cheap that sounds? Furthermore, the scripture did not say to seek God first. The scripture is very specific when it states to “seek ye first his kingdom”. We are called to seek first the spiritual realm over which God reigns as king. Until recently, it has been generally accepted in Christian circles that the Kingdom of God and the Body of Christ, the Church, are one in the same. These two terms are generally used interchangeably. I do not agree with that understanding. On the other hand, there are some who see the Kingdom of God, as the reign of God in the world. However, I do not accept that understanding either, because scripture names Satan as the prince of this world (Eph. 2:2) thus the evil one would have a place in God’s kingdom. I reject that as well.

I believe the kingdom is one that is first, Holy, can never be destroyed, and will never end. Its king, Jesus, will sit on the throne forever. It encompasses the true church, body of Christ, and yet so much more. It is the Truth of the Understanding that there is so much more, that we are called to seek it. Yet there is more to this scripture. The scripture commands us to seek; crave, desire, and meditate on God’s spiritual realm, and his righteousness. Now, what does “his righteousness” mean. In Romans 14:17, Apostle Paul gives us the answer, when he says, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”.

Therefore, our full charge in Matthew 6:33 is to crave for a greater revelation of the realm of God’s rule under the power of the Holy Spirit who alone can transform us to the righteousness of Christ and give us His peace and joy. This sounds quite different than simply, “putting God first in our lives”.

I am sure there are some people who may say, is not putting God first and seeking Him as you described, the same thing. Of course not. The mature Christian is the one who realizes how little they know about God and remains in a state of active hunger and thirst (Matthew 5:6) for more of Him. I cannot “put” God nor his kingdom first because I do not yet fully know either nor will I ever until I see Him face to face. In 1 Corinthians 13:12, it says, “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known”. Until that time, I am asked to devote my life to craving, demanding, desiring, and meditating on His kingdom, and then He promises to continually reveal it and Himself to me while meeting all my basic human needs.

Be encouraged,

Thomas Knowles, Minister of the Gospel of Christ Jesus