It is fairly obvious to me that much of modern Christianity has no clue as to what Jesus meant about seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. But before we discuss what he meant, let’s rule out what he didn’t mean!
Jesus was not saying make ‘going to Heaven’ your main priority! In fact, Jesus didn’t talk much about ‘going to heaven!’ Much of modern Christianity has made the mistake of equating the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven with the place called Heaven. But when Jesus talked about the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven, he wasn’t referring to the place where God dwells, which we call Heaven, but rather he was talking about God’s authority and rule! Therefore, in John 3:3 and 5, in his conversation with Nicodemus, ‘to see Kingdom of God’ is not to see the Pearly Gates after death, but rather to recognize and understand the rule and authority of God in life! Notice that Jesus spoke in the present tense, not the future tense! Jesus didn’t say except a man be born again (from above) he ‘will not’ see the Kingdom of God. No! Jesus said except a man be born again he ‘cannot see’ the Kingdom of God! In verse 5, when Jesus said unless one is born of water and (personally I think the Greek preposition translated as ‘and’ should be translated as ‘even’ in this case) the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God, to enter the Kingdom is not to walk through the Pearly Gates after death, but rather to submit to, experience, and enjoy the benefits of God’s authority and rule in life! Again, notice Jesus didn’t say ‘will not enter,’ Jesus said, ‘cannot enter.’ Jesus wasn’t taking about a future hope, he was taking about a present reality!
Nor did Jesus mean that seeking first the Kingdom of God was to work for the socio-political situation that some evangelical Christians are fiercely fighting for today! God is for neither the Republicans nor the Democrats! The Kingdom of God is so much greater than American politics! Ask Joshua about it, he will tell you; God doesn’t come to take sides, God comes to take over! (See Joshua 5:13-15)
When Jesus said we are to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, he meant that we are to make God’s authority and rule the priority of our lives. Note the context (Matthew 6:19-34), is about being worried or having anxiety about the necessities of life. Jesus said several things that warrant our attention in regard to this post. He said: (1) Don’t worry or be anxious about food and clothing (Matthew 6:25-31) (2) People who don’t know God seek after and are anxious about the necessities of life (Matthew 6:32). (3) The Heavenly Father already knows we need those things (Matthew 6:32). The ‘but’ in verse 33 suggests contrast. In other words, Jesus was saying, don’t be like the people who don’t have a relationship with the Heavenly Father! They make those things (food and clothes) their priority, but as for you, you make God’s authority and rule and your adherence to God’s authority and rule your priority and all the things you need will be added to you as a result.
This is why the current obsession and preoccupation with blessings, breakthroughs, etc., is actually an affront to God and evidence that those seeking those things do not understand the Kingdom of God! When we make the Kingdom of God our priority, we don’t have to seek blessings, blessings will seek us! Actually, according to the text, to seek blessings is to act like the Gentiles; people who have no relationship with the Heavenly Father! Seeking blessings is actually like craving sawdust! The Kingdom of God and His righteousness is the product, and the blessings are merely the byproducts (sawdust) of the Kingdom!
Therefore, as we embark upon a new year, let us resolve to have our priorities in an order that honors God, eliminates stress, and promotes our spiritual, psychological, and physical well-being. Let’s seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (doing God’s will God’s way)!