Matthew 6:33 — But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
In the previous texts, we are told what “all these things” are. Verse 25: take no thought for your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, what you shall wear. The question from Jesus is: Is not the life more than meat, and the body more that raiment?
In Revelation 2:4, the counsel given to the first church, Ephesus, was…nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou has left thy first love. I put these two together because having the first love would guarantee that we are primarily invested in seeking first the kingdom of God.
Ephesus had lost their first love (Jesus Christ) in the effort to fight against a group called the Nicolaitans. All their energy and time was going into this fight. This group had infiltrated the church bringing in falsehood and conflict.
There are some lessons for us to learn. The good work of the church can be harmed in the fight with evil and what is not right. I will say it again: I would rather be known for what I am for than what I am against. You basically strengthen what you fight against. How much of our time and attention is the negative getting because our battle is with evil? Read the red words in the Bible, and you will see that Jesus spent time on living and walking a higher path.
Are we seeking and promoting the kingdom of God (the red words)? The kingdom is not only above, it is within, and it is God’s work of grace. Read the “kingdom” parables and you will see that it is all about God’s work. Often we miss that point and even turn those parables into something about us. The treasure in a field (the world) is about the work of God sending His Son to give everything to get that treasure (you and me). Look at these parables and you see the heart of God towards us. If God in heaven “fought” evil by pursuing love and truth, do we think we are safe doing it any other way?
The Ephesians were told that God Himself hated the Nicolaitians. Given that, the counsel to the Ephesians was that in the battle, they had lost their way…they had lost their first love, they were not seeking first the kingdom. You can lose your first love while doing battle against evil. Important lesson!
The greatest victory that evil can accomplish is to victimize God’s children through the deception that “we are doing this for God.” Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…this gives us the priority, and God has given us the path as an example.
The power of the battle can be so deceiving. We think we are doing something special for God, something powerful, something that is saving others. If this were true, God would not have chastised Ephesis for battling evil. Even if we do not understand it all, we must walk in His wisdom in this matter. We are told that we will be taken before powers. We are not even to worry about what to say. It will be given to us what to say.
Another scenario of a different nature…we are told that we are to be always ready to given an answer to those WHO ASK for the reason for the hope of glory within us.
Two situations: One is out of our control. One is very much in our control and is giving an answer to those who ask…we do not have to beat anyone up with truth. In its time, the truth compels people to ask. This is not really about doctrine. It is the lovely Jesus the compels people to ask. Keep talking about your first love. That is how God wins through us. Praise God.
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