Biblical Answer

Seeking First the Kingdom of God

The phrase "seek first the kingdom of God" (Mt 6:33) is a call to prioritize God's sovereignty and rule in our lives above all else. This means trusting and seeking our heavenly Father, who has our best interests in mind (see Table 29.1). The kingdom of God is not just a future reality, but a present reality that can be experienced by faith, in anticipation of the full experience to come. It is the concrete manifestation of God's sovereign rule in our hearts, and can be found wherever God rules in human hearts.

The Importance of the Kingdom of God

The kingdom of God is not just a vague concept, but a dynamic presence, a powerful sovereignty becoming visible in history, and a transforming intervention in human affairs. It is the goal of history, the culmination of God's plan to redeem and judge humanity. The kingdom of God is not just a future reality, but a present reality that can be experienced by faith, in anticipation of the full experience to come. It is the establishment of God's sovereignty over the human race, and the in-breaking of God's transforming power in human hearts.

Living the Life of the Kingdom of God

To live the life of the kingdom of God, we must put God first, not prescribing a specific line of action, but trusting in God's sovereignty and rule in our lives. This means embracing God's dynamic presence, his powerful sovereignty becoming visible in history, and his transforming intervention in human affairs. It means renouncing our old securities and perspectives of human behavior, and seeking first God's kingdom and his righteousness. This is not a call to personal effort or achievement, but a call to trust in God's sovereignty and rule in our lives, and to experience the kingdom of God as a present reality.