3 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
In this series “Humility fulfills all righteousness” we have talked about what, who, how and why Jesus Christ fulfills all righteousness. And that the righteousness of God is a gift from God, through Christ, to all men for the purpose of the Kingdom of God.
Today, we conclude this series with one of the parables of Jesus Christ about the Kingdom: The tears and the wheat. Matthew 13:24-30, 37-43 He said, the enemy of God, devil planted his tears (his children) in the world where God had planted His wheat (The children of His kingdom). The Lord said, both the wheat and the tears must be allowed to grow together until the end. (Both have their respective space) The big question is what the impact of evil in world is? “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,” Titus 2:11-12
You must prioritize the righteousness of God which you have received by faith in Christ for two reasons: To keep the righteousness of God and to overcome the opposing force of the enemy. How? Obey first or yield first to the righteousness of God in your day to day life. Seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, in all situation. Your righteousness is in obedience to Christ, not in your best effort to be self-righteous. Rom. 5:19 Jesus said, the impact of the tears is an offence. Matt 13:41 7 Woe to the world, He said, for such temptations to sin and influences to do wrong! It is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the person on whose account or by whom the temptation comes! Matthew 18:7
Temptations to sin, Anger, hate, unforgiveness, addiction, in and out fighting, and immorality are some of the offences we live with daily. These are the real enemies of people. The cares and worries of this life, can make you a victim of offences, but pursuit of the righteousness of God will give you grace to succeed on every front. Apostle Paul said “…do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. Romans 6:13 In other words, when offences are pulling you to the left, turn to the right with God in Christ. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. Romans 6:14 Meaning you are not slaves of sin but of righteousness of God. In this position, you can overcome evil influences and attacks on your faith. You count the eternal cost of losing your own soul and stay the course of eternal life in Christ Jesus. (what does it profit) The cost of life success is fully paid in Christ, just cash in and you will share His dominion over sin, self, and Satan. You can do it because Christ did it. You are starting from the position of strength if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your lord and savior. It is human though, to want to earn and own things but not so with the righteousness of God. It is the gift of God for the just shall only live by faith.
Finally, the Master gave us a more radical approach to dealing with offences. Cut it off He said, if your right eye or right leg post any danger to your faith in Christ. Matthew 5:29-30 Why because you are separate and peculiar before God who made and redeemed you. 2 Cor 6:17, Titus 2:14. This is how you prioritize the righteousness of God in your life. You keep your own space in Christ, like you separate the wheat from the tears. After all, the evil seed and the good one does not share a common root, one is evil the other is righteous. You cannot serve two masters. Choose and keep one. Seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness. You cannot walk in the light and in darkness, walk in the light. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light Ephesians 5:8 Be who God has made you. Abide in Christ, in his word, and his daily will through obedience to the dictates of the Holy spirit. Romans 8:14 If however, you have never accepted the gift of the righteousness of God through Christ, you can right now, believe Jesus today , confess your sins to him, and accept him as the savior of all people from their sins. He is still saving lives to populate the Kingdom of God. This is first place in the agenda of God for all people. The cares of life, the deceitfulness of riches and the vanity of pleasure are dangerous distraction from the way, the truth, and the life. But faith first in Christ, is profitable in all things. Jesus Christ the Messiah offers us complete fulfillment by faith in Him. Keep this faith in Jesus. God bless you.