What does it mean to seek first the kingdom of God?

Jesus said to seek first the kingdom of God in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:33). The verse’s meaning is as direct as it sounds. We are to seek the things of God as a priority over the things of the world. Primarily, it means we are to seek the salvation that is inherent in the kingdom of God because it is of greater value than all the world’s riches. Does this mean that we should neglect the reasonable and daily duties that help sustain our lives? Certainly not. But for the Christian, there should be a difference in attitude toward them. If we are taking care of God’s business as a priority—seeking His salvation, living in obedience to Him, and sharing the good news of the kingdom with others—then He will take care of our business as He promised—and if that’s the arrangement, where is worrying?

But how do we know if we’re truly seeking God’s kingdom first? There are questions we can ask ourselves. “Where do I primarily spend my energies? Is all my time and money spent on goods and activities that will certainly perish, or in the services of God—the results of which live on for eternity?” Believers who have learned to truly put God first may then rest in this holy dynamic: “…and all these things will be given to you as well.”

God has promised to provide for His own, supplying every need (Philippians 4:19), but His idea of what we need is often different from ours, and His timing will only occasionally meet our expectations. For example, we may see our need as riches or advancement, but perhaps God knows that what truly we need is a time of poverty, loss or solitude. When this happens, we are in good company. God loved both Job and Elijah, but He allowed Satan to absolutely pound Job (all under His watchful eye), and He let that evil woman, Jezebel, break the spirit of His own prophet Elijah (Job 1–2; 1 Kings 18–19). In both cases, God followed these trials with restoration and sustenance.

These “negative” aspects of the kingdom run counter to a heresy which is gaining ground around the world, the so-called "prosperity" gospel. A growing number of false teachers are gathering followers under the message “God wants you to be rich!” But that philosophy is not the counsel of the Bible—and it is certainly not the counsel of Matthew 6:33, which is not a formula for gaining wealth. It is a description of how God works. Jesus taught that our focus should be away from this world—its status and its lying allurements—and placed upon the things of God’s kingdom.

Should Christians try to force the kingdom on others?

The Bible does not advise us to seek to establish a physical Christian kingdom. God had such a plan for Israel when they took control of the Promised Land, but, in the New Testament era, He has never called His people to establish a political kingdom ruled by His laws, commands, and statutes. Jesus said plainly that His kingdom is not of this world and, unlike the followers of worldly political leaders, His followers do not use force to establish the kingdom (John 18:36).

The mission of Christians is not to strive to take worldwide dominion and set up a Christian kingdom but to share the gospel of salvation with the whole world (Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 1:8). When people are saved, the Holy Spirit will begin His work in them, changing their lives to conform to God’s Word (Philippians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 2:13). When the gospel spreads, society is changed, one heart and one life at a time.

Attempts to change societies and cultures from without will always fail. Just taking control of the political process or establishing moral laws will not effect change in people’s hearts. Christianity cannot be forced on people, and the Christian kingdom is not a biblical concept. Changing people from the inside out is God’s work through His Holy Spirit. God is more interested in saving people’s souls than He is in forcing people to obey His laws. If an unsaved person is forced to obey God’s law, he would be doing so out of fear and obligation. God wants a person to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9) and then to obey His commands out of reverence and love (1 John 5:3).

God has not called us to enforce His commands on an unredeemed world. We cannot force people into a Christian kingdom. Rather, He has called us to proclaim the message of salvation—the redeeming power and life-transforming message of Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection (Romans 10:9–11).