Second, there are those who make seeking the kingdom of God the means to obtaining material things, and wealth is still the end of all their seeking and striving. They take the verse as a teaching or even a promise on how to legitimately obtain material things from God. To them, Jesus is not saying that one should avoid striving for material things, but he is saying that the way to obtain them is to seek first the kingdom of God.

This attitude is essentially the same as the first. The difference is that instead of seeking wealth directly and apart from any Christian context, they now convince themselves that they are seeking after material things "the right way" by seeking the kingdom of God in the process.

However, this is a deception, and it contradicts the very point of the passage, which is to direct our attention and our efforts away from seeking material things, and instead to seek the kingdom of God. Jesus does not say, "Seek first the kingdom of God, so that you will obtain money and other material things."

(to be continued)

Recommended:

Vincent Cheung, The Sermon on the Mount

Benjamin B. Warfield, "This- and Other-Worldliness," in Faith and Life

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