Scripture References: Matthew 5:6
We all know what it means to hunger and thirst after things. Many times this hungering and thirsting after things can be called what the Bible calls “covetousness” which is one of the Ten Commandments of God. To covet means to lust after things that fulfills the lust and the desires of the flesh. The apostle John tells us in I John 2:15-17 these words saying, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” It is a sin to covet after certain things that only fulfills the lusts and desires of the fleshly mind and spirit, because having these kind of desires will in most, if not all cases, cause your heart to turn away from God. God of course knows exactly what is best for us and to lust after the things of this world keeps us from the life that Christ came to give us. In John 10:10 tells us these words saying, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” This life is the very life of Christ, which is a sinless life, as well as an eternal life, that gives up complete assurance of possessing his salvation. Righteousness is the first thing that Jesus tells us to seek after. In Matthew 6:33 we find these words saying, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Most people fail to do this, because they are not told that to possess this righteousness can only be received by believing and obeying the many truths of The NT scriptures.
Countless millions of confessing Christians are told that righteousness has been imputed to them instantly when they have accepted and believed on Christ, but they fail to understand that righteousness is imputed to them that “believe God” as Abraham believed God and his faith was counted for righteousness. They fail to understand that to believe God means to believe what he tells us in the scriptures of his holy word. Abraham believed what God told him, but what God told him was not revealed to him from a book of laws like it is now as well as to the children of Israel in the book of the OT covenant. To hunger and thirst after righteousness can only be done through the power of loving Gods word. This love for God’s word is shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost, so if you do not love Gods word, then you do not hunger and thirst after righteousness. And without this “righteousness” we will not see God. It was Isaiah that tells us these words as stated in Isaiah 32:17 “I And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever.” It’s this very righteousness that gives us complete assurance of possessing his eternal salvation, but if you have not been completely assured of this, then it’s time for you to make your calling and election sure, as Peter tells us in 2 Peter 1:10 “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.”