Seeking a Kingdom of Materials or Righteousness?

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33 NKJV

Driving along Bayshore Drive in Tampa, I noticed some huge houses. I wondered what it might be like to have a huge home.

Image © Phil McKay from GoodSalt.com

Then I asked myself, why would I need a house with 20 rooms that I am not in? I can only be in one room at a time. What difference would it make if there were 19 more empty rooms in my house?

Often people say they are happy to live in a little cottage on earth, knowing up in heaven they have a mansion. Do they really need a mansion in heaven? Is the goal of heaven to live in a mansion? If so, are we not just as materialistic as people who love things here on earth? What difference does it make where our things are? First of all there is nothing wrong in and of itself about having a huge house. Some people buy huge houses, not to show off, but because they have the spiritual gift of hospitality, and so they need a big house to meet the needs of their guests.

My point is simply, that if we are focusing on mansions in heaven, then we may be just as materialistic as those seeking mansions on earth. The only difference is our materials are somewhere else, but they are all still materials just the same. In Matthew 6:33 Jesus says to seek more than a material kingdom. He says to seek “His righteousness.” Whether I live in a cottage or mansion, what I really need is the righteousness of God. We are not to be looking for a kingdom of mansions, but a kingdom of righteousness.

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Seeking a Kingdom of Materials or Righteousness? — 9 Comments

Andrew Bernard on January 16, 2018 at 7:02 am said:

In a house there are vessels to honour and vessels to dishonour. Regardless of the size of our houses or churches are we using it to the honour of God, the things we put in it the rooms we make is it all to honour God. Our God is a God of purpose; this is important because it relates to something spiritual, i.e the temple of the living God. God uses physical things to explain spiritual things; our body what do we use it for, the things we put in it, our thoughts, what do we make room in our hearts for. Are we loving God with our whole heart, soul, body, mind and spirit. Why do we do the things that we do?

I hope my thoughts can engender some deeper thinking.

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Stephanie Andoga on January 16, 2018 at 3:19 pm said:

Thank you, brother William, for sharing this.
We want eternal life and a personal relationship with God the Son, the Holy Spirit and God the Father now whilst here on earth and for eternity when Jesus comes to take us home. If He says home is of mansions, streets of gold & everything beyond imagination, then I definitely cannot wait. But even still, we want to be with Jesus, in His presence, right here right now and forever.
Some may fall blind to the Prosperity gospel or thinking that if they cannot have all the material things in this life to their hearts content, maybe then they will have all the material satisfaction in heaven and this becomes their motivation to want to get to heaven.
Mathew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Both treasure and heart must be on Jesus! Not just on material things wether on this earth or in heaven.

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Mrs A Stolz on January 17, 2018 at 1:31 pm said:

I cannot understand why folks want a big house with many rooms. Or have I ever wanted a big house, because I think of all the housework to be done to clean, and the maintenance I can well do without. However I do like some, even small garden space, and have entertained my friends there quite successfully.
As far as wanting a mansion in heaven - reflect exactly what William said, 'I can only be in one room at a time.'
If I am in heaven with God, I will not need anything else but a place where I can be with Him. Godbless today, Mrs A Stolz

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Wilton Helm on January 19, 2018 at 5:27 pm said:

To be very pointed, if our reason for going to Heaven is to live in a mansion, then we have it all wrong (and may not even be there). Our reason for going to Heaven should be to have an even more personal relationship with our God and enjoy His gifts to us and relationships with other people He has created.

Thanks for a very poignant commentary.

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William Earnhardt on January 19, 2018 at 6:52 pm said:

Thank you for your thoughtful comments, and happy Sabbath to all!

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- paul Blanke on January 20, 2018 at 7:56 pm said:
  
  I am aware of the definitions in that verse that interpret mansions as rooms. John 14:2 . If that is the case, my question is, would God provide something other than the very best? Matt7:11. Our finite minds most often consider the here and now. What the eye beholds is as important as the future. The real desire that is meaningful, is our eternal home. If we lose that, we have nothing to hope for.
  
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Selma Lynch on January 20, 2018 at 6:43 am said:

Heaven will be our home.
When I think of that, I'm not tninking of a building....I think of a home, which means a loving family to me. The building or mansion does not matter. It's not really about that. Just being in the presence of Jesus and all that love and acceptance is enough.

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A J Armstrong on January 22, 2018 at 2:22 am said:

Jesus is in Heaven to prepare a place for me. My reason for wanting heaven is to be with Jesus. Then with my loved ones. Nothing wrong with visualizing a lovely mansion as long as it's not our main goal. Jesus wouldn't have spoken those words if he didn't want to give us something to look forward to. Maybe in Heaven, I'll wind up having a lot of house-guests, who knows. It's apparently a friendly place 🙂 I imagine even my wildest dreams will be a "dump" compared to what God has in store for us.

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Herea Vagi on October 28, 2022 at 1:21 pm said:

Can we become a material of the kingdom?

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