Topical Bible: Seeking God: Includes Seeking: Honor Which Comes from Him

◄ Seeking God: Includes Seeking: Honor Which Comes from Him ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

Seeking God is a central theme throughout the Bible, emphasizing the importance of pursuing a relationship with the Creator. This pursuit is characterized by a heartfelt desire to know God, understand His will, and live according to His commandments. The act of seeking God is not merely a passive acknowledgment but an active, intentional effort to draw near to Him.

Biblical Foundation

The Bible consistently encourages believers to seek God with all their heart and soul. In Deuteronomy 4:29 , it is written, "But if from there you will seek the LORD your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul." This verse underscores the promise that God is accessible to those who earnestly seek Him.

In the Psalms, the desire to seek God is expressed as a deep longing. Psalm 63:1 states, "O God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You, my body longs for You, in a dry and weary land without water." This imagery conveys the intensity and necessity of seeking God as one would seek water in a desert.

New Testament Perspective

The New Testament continues this theme, with Jesus Himself encouraging the pursuit of God. In Matthew 6:33 , Jesus instructs, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." Here, seeking God is prioritized above all earthly concerns, promising that God will provide for those who put Him first.

The Apostle Paul also speaks to the importance of seeking God. In Acts 17:27 , he explains that God created the nations "so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us." This passage highlights God's desire for humanity to seek and find Him, affirming His nearness to all who search for Him.

Seeking: Honor Which Comes from Him

An essential aspect of seeking God is the pursuit of honor that comes from Him rather than from human sources. In John 5:44 , Jesus challenges the religious leaders, saying, "How can you believe if you accept glory from one another, yet do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?" This verse points to the futility of seeking human approval and the importance of seeking divine honor.

The honor that comes from God is eternal and surpasses any earthly recognition. In 1 Peter 5:6 , believers are encouraged to "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you." This exaltation is the honor bestowed by God upon those who faithfully seek Him and live according to His will.

Practical Application

Seeking God involves several practical steps, including prayer, studying Scripture, and living a life of obedience. Prayer is a direct line of communication with God, allowing believers to express their desires, seek guidance, and cultivate a deeper relationship with Him. The study of Scripture provides insight into God's character and His expectations for His followers.

Living a life of obedience is a natural outcome of seeking God. As believers align their lives with God's commandments, they reflect His glory and honor. In doing so, they fulfill the call to seek the honor that comes from Him, as their lives become a testament to His transformative power.

Conclusion

The pursuit of God is a lifelong journey that requires dedication, humility, and a sincere heart. By seeking God and the honor that comes from Him, believers find fulfillment, purpose, and the promise of eternal life in His presence.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

John 5:44
How can you believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that comes from God only?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Man the Vehicle for Exhibiting God's Perfections.
... what earnest seeking after God ... both good and bad; likewise the term "angels" includes
both good ... God himself is invisible; but since he comes into our heart and ...
/.../orr/how to live a holy life/man the vehicle for exhibiting.htm

First, I am to Consider what the Keeping of the Heart Supposes and ...
... obedience to the will of God; and self-seeking by self ... 6. It includes the realising
of God's presence with us, and ... God is pleased to call that a gift which is ...
//christianbookshelf.org/flavel/on keeping the heart/first i am to consider.htm

Thou Shalt not Bear False Witness against Thy Neighbor.
... and all that he has; and yet it includes no more ... gain, some to avoid loss or shame,
thereby seeking their own ... most precious and best of all that God has; yet ...
/.../luther/a treatise on good works/thou shalt not bear false.htm

Sirs, what must I do to be Saved? and they Said, Believe on the ...
... And this reason includes both the obedience of Christ to the ... life in us, or anything
acceptable to God, until we ... It is seeking that as a preparation for faith ...
/.../finney/lectures to professing christians/sirs what must i do.htm

On Trusting in the Mercy of God.
... Faith, or belief, includes a hearty committal of the soul ... being an infinite tyrant,
and of seeking to crush ... God never can forgive you on this ground, because ...
/.../finney/sermons on gospel themes/ii on trusting in the.htm

"Thou Shalt Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother. "
... as making pilgrimages, building churches, seeking indulgence, and ... honor, body, and
life, that God's Commandments may ... one work, which however includes many and ...
/.../luther/a treatise on good works/thou shalt honor thy father.htm

Submit Yourselves Therefore to God. James 4:7.
... true acquiescence in God's moral law includes actual obedience ... to seek holiness or
obedience to God, and to ... is a very different thing from seeking supremely our ...
/.../finney/lectures to professing christians/submit yourselves therefore to god.htm

Who is on the Lord's Side? Exodus 32:26.
... They are seeking to make God their friend, that they may make use of ... This God feels
towards all men. The other kind includes esteem or approbation of character ...
/.../finney/lectures to professing christians/who is on the lords.htm

Your Own Salvation
... Salvation includes deliverance from the present wrath of God which abides upon ... but
from infirmity; and you are earnestly seeking after God and holiness. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/your own salvation.htm

The Humanheartedness of Jesus.
... we think of him as the Son of God, the question ... impelled and constrained him in all
his seeking of the ... The friendship of Jesus includes all other blessings for ...
/.../miller/personal friendships of jesus/chapter i the humanheartedness of.htm