The Principle of First: The Concept Too Many Christians Are Ignoring

Last updated on: November 5, 2018 at 7:25 am by Josh Daffern

The Principle of First: The Concept Too Many Christians Are Ignoring 2018-11-05T07:25:07-06:00 Josh Daffern

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In Matthew 6, Jesus shares some eternal and timeless truths about money: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21)

God’s not after your money. It’s not even your money. He owns everything already. He doesn’t want your money, he wants your heart, and your heart follows your money. So if we can get the way we handle money right, we can affect change at the heart level and begin to truly experience the life God has for us. A few verses later, to finish that same teaching, Jesus gives us another timeless principle, and this is in Matthew 6:33, which says, *“*Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33).

This is all about priorities. If we seek God first, then everything else will fall into order. The primary context is the overarching conversation Jesus is having about money, but it applies to many other areas as well. Matthew 6:33 rephrased becomes the Principle of First, a concept too many Christians are ignoring:

The Principle of First: If God is first in your life, everything will come into order**. If God is not first in your life, then nothing will** come into order.

If God is not first in your marriage, your marriage will not be in order. If you’re not serving and submitting to your spouse out of reverence to Christ’s command (Ephesians 5:21-33), then your marriage will struggle. If God is not first in your family, if He is not the center and the focal point in your family, then you won’t be the leader you need to be, the parent you need to be, the sibling or child you need to be. The result will be disorder and dysfunction, because God is not first. If God is first in your life, then everything will come into order. If God is not first in your life, then nothing will come into order.

If God is not first in your sexual purity, then your relationships and intimacy with others will suffer as a result. If God is not first in your job, if you slack off from work, give less than your best or steal from your employers, don’t expect God’s blessing on your career.

Here’s the kicker: you can put God first in every area of your life, but if He’s not first in your giving and your financing, He’s still not first. Where your treasure is your heart will also be. If you say you love God with all your heart but your checkbook is going everywhere but God, you’re lying to yourself. You want to live a life blessed by God? Put God first. Give to Him first. If you don’t, you’re going to have a hard time putting everything else in your life: your marriage, your family, your career, your happiness, and yes even your finances into order.

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