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What Does "Hunger & Thrist For Righteousness"... - 11/16/2009 6:28:48 PM
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Melissa11102006
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From: formerly MyCatSmokey2006
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What is Jesus talking about in Matthew 5:6, when He says that those who "hunger and thirst for righteousness" will be filled? Also, He says a similar thing in Luke 6:21, where He says, "Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled. Further on in verse 25, Jesus says, "Woe to you who are full, for you shall hunger." (All verses NKJV)
Is Jesus talking about physical or spiritual hunger? Does He mean that I need to not eat full meals and let myself hunger a little? Maybe go on a strict diet? Should I still drink the amount of water that is recommended for good health?
I know that these sound like stupid questions, but really, I don't think that Jesus really meant for me to do all of these things. So what did He mean by "hunger and thirst for righteousness"?
NOTE: I'm not asking the above questions to get advice about the best way to lose weight. That's a topic for another thread. I asked these questions to illustrate how the wording of this Bible passage can be confusing to some people, including me.
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Melissa
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RE: What Does "Hunger & Thrist For Righteousness&q... - 11/16/2009 6:55:47 PM
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Liveloved
Posts: 2074
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quote:
ORIGINAL: MyCatSmokey2006
What is Jesus talking about in Matthew 5:6, when He says that those who "hunger and thirst for righteousness" will be filled? Also, He says a similar thing in Luke 6:21, where He says, "Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled. Further on in verse 25, Jesus says, "Woe to you who are full, for you shall hunger." (All verses NKJV)
Is Jesus talking about physical or spiritual hunger? Does He mean that I need to not eat full meals and let myself hunger a little? Maybe go on a strict diet? Should I still drink the amount of water that is recommended for good health?
I know that these sound like stupid questions, but really, I don't think that Jesus really meant for me to do all of these things. So what did He mean by "hunger and thirst for righteousness"?
NOTE: I'm not asking the above questions to get advice about the best way to lose weight. That's a topic for another thread. I asked these questions to illustrate how the wording of this Bible passage can be confusing to some people, including me.
When looking to interpret scripture, the easiest and best way is the obvious. So when Jesus speaks of hungering and thirsting for righteousness, you ask 'what is righteousness'? And the answer is God. God is the Righteous One. So we are hungering and thirsting for God.
And we know that God has revealed Himself, come to us in the person of Jesus. So we have Jesus telling us that if we hunger and thirst for righteousness, or hunger and thirst for Him, we will be filled. He will give ALL of Himself to us. And just like our hungering and thirsting for food, the more we eat and drink, the fuller we are. So the more we eat and drink of Jesus, the fuller we are.
John's gospel speaks of this in John 6 when Jesus says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves." (v 53)
Now we know that Jesus is not talking about cannibalism here. He's talking about Himself. He goes on to say, "For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him." (v 55-56)
Jesus is spiritual food and He satisfies our deepest hunger just as physical food satisfies our physical hunger and appetite.
Hope that helps. Your questions are not stupid. . . they come from a heart that wants to know and that is a beautiful heart. Bless you, LL
< Message edited by Liveloved -- 11/16/2009 7:02:35 PM >
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Liveloved
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Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
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RE: What Does "Hunger & Thrist For Righteousness&q... - 11/16/2009 9:29:11 PM
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rcjames
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To have an extreme desire for righteousness; to be obedient to God; to follow after the Spirit, and not after the flesh.
Thanks
RC
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Read the first chapter of my latest book here;
http://www.deliveranceofsara.com
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RE: What Does "Hunger & Thrist For Righteousness&q... - 11/17/2009 12:20:40 PM
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drmark
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Let me try a little different twist. We must remember that Jesus was speaking to people who lived in a relatively poor society and pretty much lived from day to day for the basic needs. To experience hunger and thirst was essentially a daily event and it would not have been uncommon for the average person to go significant periods of time without getting their needs for food and water met. So when Jesus used an analogy of needing righteousness as much as needing food and water, He was clearly showing the major importance of spiritual needs just as much as physical needs.
Now how can we further apply this lesson. God (and we) know that all of us would die (physically) without food and water if our hunger and thirst were not satisfied. Is He trying to tell us that we will die (spiritually) if He does not satisfy our need for righteousness? And should we be spiritually needing this "food and water" as much as we physically hunger and thirst for sustenance? Yes, and God is faithful to fill our spiritual need to be holy just as He is faithful to keep us fed and watered!
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Jeremiah 31:31-34. The time is NOW, fellow saints!
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