Jim Pace

That whole “Ask, seek, knock” thing Jesus said is a bunch of crap!

February 9, 2011 | 4 Comments

I get asked about tricky verses a lot. But the guy I was talking to on this day was very upset.  As he told me his story, this frustration was so clear you could almost touch it.  So we started to chat about it.   The two instances he was talking about are recounted in Matt and Luke.  In them, Jesus was talking with a group of people about how things work in the Kingdom of God.  How God intended us to live.  How in some ways life in the Kingdom of God is very similar to the kingdom of this world and in other ways, it is very different.  Let me list both of the instances.

Matt 7.7-8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Luke 11.9-10 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Here we have two fairly straightforward accounts of Jesus talking about how things work with those who follow God.  They sound great too.  The only problem is that we all have countless examples of when they haven’t been true.  Times where we have asked for things that range from the selfish to the selfless.  Yes, I have asked for my share of Hokie victories and things to go my way, primarily for my benefit.  But I have also asked for things that go far beyond me, very selfless things.  Likely we all have.  Some of those have happened and some have not.

So, either Jesus was wrong, someone got his statement written incorrectly, or I am not looking at the whole picture.  As I have spent a lot of time in teachings and on the blog dealing with questions of the accuracy of the biblical scriptures, and I believe Jesus wasn’t wrong, I am going to hone in on the last option.  I think we miss the point.

And I think Jesus thought the same thing.  Come back Friday and see why I think that.

Peace, Jim

Categories: Church, General, Should We Fire God?, Sticky Issues