The Grace of God in His Responsiveness

By: Brian G. Chilton, Ph.D., M.Div. | July 30, 2023

Recently, I delivered a message on Matthew 7:7–8 and observed how the grace of God is involved in his responsiveness to our needs. Matthew 7:7–8 is part of the classic message known as the Sermon on the Mount. Seemingly, the Sermon on the Mount is not necessarily one long message, but it could be a collaboration of various messages Jesus delivered on the mountainside on that occasion. Thus, what is classically known as the Sermon on the Mount could be segments of an entire sermon series that Jesus preached. Some have even suggested that the Sermon on the Mount was used as an early catechism by the church, indicating the ethical standards of Christian behavior.[1]

Nonetheless, in Matthew 7:7–8, Jesus said, “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, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matt. 7:7–8).[2] The Greek terms αἰτεῖτε (“to ask”), ζητεῖτε (“to seek”), and κρούετε (“to knock”) are all in the present, active, imperative tense. The tense of these words does not indicate a one-time event, but rather, it expresses an ongoing action. Thus, Jesus tells a person to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking, and God will eventually respond to the person’s requests. The answers to these queries are where the grace of God is found. Let’s examine how God responds to each action.

The Grace of God in God’s Responsiveness to Asking

First, God’s grace is exemplified in his response to a person’s asking. After asking, the answer would be δοθήσεται ὑμῖν (“given to you”). Using a divine passive—a trademark of Jesus’s teaching—Jesus taught that the Father would answer according to his will. The term δίδωμι is the root word behind δοθήσεται. The word δίδωμι is often associated with God’s love. The root of the word is found in God’s giving through the works of Jesus (Jn. 5:36) and his disciples (Jn. 6:37). Jesus’s sacrifice is rooted in God’s love and his gift of salvation (Mk. 10:45; Matt. 20:28).

To put this into perspective, the expectation of the praying person is to be met with the kindness and helpfulness of God.[3] Does God owe anyone an answer to prayer? No. But Jesus explains that the Father is a merciful giver. He explains that “Who among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him” (Matt. 7:9–11). The gifts that God gives us flow out of his loving grace.

 The Grace of God in God’s Responsiveness to Seeking

Second, God’s grace is found in his responsiveness to our seeking. Like asking, the concept of seeking corresponds with a person’s prayer life. The concept of seeking is the idea of looking for something that is lost. In this case, a person seeks after the kingdom of God.[4] While that is the primary meaning behind Jesus’s teaching, one can also claim that a person seeks after other things, including answers to why certain events happened as they did. Perhaps a person went through a troubling situation and the person wants to know why it occurred.

In either case, Jesus said the Father would respond by allowing the person to find what they are searching for. The term εὑρίσκω describes the discovery of something being sought either by intentional searching or unexpected discovery. Here again, the grace of God undergirds his responsive action. God most assuredly allows us to find the kingdom of God as he is the first mover, seeking to save the lost. Moreover, he answers our most pressing questions in due time. For me, I had several issues that I needed answered before I could fully intellectually commit to my faith. The answers did not come overnight. Five to seven years elapsed before I finally received my answers. Yet God did provide them in his timing. All of this is rooted in God’s grace and love.

 The Grace of God in God’s Responsiveness to Knocking

Finally, the grace of God is exhibited in God’s opening the appropriate doors for us. The word ἀνοίγω points to the opening of a door. The primary focus of the passage is the opening of the gate of salvation (Matt. 7:13). As Keener points out, “It is possible that Matthew’s emphasis in this section is prayer for God’s rule.”[5] But it may also point to the opening of opportunity for the advancement of one’s ministry. This could also include a person’s career, ministry advancement, and other issues. For singles, this knocking could relate to the pursuit of finding the right person to marry. The apostle Paul often prayed for God to open the door of opportunity for the advancement of the gospel through his ministry (e.g., 1 Cor. 16:9; Col. 4:3–4). Thus, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that a person could interpret this teaching in that manner.

Just as in the other two cases, God will open the right doors for us, as well. Sometimes it may seem as if the world is collapsing around us with little to no opportunities available to us. We may see other friends and colleagues excelling while we feel like we are struggling to make it by. Take heart. If we stay faithful to God and continue knocking, God will open up the appropriate doors for us in due time. When God opens a door of opportunity, no one can close them. Nevertheless, open doors are only available because of God’s amazing grace.

Conclusion

While much attention has been placed on the action words “ask,” “seek,” and “knock,” the real impact of the Jesuan message is found in the divine passive—that is, God’s responses. Donald Hagner argues that “the faithfulness of God in answering prayer has a rich OT and rabbinical background.”[6] God’s reactions in giving, revealing, and opening all flow from the benevolence of God—all-encompassing compassion toward his creation.

Even though God’s timing is not always immediate when replying to our requests, and though we may often have to ask repeatedly, the fact that God responds to us at all is truly remarkable, especially given the depth, breadth, and sheer immensity of God’s transcendent being. As you read this, the divine answer to your prayers may not have come just yet. Keep asking, seeking, and knocking, and the Lord will reply in due time. And when God does, it will be far greater than you could ever imagine.

About the Author

Brian G. Chilton is the founder of Bellator Christi Ministries and the co-host of the Bellator Christi Podcast. Dr. Chilton earned a Ph.D. in the Theology and Apologetics at Liberty University (with high distinction), a M.Div. in Theology from Liberty University (with high distinction); his B.S. in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Gardner-Webb University (with honors); earned a Certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, and completed Unit 1 of Clinical Pastoral Education at Wake Forest University’s School of Medicine. Dr. Chilton is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Evangelical Philosophical Society.  In his spare time, he enjoys reading, working out in his home gym, and watching football. He has served in pastoral ministry for over 20 years and serves as a clinical chaplain.

https://www.amazon.com/Laymans-Manual-Christian-Apologetics-Essentials/dp/1532697104 

https://www.amazon.com/Conversations-about-Heaven-Difficult-Questions/dp/1666762687

Notes

[1] Joachim Jeremias, New Testament Theology, John Bowden, trans (London, UK: SCM, 1971), 194.

[2] Unless otherwise noted, all quoted Scripture comes from the Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman, 2020).

[3] John Holland, Gospel of Matthew (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2005), 325.

[4] Craig S. Keener, Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2009), 244.

[5] Ibid., 245.

[6] Donald Hagner, Matthew 1–13, WBC, Vol. 33A (Dallas, TX: Word, 1993), 174.

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