The Sermon on the Mount​—“Keep on Asking”

AFTER counseling his hearers to avoid adverse judging of their fellowman, Jesus said: “Keep on asking, and it will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you.”​—Matt. 7:7.a

With these words, the Son of God urged his disciples to persevere in prayer. There was a pressing need for this. The Sermon on the Mount had shown clearly that righteousness in God’s eyes was not simply a matter of performing religious and charitable deeds. (Matt. 5:20; 6:1) To be meaningful, acts of worship must spring from proper heart motivations, including forgiveness, chasteness, truthfulness and love. (Matt. 5:22, 27, 28, 33-37, 43-48) Since these qualities run counter to sinful human nature, the disciples would have to petition God regularly for assistance in meeting his requirements for true worship.

Hence, they were to “keep on asking” for needed strength and wisdom to live a godly life. (2 Cor. 4:7; 2 Pet. 1:3) They should “keep on seeking” this as they would hid treasure. (Compare Matthew 13:44.) They must “keep on knocking” to secure full admittance into the blessings that God has in store for those who meet his approval.​—Note Luke 13:24, 25.