The Beatitudes

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

INSIGHT:   These are some of the most beautiful and important words in the Bible and yet they are so often misunderstood!  It’s humbling to realize that I went through several beliefs about the beatitudes before God finally gave me better understanding.  At first, I thought they were simply something to aim for, but completely unattainable.  Then there was the time I concluded that Jesus dying on the cross surely cancelled out our need to try to live up to this unreachable standard. Finally, there was the time when I realized, “Wow, I am actually living these and I have a deep desire to continue to do so.”   I was partly correct in my first assumption; these are unattainable without the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.  However, when you fully surrender to the Spirit of Christ, these become the natural outflow of abiding in Him.  I want to caution against you misinterpreting what I’m about to say, such that you think I’m saying it’s not important to learn and intentionally apply the teachings in the Bible.  Nevertheless, here has been my wonderful experience.  There have been many times that I read a precept or command and realize that I am already obeying it without having ever consciously or intentionally tried to.  That is life in the Spirit (Rom 8:14, Gal 5:25).  You begin to think like He thinks and desire what He desires and act like He acts.  It’s incredible because He enables you (grace) to be able to live like He requires you to live.  Praise God!

V.3 “poor in spirit”.  It means you see that you have brought nothing righteous to this relationship with God, except a broken filthy jar to be emptied and re-filled by Him.  You have no merit before God, there is nothing good in your natural self, no righteousness of your own.  V. 4 “those who mourn”.  Lazarus and the rich man are our illustration here.  Lazarus was now comforted after his life of hardship and mourning and the rich man was now in agony in hell after a life of comfort.  If you love your life in this world and have not lost it, you will lose it in the next.  V. 5 “the meek”.  The meek are those humble faithful souls who have a real preference for God’s will over their own.  V. 6 “hunger and thirst for righteousness”.  You are either hungry for the things of this world, and the praises of men, or for the righteousness of God. V.7 “the merciful” The teachers of the Law were unmerciful men, quick to pick up stones, and slow to show mercy to the repentant. V.8 “pure in heart” Jesus said it is what comes out of a man’s heart which makes him evil.  The heart is where God desires to live by His Spirit (Rom 5:5) and an evil heart repels God while a pure heart attracts Him to us.  A pure heart is a team effort between us and God (Jam 4:8, 2Tim 2:20-21) V. 9 “peacemakers”, and yet Jesus said He didn’t come to bring peace, but division.  It is spiritual division between those who love the truth and those who do not, and in that way, we too will bring division and not peace.  Peacekeeping at the expense of the truth is no peace at all.  But as far as it is possible for us, we should avoid conflict and seek peace in all situations.  A true Christian does not storm the White House in the name of God but lives quietly in the land (Psa 35:20). V.10-12 “persecuted, insulted, falsely accused” Even false Christians are persecuted for their association with the Bible, God, and Jesus, but there is no escaping it for a true Christian who wishes to follow Jesus’ example of righteousness and faith in this world.  If we are not being persecuted, something is wrong with our faith, and we will not receive the blessings which Jesus said would come in v. 12.  The sermon on the mount is impossible to live without the Spirit of Jesus Christ living inside of us, and impossible not to live if He is inside of us.  Are you living it?