Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Blessed are the poor in spirit


"Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God."  

Jesus (Matt 5:3)

How many times have we heard of someone "make a decision for Christ" but afterward walking away unchanged?

Are we counting on some apparent decision as the primary reason God should let us into his Kingdom? Or should we look elsewhere? Is there a different indicator of true citizenship in the kingdom? Should we instead be focused on the disposition that without seeing our desperate need for Christ we have no hope of entrance? The former (making a decision) may be something we do in our head but the latter - poor in spirit - is a disposition (attitude) of our heart.

"Poor in spirit" is the first of a list of core teachings of Christ, commonly referred to as "the Beatitudes." Some argue the order is significant. I agree. Context is always essential and needed for a proper understanding of any passage.

This first beatitude addresses having the kingdom... "theirs ¹is the ²kingdom..." This suggests this first beatitude not just the starting point but the foundation on which the rest are built. This also indicates nothing else in this list happens unless we possess this disposition first.

What is it to be "poor in spirit"? In a word, humble. It is recognizing all we have to offer God is our need, 
spiritual poverty, even bankruptcy. There is nothing we can do or goodness we can offer that will cause God to accept us into His kingdom. All we can give to God are empty hands in need of Him. Recognizing and admitting we have empty hands morally and spiritually is the greatest evidence we are participating in the kingdom.

If this is the foundation and starting point, we do well to pay close attention. In fact, we must be careful we have this attitude before even considering the rest of Christ's teachings. 
We must have the kingdom before we can live it out.

We also do well to explain the gospel of the kingdom as Christ does, not as the evangelical church often does. What do I mean? Within the church, we usually hear ³faith is the key to entering the kingdom, with no mention of humility. Whereas Christ stresses ³humility but makes no mention of faith. A different emphasis, wouldn't you say? And not an insignificant one.

According to Christ, without humility, we do not have the kingdom. Possessing the kingdom is the fruit of being poor in spirit. Being poor in spirit is evidence of possessing it. The use of "for" indicates a direct connection between humility and possession. This suggests no one will have the kingdom without it. 

Do we see any indication of this elsewhere? 

In several other places, we are told that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble*.

"But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.' " James 4:6 

"...Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.' ” 1 Peter 5:5 

These and other verses suggest without humility, there is no grace.

So the question isn't whether we believe certain facts about God or not. James tells us that devils believe and tremble (Jas 2:19), yet they are still rebels against God. There's is a kind of belief that does not include humility.

Do you recognize your desperate condition before God and the only chance of his acceptance is if he provides the solution -- that you come to God with empty hands morally? Without this recognition, there is no chance of entrance. 

If you do recognize this, Christ says you are blessed and a child of the kingdom. If you do not, you do well to search your heart.

Does humility save us? No, only Christ can. But humility is the greatest indicator of true saving faith. Without it, there is no salvation. 
_______________________________

¹The only other beatitude that mentions possessing the kingdom is those who are persecuted for righteousness sake. Interestingly, a willingness to be persecuted for doing the right thing also requires humility.

Another verse mentioning possessing the kingdom is...

Matthew 19:14
But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

This verse tells us the kingdom of God belongs to "such as these" i.e. those who are like children. What is a quality children possess that adults often do not? Humility.  Why? Because children naturally recognize their humble dependence on those who are more capable than them.


²What is the significance of the kingdom of God? It was Christ's central message and the very 1st thing He mentioned and called us to at the outset of his ministry, after his test in the wilderness.

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17 ESV

³I'm not saying that faith and humility are mutually exclusive of each other. I'm saying there is no true faith without humility i.e. humility is the greatest evidence of true faith. 

We can agree to certain things/truths in our head but they will never take ahold of our heart without humility.

This was true of me for years and I think it is true of many within the church today.

For a discussion on the difference between grace driven believers in Christ and cultural Christians click here

2 comments:

  1. Humility, not so large a word by itself. But without it we are lost, we walk blindly and without hearing. We do not see the truth about us nor hear the truth . We do not want the truth. Until we are humbled we see not and we hear not. Humility is the beginning of acceptance of the truth, truth of Gospel of Christ. Truth humbles us but also encourages us at the same time. Christ and Christ only is our Lord and Savior.

    Joh 14:5 Thomas *said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?"
    Joh 14:6 Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
    Joh 14:7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him."
    Joh 14:8 Philip *said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us."
    Joh 14:9 Jesus *said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

    This truth should humble all men! Yet,sadly,it is not so. It is only by the grace of God that it is so. When God's grace comes upon us we recognize the richness of His grace, His love and His Holy Spirit and our need of Him. This need is because we recognize that without Him in our lives we truly have no life. As this article states, we are bankrupt! If we are bankrupt what do we have to offer?

    Mat 16:26 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

    We are poor in spirit, bankrupt and humbled by it when we rightly see our standing before our Almighty God. Thanks be to God and His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Grace and peace to all who read this comment. So much more to say.






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    1. Amen! Thanks for your comments and feedback.

      Jim

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Grace to you
Jim Deal