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 that someone "made a decision for Christ" but afterward walked 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 important. 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 is 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 foundational 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, and moral bankruptcy. There is nothing we can do or goodness we can offer that will cause God to receive us into His kingdom. The only thing we can offer God is empty hands in need of Him. 

Recognizing and admitting we have empty hands spiritually and morally is the greatest evidence that we are already participating in the kingdom.

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

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 - at least not directly as he does humility. A different emphasis, wouldn't you agree? And not an insignificant one.

Though faith and humility are interconnected, we will not turn to Christ in faith without humility first.

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 we possess it. The use of "for" indicates a direct connection between humility and possession. This suggests no one will have the kingdom without it. 

Is this only emphasized here? 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 or salvation. 

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 are spiritually bankrupt and can only 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. 

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

Another verse outside this sermon 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 also belongs to "such as these" i.e. those who are like little children. What is a quality children possess that adults often do not? Humility. Why? Because children naturally recognize their dependence on those who are more capable than them.

See also, Job 22:29, Isaiah 2:11-12, Isaiah 2:17, Matthew 23:12, Luke 1:52, Luke 14:11, Luke 18:14.

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

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 genuine faith. Whereas you can acknowledge and agree with certain things being true but never actually benefit personally from those truths.

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.