“The Be-Attitudes” (Part One)
Beatitudes mean declarations of blessedness. The term blessed is all throughout the bible-220 times in the NIV. The term is used in the first chapter of the bible and the last chapter of the bible. The word blessed in the Greek does have a connection to the word “happy” but it is not understood to be the happiness that one would feel from circumstances or the pleasure derived from anything worldly. The term blessedness means joy. Therefore, the state of blessedness would be a state of joy, which is more than just happy, since happiness is dependent on circumstances. Blessedness refers to the ultimate well being and distinctive spiritual joy of those who are saved. Blessedness is better than happiness because happiness comes from things in the world and blessings come from God. Happiness is temporary while blessedness is eternal. In all the nine beatitudes we see a declaration of blessedness followed with the reason why. Blessed are the…for they...
One would look at this list of what brings blessedness and probably be confused because if we were asked ‘what does it mean to be blessed’, our answers would not be what we find here in this list. But as we so often see in the bible, our way of thinking contrasts God’s way. And there’s the struggle we face-conforming our way of thinking to God’s; being transformed by the renewing of our mind as Rom. 12:2. In the beatitudes we gain a new understanding as to what brings blessedness. Jesus’ first recorded sermon is about how we can be blessed. He starts out with hard to hear, unconventional principles that would blow out of the water the people’s ideas of what blessedness is all about. Let’s look at the beatitudes to find out what our attitude should be.
1) Blessed are the poor in spirit (vs. 3). The term poor in spirit is deceiving. It would make me think it something undesirable. Who wants to be poor in anything? But being poor in spirit is a good thing. Why? Because it means I’m someone who has recognized my own spiritual poverty and wretchedness. I have recognized that I am a sinner. I have seen myself for who I am rather than being prideful, vain or stuck in denial about my true spiritual condition. Isa. 57:15, “For this is what the high and lofty One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.” God, the high and lofty one is not with those who think of themselves as high and lofty but rather he is with those who recognize that they are far from God. Being poor in spirit represents humility. And without humility we won’t see the kingdom of God. This is why the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are poor in spirit. James 2:5, “Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” Being poor in spirit does not mean I remain spiritually poor. James 2:5 talks about being rich in faith. I may have been spiritually poor in the beginning but there’s no blessing in remaining that way. God wants to revive my spirit and revive my heart. He wants me to be rich in faith. Later Jesus says blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled. This is being spiritually rich. Being poor in spirit means I recognize my great need for Jesus. If I’m poor in spirit I have recognized that I am undeserving of God’s favor. In this we don’t make demands of God or have selfish expectations but rather we are appreciative and grateful for everything he has given us. “For theirs is the kingdom of heaven”. Interestingly, according to Robertson’s NT word pictures: "The kingdom of heaven" here means the reign of God in the heart and life.” If I am poor in spirit I will be willing to allow God to reign in my heart and it will show in my life. In this we see the great reward-we are taken from our lowly position and lifted to a higher one. Jesus said whoever humbles himself will be exalted. When I recognize my poor condition Jesus makes me rich.
2) Blessed are those who mourn (vs. 4). I believe this can apply to being comforted when we mourn over the loss of life. 2nd Cor. 1:3-5. We are comforted by God when we know that he cares too. We are comforted by God when he reminds us of the good times we shared with the person. And we are comforted by each other. However, I believe there’s a deeper meaning to this idea of being comforted when we mourn. It is said that this second beatitude is complementary of the first. Both seem to be similar in recognition of one’s spiritual state of being. Where the first is an intellectual understanding, the second is the emotional response that derives from that understanding. Whereas being poor in spirit is recognizing my own spiritual poverty, mourning is what derives from that recognition. In this I am not merely recognizing my sinful state it but grieving over it. Mourning over the understanding of how spiritually impoverished I am and having that cause me to cry out to God. When we are sorrowful over our sin and the damage it does to our relationship with God it opens the door for God to respond with comfort. Until there is godly sorrow there is no comfort provided. 2nd Cor. 7:10, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” Those who have godly sorrow will be comforted because their sorrow leads to change. Worldly sorrow (sorrow merely over getting caught or sorrow for other selfish reasons) doesn’t lead to change and we’re doomed to continue in it. But if we have godly sorrow (sorrow over wronging God) it will result in action-turning back to God. When we do that we can be sure that God will be there to comfort us. Blessed are those who mourn.
3) Blessed are the meek (vs. 5). Those who are of a kind, gentle spirit rather than those who are arrogant and pompous. Quiet rather than loud. Meek has a negative connotation. Meek=weak; like a helpless little mouse. But meekness isn’t that at all. Meekness illustrates gentleness; not powerlessness. Meekness is seen in resisting the temptation to retaliate; which Christ exemplified. A meek person allows themselves to be thought of as a coward for not fighting back or trading insult for insult; all for the purpose of maintaining spiritual integrity. I may have the power to take down my foe but I refrain for godly reasons. David could’ve taken Saul out but he restrained himself for godly reasons. Jesus was meek but he was anything but powerless. Jesus could’ve wiped out anyone that got in front of him but he willingly took all the abuse, all the blows, all the punishment…for godly reasons. Meek meaning weak couldn’t be further from the truth for the greatest display of power is self-control. We might think the idea of being meek only applies to how we treat each other. However, it most assuredly applies first toward God. We are to be gentle and kind to him instead of abrasive and mean to him. In fact, I don’t think we’re going to do a very good job at being gentle and kind to others until we’re gentle and kind toward God. But why wouldn’t we be that way toward God? One reason is because we are caught-up in our old nature. Rom. 8:7 says that the sinful mind is hostile to God. Part of that hostile mindset is in disagreeing or not accepting God’s will or plan for me. W. E. Vine writes: "Meekness is an inwrought grace of the soul; and the exercise of it is first and chiefly towards God. It is temper of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good and therefore without disputing and resisting." Pastor Terry Laughlin writes in regards to this, “True meekness is a submissive and trusting attitude toward God. It is an attitude which considers all things that come your way as being for God's good purpose in your life. Meekness looks beyond circumstances, no matter how upsetting and hurtful, and humbly bows the knee to the Sovereign God.” Sometimes what we deal with in life feels anything but gentle but that doesn’t change who God is and what he is-gentle and humble in heart. In meekness I rest in that; I trust in that. In my willingness to be meek my hostility is turned to gentleness. Meekness starts with our relationship with God. “They will inherit the earth”. On the surface this seems preposterous. In the world’s eyes meek means weak; a pushover. How can the meek accomplish anything let alone something as grand as inheriting the earth? It’s not those who are gentle and kind and allow themselves to be mistreated who will take possession of the world it’s those who are aggressive and pushy who will take over the earth; right? When’s the last time you heard someone say, “If you want to get ahead in life, try being meek.” What does it mean to ‘inherit the earth’? Psalm 37:7-11. They meek will be the ones to inherit the true blessings of the earth. They will be the ones to truly appreciate the creation of God. There are those who have the things of the earth that don’t appreciate them; they don’t value them-rather-because they are not meek they have expectations of them-such a person will not be true inheritors-they will lose what they think is securely theirs. Just as before when the poor in spirit were lifted to a high position the meek (who the world would consider to be in a low position) will be the ones elevated to the high status of inheriting the earth.
CONCLUSION: We can see with the beatitudes that Jesus turned the normal way to think about things upside-down. We have been programmed by the world to think certain things and to look at things in a certain light. Jesus came along to remove our blindness. His teachings shed light on what was valuable in the eyes of God. Jesus shows us what will truly bless us in life. It’s not conventional, it’s not easy, but the results are priceless.
