I was reading Matthew 5. Jesus sat down. He opened His mouth,
"The poor in spirit are blessed because the kingdom of heaven is theirs."
Stop.*
Hmmm.
I kept reading. I saw Jesus say:
You have heard it said, "The rich get richer and the poor get nothing" but I say, "The kingdom of heaven belongs to the poor."
You have heard it said, "Pursue pleasure, reject sorrow, turn sorrow into gladness and be happy" but I say, "Do not be afraid to mourn, there is comfort for the mourner."
You have heard it said, "Survival of the fittest, Dog eat Dog, Might makes right" but I say , "The gentle will inherit the earth."
You have heard it said, "You are good enough; Love you for you" but I say, "Hunger for righteousness and you will be filled."
You have heard it said, "Truth, Justice and the American Way" but I say, "The merciful will find mercy."
You have heard it said, "You need to experience the world and you can't be blind to sin" but I say, "Pure hearts clearly see God."
You have heard said every slanderous, gossiping, back-biting, murderous comment, but I say, "God's sons are peacemakers."
You have heard it said, "Watch your rep, watch your back, get yours and stay true to your colors" but I say unto you, "Take the Big One for Me and you'll get a big reward."
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* For some reason, I have always read this passage this way: Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. My mind has said to me, "You are blessed and will be blessed because you are poor in spirit." Something is inherently wrong with that. Are we blessed due to an intrinsic value or characteristic? Or are we blessed because we receive a blessing? In other words, are we in a state of "blessedness" when we are persecuted or when we a rewarded?
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3 comments:
Yep, I know what μάκάριος means.
:)
I think you're right, the blessing is in not in our spiritual condition but in what the Father provides for those in that spiritual condition. Being empty of self means nothing without God in the world and without his promise to rule in the individual's life. In fact, in a world without a righteous God, being empty of self (poor in spirit) would mean to be taken advantage of and stepped on. Put God in the picture, then being empty of self become the desire spiritual condition for a blessed life. Why? Self is depraved, selfish and wicked about all. So in the earthly economy, this condition is without value but in the heavenly economy it is of great value.
Thanks, Sean.
I think it becomes even more apparent that it is "all of grace" when He later says, "You are the salt....you are the light."
As D.B. pointed out in C.O.D, they were not to become salt but rather they were salt.
It is right for us to teach that this is a new creation, a new state. And we know the New Creation (true salt) is all of Grace.
So our "blessed" state must be indicative of the grace given.
Amen and let it be so.
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