Purity and the Beatific Vision

The sixth beatitude is, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." It is one thing to look good on the outside, it is quite another to be internally pure. Deceit and hypocrisy are never pleasing to God because they are an implicit denial of his existence, or at the very least, a denial of his complete knowledge of all things. When we are merely content with external purity we act as though God were blind or as if he does not care. But nothing could be further from the truth. God wants his people to be real and authentic. He wants us to be pure in heart.

This is why Jesus tells us that the pure in heart are rewarded with the vision of God. They see and experience him who is altogether pure, the one who is described as "the Father of heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows" (James 1:17). God's people see him now, with the eyes of faith. We see his hand in human history and we know his presence in our own lives. But as wonderful as this is, there is coming a day when that we will experience God in a way that surpasses anything we presently know.

The final book of the Bible, the book of Revelation (not Revelations, by the way...), speaks of this reality in symbolic language which transcends our present ability to comprehend it at this point in history. For instance, "I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it... (Revelation 21:22-24). But here, as elsewhere in the Bible, experiencing this beatific vision is linked to purity and the diligent pursuit of holiness (cf. Revelation 21:27; Hebrews 12:14; Psalm 24:3-6).

Purity of heart is not easily attained, in fact, from a merely human standpoint it is beyond our grasp. We are impure by nature and so easily drawn to that which is impure as well. Purity, that is approved by God, only comes to us by faith as we follow the one who uttered this beatitude to the cross. It is only as we are washed in the blood of the Lamb that we are cleansed from our impurities and given the grace to seek after authentic purity from that point on. But whatever the difficulties, purity of heart is worth the struggle because in the end we are blessed with God himself. There is no greater reward or motivation.

Next time: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

The Merciful

The fifth beatitude is, "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." I think it is indicative of Jesus' skill as a teacher that he speaks about mercy after the pursuit of righteousness. We can probably think of "righteous" people that we would rather not be around. People who are always right! People who think that its their way or the highway! Unfortunately these pompous pretenders know neither righteousness nor mercy. It is also unfortunate that too many such people hide out in churches poisoning the fellowship and stifling outreach into the community while thinking God is pleased with them. Theirs is an obnoxious pseudo-righteousness that has nothing to do with true spirituality and we would do well to avoid it.

The mercy that Jesus commends is marked by forgiveness and compassion. It is the kind of thing that can only be offered by those who have known the mercy of God in their own lives. A merciful person does not stand around with folded arms while others hurt nor do they say, "I told you so, they are only getting what they deserve." Someone who is merciful tries to alleviate the suffering of others. They know how to put themselves in the life situation of others and they empathize with their struggles and pain. Without condescension their hearts are soft enough to pity others in their distress.

Mercy is something that genuine followers of Jesus cannot help but extend to others because they have experienced the mercy of God themselves. When they were guilty, God forgave them. When they were in distress, he came to their rescue. This did not happen just once, but over and over again. And so powerful was their experience of God's mercy that they have been transformed. Just as those who are forgiven much cannot help forgive others, so those who have known God's mercy must be merciful (cf. Matthew 18:21-35 and the parable of the unforgiving servant).

This beatitude raises many important questions. Are we merciful people? Is this how we come across to others? Is there any evidence of mercy in our lives? As Christians must never forget the King of kings who forgave all our sins and reached out to us in mercy and in grace. Divine mercy is an awesome, life-changing experience. We must never forget that the one who gave us this beatitude was on a mission of mercy that would take him to the cross where he would die the just for the unjust to bring us to God. If we have experienced his mercy we cannot steel our hearts toward others.

Next time: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."

Hungry and Thirsty for Righteousness

The fourth beatitude is, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Hunger and thirst are strong desires and not superficial feelings. Those who are approved by God strongly desire righteousness and will not be content with anything less. "Righteousness" in Matthew's gospel is not the same as in the apostle Paul. When Paul speaks of "righteousness" he often means the perfection of Christ which is imputed or put to the account of believers. Though we are unrighteous in ourselves, we are viewed as righteous because of the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf. Matthew is more concerned with our actually conduct versus our standing in Christ. Thus "righteousness" in Matthew refers to right conduct and justice. To hunger and thirst for righteousness is to strongly desire God's will in our lives and to do all that we can to live according to his commands.

Jesus says that those who long for righteousness will be filled. They will gain what they seek. This means that their desires will be fully realized in the new heavens and earth the home of righteousness (2 Peter 2:13). But it also means that even now they can know the joy of becoming more Christ-like in their attitudes and conduct. This happens as they read and study the word of God which reveals the way of righteousness (Psalm 42:2; 63:1). For the believer there is nothing worse than a famine of the word of God (Amos 8:11-14). We want to know what God desires so that we can pursue it in our personal lives and globally in the world. As we grow in our knowledge of God our hunger and thirst for righteousness are satisfied.

However, it is important to point out that there is a sense in which the more we are filled the more we long to be filled. This makes no sense to those who have never experienced it but those who have know that they can never get enough of God. Because he is infinite and we are finite our knowledge of him is something that will never be complete. And so we hunger and thirst and are filled... only to hunger and thirst again... only to be filled... and on and on in the most glorious and delightful way.

Next time: "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."

Meekness

The third beatitude is, "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." Many have observed that meekness is not weakness or servility. It is not being a doormat for people to wipe their feet on. Rather the meekness produced by the gospel is gentleness combined with self-control. A meek person does not strut around like a peacock trying to draw attention to himself. A meek person is humble and does not to avenge or vindicate themselves.

In the Bible Moses is presented as more meek and humble than anyone on the earth at that time (Numbers 12:3). This is a remarkable statement and indicates that Moses was schooled by God over the course of his life. In his younger days Moses was self-confident and ready to take on anyone. But although he had natural abilities and lots of enthusiasm he was not ready for the main mission in his life until he was humbled by God in the desert where he spent forty years as a shepherd caring for his father-in-laws sheep!

The greatest example of meekness and humility is the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:29). Although he was the very son of God he take in the form of a servant and as the God-man he gave himself to secure the redemption of his people. No wonder Jesus says that the meek are blessed. How could it be any other ways seeing they walk in his footsteps and conform their lives to his example!

Jesus says that "the meek will inherit the earth." This seemingly simple statement has a rich Old Testament background. The word translated "inherit" is used in the LXX (Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament) to refer to entering the Promised Land of Canaan (Deuteronomy 4:1; 16:20; Isaiah 57:13; 60:21). However the "earth" Jesus is talking about has nothing to do with real estate in Palestine. Ultimately, when redemptive history has run its course, the inheritance of the people of God is a new heavens and earth (2 Peter 3:13 cf. Revelation 21 and 22). In one sense, believers possess all things in principle right now (2 Corinthians 6:10), but this beatitude looks forward to a day when what we presently grasp by faith literally becomes the ground beneath our feet.

This beatitude also shows how different the kingdom of heaven is compared to this world. Here and now the "earth" or the "spoils" belong to the strong, the self-assertive, the technologically advanced, the wealthy or those who are armed to the teeth. The meek inherit nothing! But Jesus tells us that is not how it will be in the end. In the end the meek inherit everything and those who do not participate in the kingdom of heaven inherit nothing. Jesus' words enable us to suffer wrong and scorn in this world knowing that we will be vindicated and rewarded one day. We do not have to worry about our reputations if God approves of our actions. This perspective liberates us and sets us free to serve others without fear or ulterior motives. Meekness is a grace we cannot do without.

Next time: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness."

The Mourning of Repentance

The second beatitude is "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Although this beatitude is often heard at funerals and in times of tragedy it does not promise comfort to all who mourn and weep. As much as we might not want to talk about sin, the comfort of this beatitude comes to those who mourn the trouble caused by their own sin and the sins of their fellow human beings. Once again the backdrop is the Old Testament, and this time, the "remnant" of God's people that long for a better day. In ancient times Israel was judged for her sins and eventually driven from the land of promise. While many went about their lives and tried to make the best of it, there were those like Simeon who were waiting for "the consolation of Israel" (Luke 2:25). They realized that the troubles of the nation were because of their sins and rebellion against God. Because they wanted to experience his blessing again they confessed their sins to God and sought his forgiveness. Thus it is to people like these, and not the calloused crowd, that Jesus promises the comfort of knowing that they are forgiven by God and part of his family forever. But it is important to understand that even though this comfort can be experienced in this life it will never be complete until the new heavens and earth where we are completely free from the curse of sin.

In giddy, superficial age in which we live, the second beatitude reminds us that we will never experience the joy of knowing God unless we first know tears of repentance. The greatest happiness comes to those who know the comfort of God that comes to us in Jesus Christ. He is the fulfillment of the words of the prophet Isaiah who spoke about the Lord's servant who would be anointed to preach good news to the poor and to bind up the brokenhearted, to comfort all who mourn and provide for those who grieve in Zion, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair (Isaiah 61:1-3). He knows how to comfort his people no matter what is going on in their lives. No wonder he pronounces a blessing on those who mourn and assures them that sooner or later they will be comforted. What a wonderful declaration and promise.

Next time: "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth."

Poverty of Spirit

The first beatitude is "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Some have accused Matthew of spiritualizing Jesus' words believing that he originally pronounced a blessing on the materially poor. In the minds of these critics "poor in spirit" is Matthew's attempt to make Jesus' words more acceptable to his readers and religious community. But this is too simplistic an explanation that not only impugns the authority of the biblical writers but misreads the Old Testament background. In the Old Testament "poor" takes on spiritual significance especially as you move through the canon. In significant places it does not merely refer to the materially poor but to the poor whose poverty has driven them to God for help (cf. for example Psalm 37:14 where poor and needy is parallel with upright; 40:17; Proverbs 16:19; 29:23; Isaiah 57:15; 61:1; 66:2).

In the Bible poverty is never treated as a blessing in and of itself. But neither is wealth. In fact, wealth can blind people to their real need of God and to their destiny as sinful human beings regardless of their financial resources and clout. On the other hand, poverty though it is ultimately one of the problems of living in a fallen world, can make us feel our need of God and our total dependence on him and consequently drive us to him. It does not always do that of course, but where it does it is transformed by God's grace into a blessing.

The "poor in spirit" are those who recognize that they have nothing to commend themselves to God. They understand that they are spiritual paupers who need the love, mercy and grace of God. Jesus says that "theirs in the kingdom of heaven." This is another way of saying that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who joyfully accept the rule of Jesus, God's Messiah, whose life on earth will lead him to the cross where he will die to secure the blessings of salvation for those who surrender to him. A person must be poor in spirit to accept this. Many are too proud. They will come to God another way. But according to Jesus there is no other way. To enter the kingdom of heaven we must humble ourselves and accept God's verdict on our lives and his solution for our sin. When we do, we come under the reign of his grace, with the promise of greater blessings to come. We are blessed indeed.

Next time: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."

The Beatitudes - More Than Happy

The "beatitudes" in Matthew 5:3-12 are important because they describe those who are members of the kingdom of heaven. When many people think of a kingdom they often think of a geographic place but the kingdom of heaven is best viewed as the reign or rule of God in Jesus Christ. It is a dynamic and not a static concept. Those who have come under the power of God revealed in Christ are described in eight different ways. These descriptions are to be taken together. You cannot pick and choose or aim at a certain percentage. The beatitudes give us a description of the followers of Christ or those who later became known as Christians.

Over the next while I will take them one by one and try to explain them. We need to be clear about authentic Christianity. There is much confusion today. Each of the beatitudes begins with "blessed" which has sometimes been paraphrased as "happy." But blessed means more than happy. "Happy" has to do with our subjective feelings. "Blessed" is more objective. A person who is blessed is approved by God. Ultimately this is the greatest source of happiness but it might not always feel that way in this life. Some are presently happy who are not blessed or approved by God, while the opposite is true for others. In the end nothing is more important than God's approval and the experience of his grace, especially in the day of judgment.

This gives the beatitudes an importance that goes beyond memorable prose. We need to ask ourselves where we stand in this regard. Are we blessed? Are these beatitudes true of us? Have we experienced the grace of the preacher who went up on a Palestinian mountainside many years ago and delivered the famous sermon (Matthew 5-7) that begins with these eight profound and unforgettable pronouncements of blessedness?

To be continued...

Humility: True Greatness

In our mentoring groups at TBS we have been going through C. J. Mahaney's book "Humility: True Greatness." In preparation for tomorrow's discussion I have just read chapter 4 on "greatness demonstrated" which points to Jesus and his great self-sacrifice on behalf of those ensnared by sin, including, but not restricted to, the sin of pride. Mahaney reminds us that Jesus did not just show the way by his example of selfless living but he died to make it possible for his people to serve God and others as we are commanded in the Bible.

Christianity that is faithful to the scriptures is cross-centered. There is no way around it. Take away the cross and Christianity becomes nothing more than religious dogma. Without the cross there is nothing to set it apart from the religions of the world which are full of noble thoughts and ambitions but utterly unable to produce real change in the lives of their adherents. True humility flows from the fact that we cannot help ourselves. We are dependent on God in the most basic areas of life and we owe him a debt of gratitude we can never repay.

True greatness is found in humility and true humility begins at the cross where Jesus died the just for the unjust to bring us to God. If we would serve well we must never cease to marvel at and meditate on the cross of Christ on which the Prince of Glory died for then, in the words of the old hymn, we will "count our richest gains as loss and pour contempt on all our pride."

Jesus: The Lord of all

In the final place, "living according to Christ" (Colossians 2:8) means that we believe that Jesus is the Lord of all and we act accordingly. Paul makes this explicitly clear in verse 10 when he describes Christ as the "head over every power and authority" and in verse 15 when he tells us that Christ "disarmed the powers and authorities and made a public spectacle of them triumphing over them by the cross." In our technically advanced age people sometimes snicker at the mention of "powers of darkness" but not the apostle. He believed in their existence and he writes about them elsewhere in Ephesians 6:12. They are not be denied or treated taken lightly. But neither are they to be feared because they are no match for our Lord. He is exalted to the right hand of God, which is to say, that he has the place of supreme authority - he is Lord.

As Lord of all he is able to make a thousand hearts his own in a moment. He is able to provide all that we need both in this life and in the one to come. We do not have to be afraid if he is on our side. We may be small but he is great. We are weak but he is strong. We are foolish but he is wise. Thinking, teaching and living according to Christ means that we evaluate everything in light of his word. The fact that he is the ultimate revelation of God, the Savior of his people and the Lord of all have many practical implications. He stands at the center of human history. His word is the standard of truth. A right relationship with him is crucial. He changes how we look at the world, ourselves, the past, the present and the future. If we do these things God will be glorified, captives set free, lives changed and churches established. "Kata Christon" (according to Christ) is an excellent motto for TBS and for Christians. But may it be more than a motto. May it be a way of thinking, teaching and living until we see Jesus face to face.

Jesus: The Savior of his people

In the second place living "according to Christ" (Colossians 2:8) means that we believe he is the Savior of his people and we act accordingly. His death, burial and resurrection have power and significance for his people. When we were spiritually dead and insensitive, God gave us new life in Christ. All our sins were forgiven having been nailed to his cross. There is no other salvation in all the world. Jesus is not one savior among many, he is the only savior of mankind. He is the only one who can make us right with God and liberate us from the guilt and power of sin. To know him is to love him and to walk in the freedom he has purchased for us at great cost to himself. His people love to tell others about him and about all that he has done for them. We love to do so because we know that he can do for others what he has done for us.

Salvation language smacks of political incorrectness in our day because it assumes spiritual lostness and peril. For many these are not valid assumptions. They are far too negative and pessimistic. But what many fail to realize is that the language of salvation, with the related ideas of deliverance, ransom, etc., assume a biblical worldview which includes an historical fall into a state of corruption and peril from which we must be rescued. We cannot deliver ourselves, we need a savior. Abstracted from its biblical context the notion of Jesus as a savior makes no sense or it is reinterpreted in ways not allowed by the Bible. Thinking, teaching and living according to Christ means that we must re-establish the biblical worldview as a way of getting people to understand the importance of Jesus the Christ. And then we must proclaim him as the only hope of those who have gone astray and the one who is willing to save all who come to God through him.

Next time: Jesus as the Lord of all.