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Promises to the Blessed

by Paul George  
2/05/2008 / Bible Studies

Matthew 5:1-10

The poor in spirit are blessed because theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The ungodly and unrighteous of this world claim the rich are the blessed for theirs is the kingdoms of the world. What they do not understand is the kingdoms of the world are fading away, the kingdom of heaven is eternal, it will never fade away. When we compare what Jesus said about the blessed being poor in spirit we need to remember there is a difference in spiritual poverty and financial poverty. There is no virtue and often disgrace in financial poverty. Financial poverty does not produce humility of heart.

Note what Jesus told the disciples. Jesus did not tell the disciples the promise, theirs is the kingdom of heaven is a promise that will be fulfilled in the future it is a promise that is fulfilled in the present. What did the Apostle Paul tell the Ephesians? He told the Ephesians the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3). The reason why many professing Christians do not experience the spiritual blessings is they are more concerned about laying up treasure here on earth.

Those who mourn are blessed because they shall be comforted. The fulfillment of the promise of comfort occurs with the removal of the burden of guilt. This comfort is the peace of God that passes all understanding and the filling of the heart with the assurance we are accepted in the Beloved. It is a continual comforting by the Holy Spirit, the assurance that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). The final comfort comes when we leave this world. Then shall all sorrow and sighing flee away. To the rich man in the place of torment, Abraham said of the one who had begged at his gate, "now he is comforted (Luke 16:25). The good news is the comfort of heaven will more than compensate for all the mourning of earth.

The meek are blessed because they shall inherit the earth. We often see and hear advertised a conference for promoting the higher life, or how to achieve one's full potential, but who ever heard of one promoting meekness? Hundreds of books are written telling us how to be filled with the Spirit, and this is good, but where can we find one telling us what it means to empty ourselves of self-confidence, self-importance, and self-righteousness.

There have been many debates as to exactly what meekness consists of. Some defined meekness as humility. Its usage in Scripture reveals a link between meekness and lowliness that cannot be separated (Matthew 11:29; Ephesians 4:1-2) It is associated with and cannot be separated from gentleness (2 Corinthians 10:1; Titus 3:2). The psalmist tells us God "leads the humble in justice, and He teaches the humble His way" (Psalm 25:9). The meekness Jesus refers to is the working of God's grace in the soul that enables men and women, through the grace of God, learn to curb their tempers, cease from resentment, avoid offending by injurious words and actions, and forgive injuries. The meekness Jesus refers to are those who quietly submit themselves to the will of God, His Word, His chastisement, and follow His directions and comply with His plan for their lives and are gentle toward their fellowman.

The fruits of meekness are first God ward, inasmuch as meekness is that spirit of mildness brought into obedience to the will of God through discipline and suffering. Second, it is man ward. It causes the believer to bear patiently the insults and injuries, which he receives at the hands of his fellowman. The Apostle Paul told the Galatians, if anyone is caught in any trespass, he is to be dwelt with in the spirit of gentleness (Galatians 6:1). This means, not with a lordly and a domineering attitude, a harsh and censorious temper, with a love of finding fault and desire for inflicting discipline but with gentleness, humility and patience.

Contrary to what the ungodly believe, meekness is not a sign of weakness but a revealing of the yielding to God's will in an individual who will not yield to or compromise with evil. God-given meekness enables His people to stand up for God-given rights. When the ungodly profane the glory of God, we must denounce the profanity and those who profane God's glory.

Biblical meekness is never in conflict with the requirements of faithfulness to God, His cause, and His people.

The spirit of meekness is what enables us to get enjoyment out of what God has given us. The psalmist wrote, "A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked" (Psalm 37:16 - KJV). The ungodly and unrighteous do not inherit the earth, though they may own many acres of it. The author of Proverbs wrote, "Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure and troublesome therein" (Proverbs 15:16 - KJV). Writing to the Corinthians Paul said, "let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God" (1 Corinthians 3:21-23 - NASB). Our right or title to the earth is twofold: civil and spiritual, the civil approved by men according to their laws and customs. God approves the spiritual. Adam had this spiritual right to the earth before he fell, but by his sin, he forfeited it for both himself and his posterity. However, Jesus has regained it for all God's children.

Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness are blessed because they shall be satisfied.

There have been many questions asked about the word "righteousness." In many Old Testament passages, righteousness is synonymous with salvation. The key words in verse six of Matthew chapter five are "hunger" and "thirst." Hunger and thirst after righteousness implies a yearning after God's favor, image, and mercy. Jesus told the disciples to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). As sinners, we have constantly broken the Law in thought, word, and deed, and are utterly destitute of righteousness. However, God has provided a perfect righteousness in Christ for all who believe.

The promise "they shall be filled" has a double fulfillment: an initial, and a continuous. When the Holy Spirit creates a hunger and thirst in the soul, it is so that He may satisfy it. When the poor sinner recognizes he needs deliverance from his lost condition and seeks deliverance, he receives the peace of God that passes all understanding. This deliverance results in sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving to the One that delivered him from his lost condition. The goodness and mercy he enjoys is a foretaste of what God has prepared for those who love Him: in the day to come. In that day, we shall be made "like Him" (1 John 3:2). Then we shall be done with sin forever and "hunger and thirst no more" (Revelation 7:17).

The merciful are blessed because they shall receive mercy. The mercy refers to is the compassion of the soul moved to pity. It is a spirit of kindness and benevolence that sympathizes with the sufferings of the afflicted, so that we weep with those that weep. It enables its possessor to temper justice with mercy, and does not seek revenge. It is a holy disposition in contrast with an unholy disposition that ignores the requirements of justice. Ignoring the requirements of justice is a false and unholy mercy that petitions the courts to cancel or modify a just and fully merited sentence passed upon some flagrant offender.

The mercy Jesus refers to does not have its roots in the natural man. True, some people make no profession of being Christians in whom we often find sympathy for the suffering, and a readiness to forgive those who have wronged them, though admirable there is nothing spiritual in it. Instead of being subject to the authority of God, it often opposes the law of God. The mercy Jesus refers to is different from and superior to natural graciousness, it is a graciousness approved by God and the result of the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts. If the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts, the same disposition in Him, however imperfectly manifested in us, we must reproduce it in our lives.

The mercy Jesus refers to is something more than a feeling. It not only stirs the heart, but it moves the hand to render help to those in need. Jesus makes it very clear that no work of mercy is shown to those in misery except that it proceeds from an inward compassion. The mercy Jesus refers to is a fruit of the love of God shed abroad in the heart.

The good news is, the one who shows mercy to others gains mercy (Proverbs 11:17).

The pure in heart are blessed because they shall see God. The pure in heart Jesus refers to is not perfection. The pure in heart Jesus refers to is one in which the fear of the Lord has been implanted and the love of God shed abroad, and therefore it hates what He hates and loves what He loves. The promise they shall see God has a future fulfillment. The Christian's purity of heart is only in part in this life, but perfected in the life to come. "Now we see through a darkened glass, but then face to face; now we know in part; but then shall we know even as also we are known" (1 Corinthians 13:12 - NASB). Since, the privilege of seeing God is dependent upon heart purity, how essential it is that we give earnest heed to the exhortations of Isaiah 1:16; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Peter 3:15.
The peacemakers are blessed because they shall be called the sons of God. The promise they shall see God is evidence the peacemakers referred to by Jesus excludes the moral virtues of the natural man, but rather the spiritual graces of the regenerate. To be called a child of God is to be renewed in His image. The Lord Himself is "the God of peace" (Hebrews 13:20), and where His peace is manifested by His people He owns them as His children. Ultimately, God will make it manifest to the entire universe that we are His children (Romans 8:19).

Retired pastor,Church of the Nazarene

Author of web site Exploring God's Word

www.thewordofgodonline.net

New American Standard Bible

King James Version

The World English Bible

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