The Beatitudes
- Thread starter Dusty
- Start date
Hi Dusty,
Click link and scroll down read possible answer.
http://www.the-churchofchrist.com/attitudes/beatitudespoor_in_spirit.htm
Click link and scroll down read possible answer.
http://www.the-churchofchrist.com/attitudes/beatitudespoor_in_spirit.htm
Thanks freedom.... Good link and I have bookmarked it.
Right at the beginning of His sermon on the mount, Jesus contradicted all human judgements and all nationalistic expectations of the Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom is given to the poor, not the rich; the feeble, not the mighty; to little children humble enough to accept it, not to soldiers who boast that they can obtain it by their own bravery, skill or superior ability.
Now when He saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to Him, and he began to teach them saying
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 4:1-3
These. beatitudes are our balance and characterize our Christians attitudes and character. They are what every Christain ought to be.
The eight blessings are given to every Christian and the first that I was focusing on deals with something that doesn't sound much like a blessing to our ears: be " poor in spirit"
Sometimes as I reflect about all that we have in our countries we forget about the "have nots." I was thinking of the times I went on short term missions and saw how the "have nots" are in a sense richer than us because their attitudes of greed and pride of life do not exist.The people are redilly accepting of the gospel and as we passed out tracks , I did not see one that was tossed on the ground . In fact they were running after us to get a track. They have nothing and to them the gospel gives them hope. In their poverty Christ extends His vast arms and they are so accepting.
So to me poor in spirit is a total relyance on God. and recognizing our spiritual bankruptcy before God our Heavenly Father. We are nothing but sinners, under the holy wrath of God, and deserving nothing but His judgement. We have nothing to offer, nothing to plead, nothing with which to buy the favour of Heaven.
Perhaps the way we can look at what riches does is to look at the church in Laodicea.
Right at the beginning of His sermon on the mount, Jesus contradicted all human judgements and all nationalistic expectations of the Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom is given to the poor, not the rich; the feeble, not the mighty; to little children humble enough to accept it, not to soldiers who boast that they can obtain it by their own bravery, skill or superior ability.
Now when He saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to Him, and he began to teach them saying
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 4:1-3
These. beatitudes are our balance and characterize our Christians attitudes and character. They are what every Christain ought to be.
The eight blessings are given to every Christian and the first that I was focusing on deals with something that doesn't sound much like a blessing to our ears: be " poor in spirit"
Sometimes as I reflect about all that we have in our countries we forget about the "have nots." I was thinking of the times I went on short term missions and saw how the "have nots" are in a sense richer than us because their attitudes of greed and pride of life do not exist.The people are redilly accepting of the gospel and as we passed out tracks , I did not see one that was tossed on the ground . In fact they were running after us to get a track. They have nothing and to them the gospel gives them hope. In their poverty Christ extends His vast arms and they are so accepting.
So to me poor in spirit is a total relyance on God. and recognizing our spiritual bankruptcy before God our Heavenly Father. We are nothing but sinners, under the holy wrath of God, and deserving nothing but His judgement. We have nothing to offer, nothing to plead, nothing with which to buy the favour of Heaven.
Perhaps the way we can look at what riches does is to look at the church in Laodicea.
PreciousMessage
Inactive
Hi Dusty, (I hope you go through all of them)
I find it interesting the way the New English Bible states the verse:
"How blest are those who know their need of God; the kingdom of Heaven is theirs."
However, the Greek word "poor" in the more common translation means literally "beggar." They do not necessarily insist on their rights, such as this politically charged world does today. But they do have "EVERYTHING IN CHRIST."
“He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dung*hill to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory.†1 Sam. 2:8.
“Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which He hath promised to them that love Him?†James 2:5.
God has pronounced a blessing upon the poor, but not the rich, to me that means if you have riches, get rid of them for the cause of Christ! To the church in Smyrna the Lord said: “I know thy works and tribulation, and poverty (but thou art rich).†Rev. 2:9. What greater riches could one have than the kingdom of heaven?
John
PreciousMessage
Inactive
Well stated
My sentiments exactly. But the way of the world is they think they can gain more power, fame and notoritity but attaining more wealth but what does Jesus says . Matthew 19:24
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
.
Yes I want to go through the Beatitudes as I have a study guide and we are going through each verse in my Bible Study. Really interesting.
PreciousMessage
Inactive
Looking forward to it! .... The foxes have holes and the birds have nests but Christ had nowhere to lay His head. Many churches today are promoting and spending a great deal of time talking about building up wealth, I would be very suspicious of those teachings.
John
The indispensible condition of receiving the Kingdom of God is to acknowledge our spiritual poverty. To the poor in spirit, and only to the poor in spirit, the Kingdom of God is given. For God's rule which brings salvation is a gift as absolutely free as it is utterly underserved.
Some times we remain sharply aware of our own failings and dependence on the Lord and other times we are like the Laodiceans, oblivious to our own poverty.
To the Loadiceans Jesus said " Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. " Let Jesus speak those words directly to you and I and respond to His voice. Pray for a fresh awareness of our spiritual poverty and His generosity. Thank Him for making you and I part of His Kingdom.
Some times we remain sharply aware of our own failings and dependence on the Lord and other times we are like the Laodiceans, oblivious to our own poverty.
To the Loadiceans Jesus said " Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. " Let Jesus speak those words directly to you and I and respond to His voice. Pray for a fresh awareness of our spiritual poverty and His generosity. Thank Him for making you and I part of His Kingdom.