We will begin looking at the beatitudes today as found in Jesus words in Matthew 5. Let’s look at Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
What do you think “poor in spirit” means? Many times a Christian is portrayed as being very staunch and serious. I think of an old lady with a frown and a snarling eyebrow when I think of “poor in spirit”. I think many people view Christians like this because they think they have to “give up” everything that is good and fun to become a Christian. That is not how I view the Christian life and didn’t think that I had to be like that to be able to say that I was going to heaven so I went to my handy dandy I-pad and looked up what “poor in spirit” means. According to a sermon by Professor Finney, of The Oberlin Evangelist, in 1844, www.gospeltruth, I found my answer. In short, it is the realizing that we are nothing without God. It is being convicted that in the human state we have a tendency towards evil rather than good but through the grace of God we can be made whole.
Contrary to the initial impression, poor in spirit doesn’t mean that we should walk around with a frown on our face or that we should be downcast, quite the opposite. As a Christian we should be joyful because Christ gave us a way to be free from the hold on evil and has given up victory. The ironic thing is that people who are not poor in spirit should be the ones walking around with downcast faces because they don’t have the hope in Jesus Christ. But, sin is deceiving. You have heard the phrase, “If it feels good, do it.” That is the deception of sin, most generally, it feels good and we should definitely not “do it”. When you are “poor in spirit” you recognize the hold of evil and cling to the firm grip of the Father’s hand. You humble yourself to the only One who can save you from the grip of death.
Where does that recognition come from? It comes from the prompting of the Holy Spirit that indwells those who believe and it will bring conviction to those who do not believe. If we reject His prompting and depend on ourselves we are doomed to eternal destruction but if we recognize the prompting and obey we are considered “poor in spirit” and will inherit the kingdom of heaven. Which would you prefer?
According to Professor Finney, those who are poor in spirit already have the kingdom of God in them, which is the Holy Spirit. Many people put claim on their self-conscience to guide them but I contend that it is not our “self” that we should let guide us. Those who believe in their “self” to guide them will find themselves in much trouble and turmoil, lets take a look back and see where that conscience came from. Looking at Genesis 2: 16-17 “And the Lord commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; (17)but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” The seed of our conscience came from a tree in the middle of the garden which set right next to the tree of life. Adam was not told that he could not eat from the tree of life but he was instructed not to eat of the tree of good and evil. Once he ate of that tree the sin nature was within him and those things that seemed right before became sin. He was naked and had to be clothed, he had done wrong and had to hide from God, (which you can never do). Sin was now in the world and we continue to be pulled by it. Our conscience is that prompting of the Holy Spirit to not be swayed by sin but recognize the destruction that sin caused and will cause in our lives.
Are you living a life in which sin looks pleasant? Are you being guided by your own self-conscience or the consciousness of God? I pray that if you are reading this and you have not yet reached the place where you are “poor in spirit” that you will become that today, that you may recognize the holiness of God and begin living a life through His guidance and not your own.
As you seek Him and find Him, you will find Him in the place where you lay down your burdens at His feet and become poor in spirit.
Seeking Him with all my heart,
Sheila
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