Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Galatians 5:24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

         The natural questions that arise from these verses are:

1. What does it mean to be blessed?
2. What does it mean to be poor in spirit?
3. Who belongs to Christ Jesus?
4. How have our fleshly passions and desires been crucified?
5. What does each of those statements look like in the life of a believer?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE BLESSED?

         Each of the eight Beatitudes opens with the word “blessed.” So, it’s essential that we understand what this word means, because it relates to everything that will be said in the remainder of Jesus’ sermon regarding those beattitudes.

         Contrary to popular opinion, blessed does not mean “happy,” even though some translations have rendered it this way. Happiness is a subjective state (meaning it relates to the individual as well as to their circumstances), it is a feeling. Jesus is not declaring how people who are poor in spirit will feel; rather, he is making an objective statement about what God thinks of them. Blessed is a positive judgment by God on the individual that means “to be approved” or “to find approval.” So, when God blesses us, he approves us.  So, the poor in spirit are approved by God and given an enormous reward, the kingdom of heaven.

Of course, there is no doubt that such blessing will bring feelings of happiness and that blessed people are generally happy. But we must not forget that the root idea of “blessed” is an awareness of God’s approval. Blessedness is a pronouncement of what we actually are in Christ – approved.  The opposite is also equally true: those who are not poor in spirit are disapproved by God and they do not get rewarded with the kingdom of heaven, but with something else.

The real question then becomes, do we really want his approval more than anything else? Not, do we want to be happy (as deep as that desire is) but do we truly want God’s approval above all else?  If so, then we can move on to the next question, because if we are seeking His approval, then we will want to know what being poor in spirit truly is and how we can become that way.

 

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE POOR IN SPIRIT?

To understand what poor in spirit is, it is helpful to understand what it is not:

1. It does not mean that you are of no value, insignificant or worthless.
2. It does not mean that you are necessarily financially broke.
3. It does not mean that you are shy or quiet.
4. It does not mean that you are lacking in gifts or abilities.
5. It does not mean that you are less than others.

Poverty of spirit is the opposite of the proud selfishness and self-sufficiency of today’s world. The world has its own ideas of who is blessed. “Blessed is the man who is always right.” “Blessed is the man who is strong.” “Blessed is the man who rules.” “Blessed is the man who is satisfied with himself.” “Blessed is the man who is rich.” “Blessed is the man who is popular.”  Today’s men and women think that the answer to life is found in yourself, self-realization, self-fulfillment, and self-promotion.

What, then, does “poor in spirit” mean? The history of the Greek word for “poor,” ptochos, provides some insight. It comes from a root word that means “to cower and cringe like a beggar.” In the New Testament it bears something of this idea because it denotes a poverty so deep that the person must obtain his living by begging. He is fully dependent on the giving of others. He cannot survive without help from the outside. Thus, an excellent translation is “beggarly poor.”

         Now, if we take this meaning and combine it with the following words (“in spirit”) we have the idea, “Blessed are the beggarly poor in spirit.” The sense is: “Blessed are those who are so desperately poor in their spiritual resources that they realize they must have help from outside sources.”

         Poverty of Spirit, then, is the personal acknowledgment of spiritual bankruptcy.  In and of yourself you can do nothing, you are spiritually dead and bring nothing to the table.  The perfect word to describe someone who sees themselves that way and utterly depends on God is “humble” - Christ Jesus,

Philippians 2:6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

Philippians 2:7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Philippians 2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Jesus emptied Himself and humbled Himself to be totally obedient to His Father’s will.  The perfect example of someone who is “poor in spirit”.  Dying to self and total dependence upon God, nothing less!

 

WHO BELONGS TO CHRIST JESUS?

Those who belong to Christ Jesus are those who are poor in spirit! They are also called His sheep:

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

John 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

John 10:29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

Whoever belongs to Christ also believes in Christ, and whoever does not belong does not believe (or obey) and the wrath of God remains on them:

John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Whoever belongs to Christ will also bear fruit:

John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.

John 15:2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

         Whoever belongs to Christ will be humble and therefore rewarded:

James 4:6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 4:8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

James 4:9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Those who belong to Christ will believe in Him, have purified hearts, clean hands, be poor in spirit, humble in nature, and bear fruit only through Christ.  All of these are pictured in the death to self and the new birth/life for God which bring us to the final question before the application.

 

 

HOW HAVE OUR FLESHLY PASSIONS AND DESIRES BEEN CRUCIFIED?

Crucifixion of the flesh is described here not as something done to us but rather something done by us. Believers themselves are the agents of this crucifixion. Paul was here describing the process of mortification, the daily putting to death of the flesh through the disciplines of prayer, fasting, repentance, and self-control.

         The basic demand of Christian discipleship is that we take up our cross daily and follow Christ (Luke 9:23). Paul stretched this metaphor further by saying that “we must not only take up our cross and walk with it, but actually see that the execution takes place.”  The work of self-crucifixion is a continuous, lifelong process, for this side of heaven we dwell in mortal bodies and are bound by sinful desires.  True Christians will not succeed in completely destroying the flesh while here on earth, but they can nail it to the cross and keep it there till they expire!

Again, this incorporates the idea of being “poor in spirit”.  Being bankrupt in your own desires and passions and relying on God to replace those desires and passions with His.  Total submission and obedience.  In humility acknowledging the fact that in my flesh I have nothing to offer and like a beggar I am completely dependent upon God.  Death to self, life in Christ!

Paul presents a similar argument to Galatians 5:24 in Romans 6:

Romans 6:6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

Romans 6:7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Romans 6:11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.

Romans 6:13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Both portions of Scripture come to the same conclusion about how sin needs to be put to death or abandoned, but Romans 6 points to the work Jesus did on the cross while Galatians 5 points to the similar type of work believers do on their cross on a daily basis.  Jesus was humble so believers should be humble.  Jesus was obedient to His death on the cross and that is what is expected of us as we take up our cross daily and die to our sinful passions and desires!

WHAT DOES EACH OF THOSE STATEMENTS LOOK LIKE IN THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER?

 

Now that these verses have been explained and can be understood, what now?  Is it enough to just understand these verses and store them away somewhere in our memory banks?  Are you a better person simply because you have gotten more knowledge?  Consider the following sayings:

1. Knowledge without application is useless (unless you are on Jeopardy!).
2. Knowledge based on experience is wisdom (most of the time).
3. Knowledge that leads to application is fruitful (both good and bad).
4. Knowledge for the sake of knowledge is pride!
5. Knowledge applied without wisdom is foolishness.

There are 3 ways to measure the application of knowledge that leads to fruit of one kind or another and they are:

1. What you think. (Beliefs, opinions)
2. What you say. (Speech, body language)
3. What you do. (Actions)

There is a direct correlation between what you say and do with what you think, simply meaning that what you think will come out (both in your speech and in your actions).  If those areas contradict each other then you are a hypocrite and that is usually something you can’t hide for very long.

So, when analyzing where you are in any area of life (physical or spiritual) you simply need to look at these 3 areas (thought, speech, action).  And if you want to improve in any of those areas then you would need something to aim at, like a perfect example of someone who thinks, speaks, and acts correctly…if only there was someone like that as Christians we could look to…instead of using the poorest examples we can find to make our pitiful attempts look acceptable!

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE BLESSED?

How does wanting to be blessed, or approved, by God affect us? First let’s look at our thoughts:

1. Our thoughts are never the same as God’s thoughts…NEVER!!

Isaiah 55:8          For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

                  neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.

1. Everything comes from your thoughts!

Proverbs 4:23      Guard your heart above all else,

                  for it determines the course of your life.

1. Our mind needs to be transformed on a daily basis!

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

1. We need to be told what to focus our mind on…

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

If we want to be approved (blessed) by God, then our thoughts would have to be the kind of thoughts that God would find acceptable.  They would have to line up with His thoughts.  We cannot do this apart from the Spirit and the Scriptures!  We will only find God’s thoughts in God’s Word, and we can only understand and change our thinking through God’s Spirit.

WWJD was a popular slogan a number of years back and it can be modified to be WWJT in this case…What Would Jesus Think should be at the forefront of every thought that comes through our minds!  Think of it as a filter system to weed out the improper sinful thoughts and to make room for the righteous God-pleasing thoughts.  Just think (no pun intended) how many thoughts go through our heads in one day!  How many of those thoughts line up with the perfect holiness of God’s thoughts?

Somebody cuts us off in traffic, cuts ahead of us in line, calls us a name, lies to us, uses us, borrows something then never gives it back, ignores us, steals something from us, yells at us…what are we thinking right then when those things happen?  WWJT or I’m gonna get even!!  If we want to be approved by God, then guess where our thoughts should default to…

Stop comparing yourself to anybody else, not the person sitting next to you, in front of or behind you…no one else’s thoughts are the perfect holy example so therefore they can be an easy target for us to make us feel better about our inadequacies – “well at least my thoughts are not as bad as so and so’s over there!”

How quickly do we dismiss our sinful thoughts and turn to God’s thoughts about things that happen in our life?  Do we EVER dismiss our sinful thoughts and submit to God’s thoughts in Scripture?  Is there a pattern of more quickly turning to God’s Word for help and guidance with the sinful thoughts that compile in our minds?  If there is not, then what does that mean?  If we truly want to be approved by God, then this is an ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, UNAVOIDABLE step that needs to be worked on every day of our lives!!  It’s time to end our stinkin’ thinkin’!!  The way we think bears fruit in our speech and our actions.  Good or bad.  On a scale of 1 to 10 how pleasing generally are our thoughts do you think to a righteous perfect holy Creator?

 

Next, let’s look at our speech:

1. The one who lacks self-control speaks endlessly…

Proverbs 10:19    When words are many, transgression is not lacking,

                  but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.

Proverbs 29:11    A fool gives full vent to his spirit,

                  but a wise man quietly holds it back.

1. Does God laugh at our dirty jokes?

Ephesians 5:4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.

1. How many careless words have we said in our lifetime?

Matthew 12:36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,

1. What is it that justifies or condemns us?

Matthew 12:37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

WWJS…Jesus always got right to the heart of the matter.  He didn’t really waste time in small talk but only that which was necessary for that person(s) at that time.  He didn’t use filthy language, tell dirty jokes, coddle people so their self-esteem would remain intact, tell the truth in an offensive manner, lie so He wouldn’t hurt anyone’s feelings.  He always spoke the truth seasoned with love.  Regardless of the consequences He told the truth and was unashamed to do so.

The next logical progression from having your thoughts renewed daily by Scripture is that then your speech will follow suit.  You can only say what is up in your mind.  If a doctrine or principle from God’s Word is not in your brain, then there is no way for you to think about it or say it!  When your mind goes through the process of being renewed by the Spirit the Scripture then eventually gets turned into belief which directly affects your speech.  Unfortunately, sometimes we are more afraid of others (wanting their approval), so we adjust our speech to appease them as opposed to giving them the truth in love and being approved by God (even when we know the truth and have the right thoughts).

If you have the ability to speak then it should be used for:

1. Love not hatred.
2. Mercy not unforgiveness.
3. Grace not punishment.
4. Kindness not anger.
5. Gentleness not aggressiveness.
6. Others not self.
7. Compassion not indifference.

Many people go on diets and sometimes they keep track of everything they eat in a day to count calories and make sure they stay on track.  Well, maybe we should take stock of everything we say in a day.  Is every encounter we have an opportunity to put others first and build them up and correct them with grace and love as needed?  Or is it another “notch in our saddle” as we brag about ourselves and all that’s going on in our life, either good things to gloat or bad things to complain and look for sympathy. 

Every word that we say God knows about.  He knows the attitude or motive behind those words and the intention they came forward with.  That’s a lot to grasp!  Every thought and every word God knows about.  If we are truly seeking His approval/blessing, then WWJT & WWJS should be at the forefront of all our thoughts and words.  Is that the case?  Is that even remotely the case?  If not, then what are we going to do about it?  God will only bless and approve those who are obedient to Him.

Our words have consequences.  We can’t take them back once they are out of our mouths.  Words are means of communication that nothing else has in all of creation.  God created language so we could have relationship with Him and with others.  Using language in a right way with God first will ensure that we will use that communication in a right way with others second.  If we skip the first step, then the second one is doomed to fail.  If we are lousy with God, then we will be lousy with others…our vertical relationship affects all of our horizontal relationships and will have a direct correlation!

So, how well are you doing on a scale of 1 to 10 in using your words in a godly manner every day?  Consider only the Creator of the universe and all languages as your thermometer, nobody else.  He doesn’t grade on a curve, so what would He put on your performance revue? Wherever you are at, you can improve through surrender, prayer, submission, and obedience.  That is of course if you really want God’s blessing/approval in your life.

Finally, let’s look at our actions:

1. Actions don’t just speak louder than words they verify our thoughts!

James 2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

In another words James is saying that our thoughts will be evident by our actions!  There is no disconnect between the two. 

1. Our actions don’t save us but just show evidence that we are saved!

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Ephesians 2:9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

 

1. Our actions reflect what is important to us and we need to understand that not all that we do is wise or a valuable use of our time!

Ephesians 5:13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible,

Ephesians 5:14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

          “Awake, O sleeper,

                  and arise from the dead,

          and Christ will shine on you.”

Ephesians 5:15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,

Ephesians 5:16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Our actions now should line up for the most part with what we think and what we say.  If we are seeking God’s approval in what we think and say it should become good works or fruit in what we do. 

As guilty as we might be feeling at this point regarding our thoughts and words, we can now pile on some more about how we spend our time!

What percentage of our day would God approve of?  If we truly want to be blessed, then how much time is enough in a day?  20 minutes? An hour? More?  How about 10% of our day for God and the other 90% for me and what I want?  After all, if we only tithe 10% of our income and do what we want/need with the other 90% then that must be a good pattern to go by with our time, right?  Wrong!  God does not want just part of your thoughts, word and actions…He wants all of them all the time!  So, what would that look like?

1. You need to be born again and indwelt with God’s Spirit.
2. You need to know who God is and what He wants from you.
3. You need to understand what your gifts are and how they are to be used.
4. When you see any beauty, you can praise and thank God for it.
5. When you see ugliness and suffering you can look at what our sin has done to a perfect creation and accept that responsibility and understanding.
6. When you deal with other people look at them through the lens of Scripture understanding they are made in the image of God, spiritually dead without God and totally lost. They are not the enemy.  Patience, mercy, grace and love are required!
7. None of our time should be spent on things that we know are sinful and offensive to God!  Not one minute!!
8. Every day is an opportunity to communicate with God (prayer/Bible study) and then by extension those we encounter.
9. Whatever we watch on tv/movies should be pleasing to God and His standards.  Same goes for radio, social media, etc.
10. At work be honest, productive and godly to everyone whether they deserve it or not!
11. At home treat whoever is there as if they are eternal, because they are.  Our actions will show what we think about that in how we treat each other, especially those we “say” we love!
12. In all our actions it is important to remember that time is short and all of it is valuable, it can be used in one of two ways – for or against God.  Intentionality matters, not just winging it or going with the flow!

So, how well do your actions tell others what you believe?  Can they tell you are a Christian or do they have no idea?  How well do your own actions verify in your own mind that you are an obedient child of God on your way to heaven and blessing/approval in this life?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE POOR IN SPIRIT?

To be poor in spirit means that you are humble and totally dependent upon God.  Any part of your thoughts, words, and actions that don’t line up with that statement are part of your sin nature and hypocritical.  There is only one thing we boast about and that is God…not how God is using us and what amazing gifts we have…just God, He gets all the glory.  As much as it is in our nature to show off (and that starts shortly after birth), there is no room for that in someone who is poor in spirit.  The reward is the kingdom of heaven!  Just eternal joy and perfect communion with God and others is all that’s at stake…a pretty good incentive to be humble and submissive now!

It’s relatively easy to spot someone who is not poor in spirit.  Just listen to them!  Everything is usually about themselves, either what they have or what they can do.  And if they do mention God, it’s usually about what a key member of God’s team they are and all that they are accomplishing!

Another red flag to spot someone who is not poor in spirit is that they are always complaining about something, never content.  They have a sense of entitlement or always have a hand out, looking to take advantage of others for whatever they can get (money, compliments, sympathy, stuff).

Here are some words again to be associated with poor in spirit that you can link to your thoughts, words, and actions:

1. Spiritually bankrupt – I have nothing to offer without God’s help.
2. Submissive – to God’s will, God’s Word and God’s plans for my life.
3. Glory giver – all glory and recognition goes to God, not me.
4. Contentment – realizing I have nothing to give and deserve nothing I will be content with whatever comes my way.
5. Thankful – regardless of whatever suffering or “bad” things happen to me I know that God will use those very things to grow and mature me and He will never give me more than I can handle.

How do any of these words resonate with you or me?

WHO BELONGS TO CHRIST JESUS?

Those who think, speak and act like Him!

The goal of Christianity is to die to ourselves and be transformed more and more into the image of Jesus Christ.  Simply stated but impossible on our own.

Spiritually born, indwelt and led by the Holy Spirit are the first steps.  The Holy Spirit can best use someone who is poor in spirit (meaning their own spirit of course, not poor in the Holy Spirit!)

Those who belong to Christ are then made obvious to themselves and others by their radical transformation.  A totally new heart means new thoughts which leads to new words and new actions.  If everything remains the same there is no transformation.  No transformation means no salvation, regardless of whatever words you were coerced into repeating at some point in time.

Are you more like Christ today than you were when you say you were saved?  If you belong to Him, then the answer is yes.  If you don’t know then the answer is pretty obvious.  When you got married you know your life changed.  When you had kids, you know your life changed.  When you got fired or got a new job, you know your life changed.  When you came into an intimate relationship with the creator of the universe who died for you, gave you a love letter full of absolute truths and expects submission and obedience and life transformation in return, you better be able to notice a change!

HOW HAVE OUR FLESHLY PASSIONS AND DESIRES BEEN CRUCIFIED?

One at a time!  Over and over and over again!  This is a critical aspect and the answer or fruit from the 3 previous questions:

If you want God’s approval and blessing, you must die to yourself.  If you are poor in spirit, then you will die to yourself.  And if you want to belong to Christ then you have to die to yourself!

How to die to yourself is an ongoing daily battle.  To die to yourself means to live for something else, and if there is nothing else to live for then there is no reason to die.  It’s simple replacement psychology.  To get rid of a bad habit you need to find a good habit to replace it with.  And you can’t fill yourself with Christ if you’re still full of yourself!  First you must empty yourself (die) and then you can fill yourself with Christ (life).  That is done by the Spirit and the Word.  A Christian who is still full of themselves has no room for Christ.  It is a lifelong battle of emptying one thing and then filling it with another.  You can’t do it all at once!  You’re not omniscient and omnipotent!

How good are we at dying to our wants and needs and submitting or living for what God wants from us instead?  How much of my sinful desires are still there that I’m not willing to die to?  What’s my “Christ to me” ratio? 50/50?  40/60?  Is there even a ratio?

Our thought life is where the battle starts and is won or lost.  If God can transform our mind, then everything else will follow.  If God cannot have our minds (heart), then all the doctrine and good deeds in the world will be of no value.  Transformation always starts from the inside and works its way out, never the other way around!

Matthew 23:25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

Matthew 23:26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

So, now we come full circle back to the original 2 verses, now that there is understanding of what they say and all the various ways they can be applied…

Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Galatians 5:24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

And there is only one question left to ask:

Are these verses describing you and me?