In the book of Matthew, chapter five, verses three through ten, explain the beatitudes. Commonly called ‘the sermon on the mount contains a revelation of God’s principles by which all Christians are to live through faith in the Son of God and the power of the indwelling spirit. The word “blessed” applies to the well-being of those who receive God’s kingdom that includes His love, care, salvation, and daily presence. The relationship to Christ and His Word are the ingredients of having the opportunity to inherit blessings from God. The requirements needed are obtainable through the guidance by the ways and values of God revealed in scripture and not by the conduct and values of the world.
The first requirement is to be ‘poor in spirit.’ The term does not mean to act in a state of loss or portray as a beggar. Instead, we must recognize that we are not spiritually self-sufficient. All God’s people need the Holy Spirit’s life, power, and sustaining grace to inherit the kingdom of God. Our responsibility as believers is to allow the Spirit of God to lead us while living on earth.
To ‘mourn’ is to grieve over our weakness concerning God’s standard of righteousness and His kingdom power. It is also to lament over the things that sadden God. We must have feelings of sympathy with the sympathies of God. To be afflicted in our spirit over the sin, immorality and cruelty manifested in the world. Those who mourn are comforted by receiving from the Father the righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
The ‘meek’ are those who are humble and submissive before God. They find their refuge in Him and commit their way entirely to Him. They are more concerned about God’s work and people than about what might happen to them personally. A broken and contrite heart which God sees, He will not despise. The meek, rather than the aggressive, ultimately inherit the earth.
The fundamental requirement for all godly living is to “hunger and thirst after righteousness.” The spiritual condition of believers will depend on their hunger and thirst for the presence of God, the Word of God, the communion of Christ, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, righteousness, kingdom power, and return of the Lord. The Christian’s hunger for the things of God vanishes due to worldly anxiety, the deceitfulness of wealth, desire for carnal things and life pleasures, and failure to abide in Christ. When the hunger of believers for God and His righteousness depletes, they will die spiritually. For this reason, we must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s convicting work in our lives.
The “merciful” is full of compassion and pity toward those who suffer either from sin or sorrow. The merciful sincerely want to make much suffering less by bringing those people to the grace and help of God through Jesus Christ. We can only send them to the one that saved us. The Son of God that took our sins and bore our sorrows, In showing mercy to others, we “shall obtain mercy.”
The “pure in heart” are those who receive deliverance from sin’s power and God’s grace. The people now strive without deceit to please and glorify God and be like Him. They seek to have the same attitude of heart that God has, which is a love for righteousness and hate for evil. The heart, which includes mind, will, and emotion, are in tune with God. Only the pure in heart “shall see God.” To see God is to be His child and dwell in His presence now and in the future kingdom.
The “peacemakers” have reconciliation with God. They have peace with Him through the cross. They now strive by their witness and their lives to bring others, including their enemies, peace with God. The peace that surpasses all human understanding. The harmony that God provides can only comfort minds and hearts.
People who suffer and endure persecution because of righteousness will inherit the promise of the kingdom and heavenly rewards. Those who uphold God’s standards of truth, justice, and purity and who at the same time refuse to compromise with the present evil society or the lifestyles of lukewarm unbelievers will undergo unpopularity, rejection, and criticism. Persecution and opposition will come from the world, and at times from those within the professing church. When they experience this suffering, Christians are to rejoice, for to those who suffer most, God imparts the highest blessing. Christians must be aware of the temptation to compromise God’s will to avoid shame, embarrassment, or loss. The principle of God’s kingdom never changes: “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”