Blessed are those who are poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[Matthew 5:3]
Does poverty of spirit mean that Christians don’t make resolutions or, at times, evaluate their growth in holiness? Does poverty of spirit mean we are too humble to make bold plans to memorize three chapters from Matthew?
No. We do these things, and we should. The Sermon on the Mount makes a radical call for believers to live holy lives, and Jesus still preached it after telling his disciples they must be poor in spirit. So poverty of spirit does not mean complacency with sin.
It is important that this beatitude come at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount; it puts the gospel into all of sanctification. Poverty of spirit doesn’t change the standard of holiness or our need to pursue it, but it does change the way we go about it.
The apostle Paul sought holiness with a strong poverty of spirit, and he exemplifies what it should look like in us:
Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ.
[Philippians 3:4-9]
In the economy of God’s holiness we will always be bankrupt. Poverty of spirit is seeing, after we examine our progress and growth, that even our very best efforts and brightest moments are worth nothing.
All of our work to live out and obey the Sermon on the Mount will never be worth boasting about—it will always be pathetic. I can hardly hope to be more righteous than Paul, but I can hope to know Christ. And all of our attempts at obedience must aim at this: to know Christ and his righteousness.
January 16, 2010
Poor in Spirit: Resolved and Resting
Posted by Ryan under CommentaryLeave a Comment
Blessed are those who are poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[Matthew 5:3]
Does poverty of spirit mean that Christians don’t make resolutions or, at times, evaluate their growth in holiness? Does poverty of spirit mean we are too humble to make bold plans to memorize three chapters from Matthew?
No. We do these things, and we should. The Sermon on the Mount makes a radical call for believers to live holy lives, and Jesus still preached it after telling his disciples they must be poor in spirit. So poverty of spirit does not mean complacency with sin.
It is important that this beatitude come at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount; it puts the gospel into all of sanctification. Poverty of spirit doesn’t change the standard of holiness or our need to pursue it, but it does change the way we go about it.
The apostle Paul sought holiness with a strong poverty of spirit, and he exemplifies what it should look like in us:
Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ.
[Philippians 3:4-9]
In the economy of God’s holiness we will always be bankrupt. Poverty of spirit is seeing, after we examine our progress and growth, that even our very best efforts and brightest moments are worth nothing.
All of our work to live out and obey the Sermon on the Mount will never be worth boasting about—it will always be pathetic. I can hardly hope to be more righteous than Paul, but I can hope to know Christ. And all of our attempts at obedience must aim at this: to know Christ and his righteousness.