“And He opened His mouth and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:2, 3. In other words, this first beatitude says: “Happy are they who recognize their spiritual poverty.” The Desire of Ages, 299. The beatitudes are an advancing line of Christian experience, and the very first step is to recognize our spiritual poverty, then we will seek for help. (See Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 13.) “We no less than they need to learn the foundation principles of the kingdom of God.” The Desire of Ages, 299.
The Lord has warned us, “The lips may express a poverty of soul that the heart does not acknowledge. While speaking to God of poverty of spirit, the heart may be swelling with a conceit of its own superior humility and exalted righteousness.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 159. With our lips we may speak of humility, but in our hearts we may be proud of our humility. This is a fatal state of mind because it negates the only way of cleansing that is available for us.
“One fountain only has been opened for sin. A fountain for the poor in spirit.” The Desire of Ages, 300. We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Everyone that will be saved needs this fountain to cleanse them from sin and this fountain is open only to the poor in spirit.
As the multitude gathered on the mountain by the town of Gennesaret, Jesus presented this new idea to the people. This is something they had never heard from the scribes and the priests, and it startled them. However, this new idea was taught in the Old Testament.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” Proverbs 1:7. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Psalm 111:10. Notice the word “beginning.” You cannot gain any true wisdom without the fear of the Lord. Without the fear of the Lord we are self-deceived if we think we are smart.
“Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18. “When pride cometh, then cometh shame, but with the lowly is wisdom.” Proverbs 11:2. Where is wisdom to be found? It will be seen at last that it is only with the lowly—the poor in spirit.
We need to settle in our minds that we are not smart enough to manage life. We are sinners and sin has robbed us of our good sense. The only source of wisdom is found in the Bible, which contains the principles that are the guidelines of life. Without these, not one of us has any wisdom.
Sometimes we are foolish enough to compare our judgment, discernment, maturity level or abilities with those around us. But even before sin Adam and Eve were infinitely lower than God was. How foolish of us to look at the sinful people around us and begin making comparisons among ourselves— how we are wiser, smarter, more mature and have more ability than someone else.
Paul says those who do this are not wise. “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” 2 Corinthians 10:12. Instead of looking at others, we need to look up and compare ourselves with our human Example—Jesus. Then we will have nothing to boast of.
Sometimes the devil tricks us into deceiving ourselves! He tricks us into believing that we have something good in ourselves. But every talent that we possess is given to us from God. We could learn a lesson from Dwight Moody. Seeing a drunk in Chicago, he pitifully turned him over and said, “Except for the grace of God, there lies Dwight Moody.” He was not saying in the language of the Pharisees, “How thankful I am that I am not as this man,” as he passed by. He recognized what he would be except for God’s grace.
Every blessing we have, every bright idea even in science, or in business has come from the mind of God. (See Fundamentals of Christian Education, 167.) We have nothing to boast of. Every good gift comes from God. We need to praise His name for what He has lent to us.
There is only one thing we completely own all by ourselves, that is our sinful hearts. (See Steps to Christ, 46.) Everything else is a gift of God. We need to plead with the Lord to help us see our true condition. We are in this world for seventy, eighty, ninety or one hundred years, on probation that by God’s grace we may yield ourselves to God to be healed of sin.
He died that we might live. If we become puffed up thinking we are something good when we are but sinners, we are defeating the purpose of His grace. “The Lord can do nothing toward the recovery of man until, convinced of his own weakness, and stripped of all self-sufficiency, he yields himself to the control of God.” The Desire of Ages, 300.
In the days of Christ, the religious leaders of the people felt that they were rich in spiritual treasure, reasonably good, and better than others. He who thinks that he is reasonably good has a problem.
We may intellectually accept the fact that we are spiritually poor, but actually we consider ourselves reasonably good. After all, we do not indulge in drinking or looking at pornographic magazines. We know that we are much better than that! According to the moral standard among men we judge ourselves good or at least better than average. But he who thinks that he is reasonably good and is content with his condition does not seek to become a partaker of the grace and righteousness of Christ.
Our “reasonable goodness” is worth absolutely nothing. We are poor. Sin made us bankrupt for eternity except the Lord stood in the gap and saved us. Our reasonable goodness needs to be laid at the foot of the cross because “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:6.
“The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither nullified with ointment.” Isaiah 1:5, 6. Until we see this picture of ourselves, we cannot find forgiveness with God. But next we must realize that we are incapable to see our own condition. How then are we to find repentance and acceptance with God?
Repentance is a gift of God. (See Acts 5:31.) We need to come to Him and ask Him for this gift. Say, Lord, please show me myself as You see me. “Although it is painful for us to know ourselves as we really are, yet we should pray that God will reveal us to ourselves, even as He sees us. But we should not cease to pray when we have simply asked for a revelation of ourselves; we should pray that Jesus may be revealed to us as a sin-pardoning Saviour.” Selected Messages, vol. 1, 312, 313. If we get the true picture of our condition, it will drive us to Him so that we may find forgiveness and cleansing.
The last night that Jesus was on earth, He explained to His disciples how they were to find this cleansing. He said, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” John 15:3. We are sick. We have open sores that are rotting. They have not been closed up or cleansed with ointment. The festering sores of sin need to be cleansed.
That cleansing takes place through the Word of the living God. “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But who so looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” James 1:21–25.
“Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envyings, and all evil speaking, As new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” 1 Peter 2:1–3.
Study the Word, memorize the Word. Let the words of Scripture be the sum and substance of your thoughts. That Word is what cleanses us. Young and old should not just be speaking their own words, talking out of the abundance of their own ideas. We should be speaking to each other in Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Such should be our conversation. How does our conversation go on Saturday night when we are “letting our hair down”? It is nice to visit, but we need to keep the Lord in our visiting.
We have a high standard. We need to be encouraging each other to reach this standard. We have no time to be frivolous. We need to be raised to a higher plane. The thoughts of the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy should fill our minds and our conversation so we have something profitable to talk to each other about.
There is temporal business to talk about and that is acceptable. We need to get counsel from one another. There is nothing wrong with these things as long as the point of everything we do is to uplift Jesus. When we realize how powerful the Word of God is, then we will want it in our daily conversation. We will not want to live without the Word of God. “The Centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only and my servant shall be healed.” Matthew 8:8. And Jesus said, “I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.” Verse 9. The Centurion understood that he was not worthy of Jesus’ mercy, but he never doubted Jesus’ power and Jesus healed his servant.
“And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.” Luke 1:38. Each one of us can plead with the Lord that it will be unto us according to His word. Not that we are worthy, but He has promised.
“When the even was come, they brought unto Him many that were possessed with devils: and He cast out the spirits with His word, and healed all that were sick.” Matthew 8:16. He is the same today. He can conquer sin in your life with His powerful word. Let us each one go to our closet and lay hold of the promises of God and say, Lord, I will not let Thee go until Thou bless me. He will cast sin out of us if we claim His word.
“And they were astonished at His doctrine: for His word was with power.” Luke 4:32. His power has lost none of its strength with the passing of time. “As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: He is a buckler to those that trust in Him.” Psalm 18:30.
“By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth . . . For He spake, and it was done; He commanded and it stood fast.” Psalm 33:6, 9. The question is not if God’s word is powerful enough. His word is quicker and more powerful than any two-edged sword, faster than any bullet. It is more powerful than the most ingrained human fault. The question is will we submit to God’s Word.
I once led out in a cooking school and worked with a wonderful lady who was an alcoholic. She wanted to be healthy. She and her husband were wealthy; and had all this world’s goods, but she could not leave off alcohol. As I watched the desperate struggle, it dawned on me that every one of us has a besetting sin that is just as difficult to give up as alcohol. Our besetting sin may be the misuse of our tongue.
Alcohol can be left on the shelf in the store, but we carry our tongues with us. With our tongues we often overeat. James said that out of the same mouth we bless God and curse our fellow men. Like the alcoholic, without God’s grace each one of us will perish in our sins, thinking we are righteous and holy.
Grace is infinitely more valuable than all the gold and silver and all the houses and lands in the world. While men are seeking with such desire for a good name, for wealth, fame, power and worldly greatness, heavenly messengers are trying to give them the “unsearchable riches of Christ.” Ephesians 3:8. When Jesus was on earth He refused earthly riches, lest men would be led to seek Him for temporal gain and miss the greater gift He came to give.
Harlots and Tax Collectors
Jesus looked at the religious leaders in His day and said, The harlot and the tax collectors and the publicans will go into the kingdom of God before you! Why was it that the prostitutes and the tax collectors would go in before those who thought they were so smart? Because these despised sinners were not satisfied with their lives, and some of them would turn to God and find grace to overcome prostitution, alcoholism and cheating.
They would overcome because they were willing to seek help from Someone who had the power that they did not have. Their sinful lives made them realize that they were destitute. That is why Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
By coming to dwell with us, Jesus was to reveal God both to man and to angels. He was the Word of God, God’s thoughts made audible. All the principles of God’s word are perfectly painted in Jesus’ life. This Word has been handed down to us that it may become our very being. This Word can become flesh again. It can be the sum and substance of every thought, word and action.
The Word of God, when it became flesh, lived in Jesus. What did the Word look like? He came to a family poor in this world’s goods, to a manger filled with hay. He came to live the life of a common laborer. To work as a common man worked, pound a hammer and use a saw. He came to soothe the ills of sorrowing humanity because He loved us. He loved us so much that He was willing to risk eternal life that we might be saved. (See The Desire of Ages, 49.) He was unrecognized and unhonored. He often went hungry because He shared His lunch with those who were less fortunate than He was.
Why did He not come dressed in royal robes to the palaces of this world? “He shunned all outward display. Riches, worldly honor, and human greatness can never save a soul from death; Jesus purposed that no attraction of an earthly nature should call men to His side. Only the beauty of heavenly truth must draw those who would follow Him.” The Desire of Ages, 43.
He does not want us to get so enamored with earthly attractions that He cannot give us something far more beautiful, more valuable and more costly than anything this world could offer. The most beautiful thing in the world to Christ is men and women, who have been made holy by His grace. To the holy ones of earth, all other blessings are theirs. “Honor and majesty are before Him: strength and beauty are in His sanctuary . . . Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before Him, all the earth.” Psalm 96:6, 9.
He came to offer beauty to the ugly and wealth to the poor. Only in the wealth of His righteousness can we enter into His courts. Only in the beauty of holiness can we come into His presence and worship Him. Worship is something that only God can produce in the repentant heart. One can be at the right place and not be worshipping. Worship comes from holiness inside, the beauty of holiness. It is the rarest thing in the world but it is offered to each one of us. We can experience it, if we will recognize that we are nothing. Until we come to that place we can never experience His wonderful beauty and peace. “Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power, in the beauty of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of Thy youth.” Psalm 110:3.
Are you willing? Is the beauty of holiness flowing from your life? It was with Jesus. The sweetness of divine love flowed from His very presence as the fragrance from a flower. Is that how it is in your heart? Jesus makes it happen—only for the poor in spirit.