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All Things for Good by Thomas Watson

January 2, 2010 by ADMIN

There are two things which I have always looked upon as difficult. The one is, to make the wicked sad; the other is, to make the godly joyful. Dejection in the godly arises from a double spring; either because their inward comforts are darkened, or their outward comforts are disturbed. To cure both these troubles, I have put forth this ensuing piece, hoping, by the blessing of God, that it will buoy up their despondent hearts, and make them look with a more pleasant aspect.

I would prescribe them to take, now and then, a little of this Cordial: ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD. To know that nothing hurts the godly, is a matter of comfort; but to be assured that ALL things which fall out shall cooperate for their good, that their crosses shall be turned into blessings, that showers of affliction water the withering root of their grace and make it flourish more; this may fill their hearts with joy till they run over.

If the whole Scripture be the feast of the soul, as Ambrose said, then Romans 8 may be a dish at that feast, and with its sweet variety may very much refresh and animate the hearts of God’s people. In the preceding verses the apostle had been wading through the great doctrines of justification and adoption, mysteries so arduous and profound, that without the help and conduct of the Spirit, he might soon have waded beyond his depth. In this verse the apostle touches upon that pleasant string of consolation, “WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD.” Not a word but is weighty; therefore I shall gather up every filing of this gold, that nothing be lost.

In the text there are three general branches:

First, a glorious privilege. All things work for good.

Second, the persons interested in this privilege. They are doubly specified. They are lovers of God, they are the called.

Third, the origin and spring of this effectual calling, set down in these words, ‘according to his purpose.’

First, the glorious privilege. Here are two things to be considered.

I. The certainty of the privilege – “We know.”

2. The excellency of the privilege – “All things work together for good.”

I. The certainty of the privilege: “We know.” It is not a matter wavering or doubtful. The apostle does not say, we hope, or conjecture, but it is like an article in our creed, We KNOW that all things work for good. Hence observe that the truths of the gospel are evident and infallible.

A Christian may come not merely to a vague opinion, but to a certainty of what he holds. “We know,” says the apostle. Though a Christian has not a perfect knowledge of the mysteries of the gospel, yet he has a certain knowledge. “We see through a glass darkly” (1 Cor. 13:12), therefore we have not perfection of knowledge; but “we behold with open face” (2 Cor. 3:18), therefore we have certainty. The Spirit of God imprints heavenly truths upon the heart as with the point of a diamond. A Christian may know infallibly that there is an evil in sin, and a beauty in holiness. He may know that he is in the state of grace. “We know that we have passed from death to life” ( I John 3:14).

He may know that he shall go to heaven. “We know that if our earthly tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Cor. 5:1). The Lord does not leave His people at uncertainties in matters of salvation. The apostle says, “We know.” We have arrived at a holy confidence. We have both the Spirit of God, and our own experience, setting seal to it. Let us then not rest in skepticism or doubts, but labor to come to a certainty in the things of religion.

2. The excellency of the privilege, “All things work together for good.” This is as Jacob’s staff in the hand of faith, with which we may walk cheerfully to the mount of God. What will satisfy or make us content, if this will not? All things work together for good. This expression “work together” refers to medicine. Several poisonous ingredients put together, being tempered by the skill of the druggist make a sovereign medicine, and work together for the good of the patient. So all God’s providences, being divinely tempered and sanctified, work together for the best to the saints.

He who loves God and is called according to His purpose, may rest assured that every thing in the world shall be for his good. The result of the text is this. ALL THE VARIOUS DEALINGS OF GOD WITH HIS CHILDREN DO BY A SPECIAL PROVIDENCE TURN TO THEIR GOOD. “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and every unto such as keep his covenant” (Psalm 25:10). If every path has mercy in it, then it works for good.

The current formatting and editing is copyrighted by Jim Ehrhard, 1999. You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that: (1) you credit the author; (2) any modifications are clearly marked; (3) you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction; and (4) you do not make more than 100 copies without permission. If you would like to post this material to your web site or make any use other than as defined above, please contact Teaching Resources International

Posted in Thomas Watson |

Suppose an Unholy Man Went to Heaven by J. C. Ryle

January 2, 2010 by ADMIN

Suppose for a moment that you were allowed to enter heaven without holiness. What would you do? What possible enjoyment could you feel there? To which of all the saints would you join yourself, and by whose side would you sit? Their pleasures are not your pleasures, their tastes are not your tastes, their character not your character. How could you possibly be happy you had not been holy on earth?

Now perhaps you love the company of the light and careless, the worldly-minded and the covetous, the reviler and the pleasure-seeker, the ungodly and the profane. There will be none such in heaven.

Now perhaps you think the saints of God too strict and particular and serious. You rather avoid them. You have no delight in their society. There will be no other company in heaven.

Now perhaps you think praying and Scripture reading, and hymn singing, dull and melancholy work, a thing to be tolerated now and then, but not enjoyed. You reckon the sabbath a burden and a weariness; you could not possibly spend more than a small part of it in worshiping God. But remember, heaven is a never-ending sabbath. The inhabitants thereof rest not day and night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty,” and singing the praise of the Lamb. How could unholy man find pleasure in occupation such as this?

Think you that such an one would delight to meet David and Paul and John, after a life spent in doing the very things they spoke against? Would he take sweet counsel with them and find that he and they had much in common? Think you, above all, that he would rejoice to meet Jesus, the crucified One, face to face, after cleaving to the sins for which He died, after loving His enemies and despising His friends? Would he stand before Him with confidence and join in the cry, “This is our God. . . we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in salvation” (Isaiah 25:9)? Don’t you think that the tongue of an unholy man would cleave to the roof of his mouth with shame, and his only desire would be to be cast out? He would feel like a stranger in a land he would not know. The voice of cherubim and seraphim, the song of angels and archangels, and all company of heaven, would be a language he could not understand. The very air would seem an air he could not breathe.

I know not what others may think, but to me it does seem clear heaven would be a miserable place to an unholy man. It cannot otherwise. People may say, in a vague way, they “hope to go to heaven,” but they do not consider what they say. . . . We must be heavenly-minded and have heavenly tastes in the life that now is, or else we shall never find ourselves in heaven in the life to come.

And now, before I go any further, let me say a few words, by of application. For one thing, let me ask everyone who may read these pages, are you holy? Listen, I pray you, to the question I put to you day. Do you know anything of the holiness of which I have speaking?

I do not ask whether you attend your church regularly, whether have been baptized, and received the Lord’s Supper, whether you the name of Christian. I ask something more than all this: are you holy or are you not?

I do not ask whether you approve of holiness in others, whether like to read the lives of holy people and to talk of holy things, and have on your table holy books, whether you mean to be holy, and you will be holy some day. I ask something further: are you yourself holy this very day, or are you not? And why do I ask so straightly, and press the question so strongly? I do it because the Scripture says, “Without holiness no man shall the Lord.” It is written, it is not my fancy; it is the Bible, not my private opinion; it is the word of God, not of man- “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14).

Alas, what searching, sifting words are these! What thoughts come across my mind, as I write them down! I look at the world and see the greater part of it lying in wickedness. I look at professing Christians and see the vast majority having nothing of Christianity but the name. I turn to the Bible and I hear the Spirit saying, “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.” Surely it is a text that ought to make us consider our ways and search our hearts. Surely it should raise within us solemn thoughts and send us to prayer. You may try to put me off by saying you feel much, and think much about these things, far more than many suppose: I answer, “This not the point. The poor lost souls in hell do as much as this. The great question is not what you think, and what you feel, but what you do.”

You may say, it was never meant that all Christians should be holy and that holiness, such as I have described, is only for great saints. I answer, “I cannot see that in Scripture. I read that every man who hath this hope in Christ purifieth himself” (John 3:3). “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.”

You may say, it is impossible to be so holy and to live in this life at the same time: the thing cannot be done. I answer, “You a are mistaken.” It can be done. With Christ on your side nothing is impossible. It has been done by many. David and Obadiah and Daniel and the servants of Nero’s household are all examples that go to prove it. You may say, if you were so holy you would be unlike other people. I answer, “I know it well. It is just what you ought to be. Chnst’s true servants were always unlike the world around them—a separate nation, peculiar people, and you must be so too, if you are His!”

You may say, at this rate very few will be saved. I answer, “I know it. It is precisely what we are told in the sermon on the mount.” The Lord Jesus said so eighteen hundred years ago. “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt. 7:14). Few will be saved because few will take the trouble seek salvation. You may say, these are hard sayings; the way is very narrow. The Lord said that men must take up the cross daily. It is in religion as it is in other things, there no gains without pains. That which costs nothing is worth nothing.

The current formatting and editing is copyrighted by Jim Ehrhard, 1999. You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that: (1) you credit the author; (2) any modifications are clearly marked; (3) you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction; and (4) you do not make more than 100 copies without permission. If you would like to post this material to your web site or make any use other than as defined above, please contact Teaching Resources International

Posted in J. C. Ryle |

Those Who Mourn by Jim Ehrhard

January 2, 2010 by ADMIN

“Oh that I had wings like a bird to fly away!” Such is the attitude that most people take toward difficulties in their lives. When it comes to sorrow, most would prefer to be as far away from it as possible. Yet Jesus shocks us when he states: “Blessed are those who mourn.” While some might handle the idea that the poor in spirit are blessed, the idea of those mourning being blessed is inconceivable. Yet that is exactly what Jesus says. And he doesn’t say, they will be blessed–we could handle that.. He says, they are blessed!

In fact, some have even suggested the translation: “happy are the unhappy.” As shocking as that translation may sound, it does not even come close to the intensity of the actual words. In the Greek, we find nine different words to describe mourning. They all express varying degrees of grief. The word Jesus uses here is the most severe of all. It indicates a grief related to the loss of a loved one. It is the kind of grief Jacob expressed when he heard that his son Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. It is the kind of grief that is so deep it refuses to be comforted. That is the type of mourning that Jesus says will be blessed.

What Does it Mean?

First, let us clarify what it does not mean. It does not mean “Blessed are those who have mourned.” The tense used in this passage is present active. It indicates an on-going condition. Many take this passage as words of comfort to those who have experienced any kind of loss or discomfort in this life. But such a translation will not fit this passage. Jesus is not promising blessing to everyone who has experienced any kind of sorrow. Instead, he promises blessing only to those who mourn as a way of life.

However, we must be careful not to misunderstand what it means to “mourn as a way of life.” Some might be tempted to see this passage as a prooftext for a somber and sober Christianity that walks around with a long face. Such cannot be supported from Scripture. Indeed, the life of a believer ought to be one marked by unusual joy, even in the midst of great difficulties. Thus we see Paul and Silas rejoicing and singing from their Philippian jail. Thus we see Peter and the apostles rejoicing after they had been beaten and warned to no longer speak in the name of Jesus. Jesus himself taught that he came that we “might have life and have it more abundantly.” Peter reminded believers that they have a “joy unspeakable” in the Lord. Paul told believers to “Rejoice in the Lord always,” and to have their hearts overflowing with songs of thanksgiving to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19). The mourning that Jesus speaks of here does not mean that believers are not to express their joy in life.

What then is this mourning that brings blessing? To rightly understand this mourning, it will be helpful to examine the three types of mourning mentioned in the Scriptures.

First, there is natural mourning. It is grief over loss in this life. We see this type of mourning in Abraham at the death of his wife Sarah. We also see it in the New Testament at the grave of Lazarus in John 11. The Bible says at least two things about this type of mourning. First, this mourning is normal and proper. In 1 Thessalonians 4, the apostle gives comfort to those who have lost loved ones to death reminding them that they would see them again in the resurrection. But regarding their grief, he never says as we often hear counseled at some funeral, “Don’t grieve; be strong.” Instead, Paul affirms that their grief is proper: “We grieve, yet not as though who have no hope.” Natural mourning is proper. Second, the Scriptures also show us that such grief is precious. Psalm 56:8 tells us something of the preciousness of tears before the Lord: “You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?”

The second type of mourning we encounter in Scripture is what we could call improper. It is sorrow over unfulfilled evil desires. We see this type of grief in 2 Samuel 13:1-4 when Amnon became so sorrowful that he became sick. What was the occasion of his sorrow? He desired to have sexual relations with his half-sister Tamar who would have nothing to do with it. His mourning was improper and it eventually led him into sin. We see the same type of mourning in 1 Kings 21:1-4 where Ahab was so sorrowful over the fact that Naboth would not sell him his vineyard that he could not even eat. Like Amnon, Ahab’s sorrow was improper and led him into sin, not away from it.

Improper sorrow is also mentioned in 2 Corinthians 7:8-10. There Paul reminds us that there is a distinction between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow. Worldly sorrow mourns over the consequences of the sin, not the sin itself. Indeed, worldly sorrow does not produce a hatred of sin, but rather a hatred of consequences. It has regrets. It may give up the sin for a moment, but only because it has been found out. It really longs to have the sin back without the consequences. Such sorrow is improper because it does not grieve over the sin itself.

Finally, there is a sorrow that Paul calls godly. It is sorrow over our condition and our sinfulness. It sees sin from God’s perspective. A person experiencing such sorrow longs to be free from that sin and has no regrets about giving it up.

It is this type of mourning to which Jesus refers in this beatitude. It is the sorrow that a believer constantly carries about in his own heart over his own sins. It is the constant realization that “in my flesh dwelleth no good” (Romans 7:25). It is the admission of Isaiah: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.” It is the confession of Peter as he stands before the Lord, “Depart form me, for I am a sinful man.”

Some may argue that such an attitude only serves to lower man’s self-esteem. We could contend that man’s great problem is his pride and that all attempts to provide an elevated view of man are not realistic, nor are they helpful. They are not realistic because they do not take seriously how God views sin. They are not helpful because, rather than causing man to cry out to God for mercy, they cause man to feel better about himself! God cannot ever bless any man who has an elevated attitude of himself in this regard. He is opposed to the proud. He does not bless them.

Mourning is the attitude that brings the blessing of God. It is one that continually recognizes that we are constantly dependent upon His mercies for our life. It is one that continually reminds us that we have no reason for pride, no matter how far we may have come in the Christian life. Such an attitude is the one that is blessed by the Lord.

Why Are They Happy?

But we must ask, “Why are these who mourn happy?” We note at least two reasons in this beatitude.

First, they are happy because they are blessed. Notice that I did not say, “They will be blessed.” That is also true but that is not what Jesus says. He says “Blessed (now) are those who mourn.” The focus is on the present tense. The second part of the beatitude speaks of the future, but here he notes their present blessedness. Why? Three reasons. They are happy because they are accepted by God (Psalm 34:18; Psalm 51:17). Additionally, they are happy because they alone experience true joy in life. They may experience temporary sorrow, but they know the Lord will turn their sorrow into joy (Psalm 30). Finally, they are happy because they know they are being changed (Hebrews 12:11). That’s why they can even endure tribulations and trials–not because they are stoics, but because they know that God is changing them and so they can rejoice even in their trials (James 1:2-4; Romans 5:1-5).

Second, they are happy because they shall be comforted. This part of the beatitude speaks of the future. There are many ways that God comforts the believer. In John 14:16-18, the Holy Spirit provides comfort. According to Romans 15:4, we find comfort in the Word of God. In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, and 11, we learn that believers are comforted even as Paul was by the prayers and fellowship of other believers. But most of all, we will one day be comforted by God Himself in eternity. In Luke 16:25, Abraham told the rich man in Hades that Lazarus was being comforted in paradise. According to Revelation 21:4, we are told that God will wipe away every tear from our eyes. Thus the believer finds his joy not only in what God is doing in him in this present life; he also finds his joy rooted in the comfort that God promises him in eternity.

How Can We Be Blessed by Mourning?

First, we need to see the value of sorrow. The title of one modern book expresses well the attitude believers ought to have toward difficulties: Don’t Waste Your Sorrows. In the book, the author contends that God has allowed every sorrow in our lives as an opportunity to give Him glory. When we grumble or complain about our sorrows, we are wasting an opportunity to be changed now and receive eternal reward later.

Such was the attitude of the early church toward suffering and sorrow. When the apostles were beaten and told not to teach any more in the name of Jesus, they returned rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer for His name’s sake. In 2 Corinthians 4:17, Paul tells us: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” In Romans 8:17, he explains his optimism in the face of suffering: “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present age are not worthy to be compared with the glory to be revealed in us.” Paul recognized that sorrow and suffering were opportunities to glorify God and receive eternal reward. He was not about to “waste” such an opportunity.

Second, we need to share the sorrow of others. Those who truly mourn over their own sins are not so fast to condemn the sins they see in others. Wesley noted: “When I am close to God, I tend to be hard on my own sins and merciful toward the sins of others. When I am away from God, I tend to be soft on my own sins and hard on the sins of others.” Those who mourn over their own sins do not become proud in their comparisons with other sinners. Instead, like Paul, we see that it is only God’s grace that has made us what we are. Such an attitude enables us to truly share the sorrow of others.

Third, we need to sorrow over our own sins. This is actually the beginning point for those who would experience the blessing of those who mourn. To be blessed we must keep a tender heart before God regarding our own sins. Proverbs 4:23 says: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Psalm 51:17 reminds us: “a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” The blessing of God is for those whose hearts are continually mourning over their sins.

Copyright Jim Ehrhard, 1999. You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that: (1) you credit the author; (2) any modifications are clearly marked; (3) you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction; and (4) you do not make more than 100 copies without permission. If you would like to post this material to your web site or make any use other than as defined above, please contact Teaching Resources International

Posted in Jim Ehrhard |

The Right Kind of Mourning by A. W. Pink

January 2, 2010 by ADMIN

“Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted.”

Mourning is hateful and irksome to poor human nature: from suffering and sadness our spirits instinctively shrink. It is natural for us to seek the society of the cheerful and joyous. The verse now before us presents an anomaly to the unregenerate, yet it is sweet music to the ears of God’s elect: if “blessed” why do they “mourn”? If they mourn, how can they be blessed? Only the child of God has the key to this paradox, for ” happy are they who sorrow” is at complete variance with the world’s logic. Men have, in all places and in all ages, deemed the prosperous and the gay to be the happy ones, but Christ pronounces blessed those who are poor in spirit and who mourn.

Now it is obvious that it is not every type of mourning which is referred to here. There are thousands of mourners in the world today who do not come within the scope of our text: those mourning over blighted hopes, over financial reverses, over the loss of loved ones. But alas, so far from many of them coming beneath this divine benediction, they are under God’s condemnation; nor is there an promise that such shall ever be Divinely “comforted.” There are three kinds of “mourning” referred to in the Scriptures: a natural, such as we have just referred to above, a sinful, which is a disconsolate and inordinate grief, refusing to be comforted, or a hopeless remorse like that of Judas; and a gracious, a “godly sorrow,” of which the Holy Spirit is the Author.

The mourning ” of our text is a spiritual one. The previous verse indicates clearly the line of thought here: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Yes, “Blessed are the poor,” not they are poor in purse, but the poor in heart: those who realize themselves to be spiritual bankrupts in themselves, paupers before God. That felt poverty of spirit is the very opposite of the Laodiceanism which is so rife today which says, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.” In like manner, it is spiritual mourning which is in view here. Further proof of this is found in the fact that Christ pronounces these mourners “blessed.” They are so because the Spirit of God has wrought a work of grace within them, and hence they have been awakened to see and feel their lost condition. They are ” blessed ” because God does not leave them at that point: “they shall be comforted.”

“Blessed are they that mourn.” The first reference is to that initial mourning which precedes a genuine conversion, for there must be a real sense of sin before the remedy for it will even be desired. Thousands acknowledge that they are sinners, who have never mourned over the fact. Take the woman of Luke 7, who washed the Savior’s feet with her tears. Have you ever shed any over your sins? Take the prodigal in Luke 15. Before he left the far country, he said, “I will arise and go unto my Father and say unto him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before Thee, and am no more worthy to be called Thy son’”–where shall we find those today with this sense of their sinnership? Take the publican of Luke 18. Why did he “smite upon his breast” and say “God be merciful to me a sinner”? Because he felt the plague of his own heart. So of the three thousand converted on the day of Pentecost: they were “pricked in their heart, and cried out.”

This “mourning” springs from a sense of sin, from a tender conscience from a broken heart. It is a godly sorrow over rebellion against God and hostility to His will. In some cases, it is grief over the very morality in which the heart has trusted, over the self-righteousness which has caused such complacency. This “mourning” is the agonizing realization that it was my sins which nailed to the Cross the Lord of glory. It is such tears and groans which prepare the heart to truly welcome and receive the “balm of Gilead,” the comfort of the Gospel. It is, then, a mourning over the felt destitution of our spiritual state, and over the iniquities that have separated between us and God. Such mourning always goes side by side with conscious poverty of spirit.

But this “mourning” is by no means to be confined unto the initial experience of conviction and contrition for observe the tense the verb: it is not “have mourned,” but “mourn”–a present and continuous experience. The Christian himself has much to mourn over. The sins which he now commits–of omission and commission–are a sense of daily grief to him, or should be, and will be, if his conscience is kept tender. An ever-deepening discovery of the depravity of his nature, the plague of his heart, the sea of corruption within–ever polluting all that he does–deeply exercises him. Consciousness of the surgings of unbelief, the swellings of pride, the coldness of his love, and his lack of fruit, make him cry, “O wretched man that I am.”

Yes, “Ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves” (Romans 8:23). Does not the Christian groan under the disciplining rod of the Father: “No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous” (Heb. 12:11). And is he not deeply grieved by the awful dishonor which is now done to the Lord Jesus on every hand? The fact is that the closer the Christian lives to God, the more will he mourn over all that dishonors Him.

But let us return to the primary thought of our verse: “Blessed are they that mourn” has immediate reference to the convicted soul sorrowing over his sins. And here it is most important to note that Christ does not pronounce them “blessed” simply because they are mourners, but because they are such, mourners as “shall be comforted.” There are not a few Christians today who glory in their grief and attempt to find comfort in their own inward wretchedness–as well seek health from our sicknesses. True comfort is not to be found in anything in self–no, not in perceiving our own vileness–but in Christ alone. Distress of soul is by no means always the same thing as evangelical repentance, as is clear from the case of Cain (Gen. 4:13). But where the Spirit produces in the heart a godly sorrow for sin, He does not leave him there, but brings him to look away from sin to the Lamb of God, and then he is “comforted.” The Gospel promises no mercy except to those who forsake sin and close with Christ.

“They shall be comforted.” This gracious promise receives its fulfillment, first, in that Divine consolation which immediately follows sound conversion (i.e. one that is preceded by conviction and contrition), namely the removal of that conscious load of guilt which lies as an intolerable burden on the conscience. It finds its accomplishment in the Spirit’s application of the Gospel of God’s grace to the one whom He has convicted of his dire need of a Savior. Then it is Christ that speaks the word of power, “Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Observe that His language clearly presupposes the feeling of sin to be a “burden” that impels to Him for relief. It is to the sin-sick heart that Christ gives rest. This “comfort” issues in a sense of a free and full forgiveness through the merits of the atoning blood of Christ. This Divine comfort is the grace of God which passeth all understanding, filling the heart of one who is now assured that he is “accepted in the Beloved.” First God wounds and then heals.

Second, there is a continual “comforting” of the mourning saint by the Holy Spirit, who is the Comforter. The one who sorrows over his departures from Christ is comforted by the assurance that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9). The one who turns under the chastening rod of God is comforted by the promise, “afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (Heb. 12:11). The one who grieves over the awful dishonor done to his Lord is comforted by the fact that Satan’s time is short, and Christ will bruise him beneath His feet. Third, the final “comfort” is when we leave this world and are done with sin forever. Then shall “sorrow and sighing flee away.” To the rich man , Abraham said of the one who had begged at his gate, “now he is comforted ” (Luke 16:25). The “comfort” of heaven will more than compensate for all the “mourning” of earth.

From all that has been before us learn, first, the folly of looking to the wounds which sin has made in order to find consolation; view rather the purging and healing blood of Christ. Second, see the error of attempting to measure the helpfulness of the books we read or the preaching we hear by the degree of peace and joy they bring to our hearts. Yet how many there are who say, “We have quite enough in the world, or in the home, to make us miserable, so we go to church for comfort.” But it is to be feared that few of them are in any condition of soul to receive comfort from the Gospel: rather do they need the Law to search and convict them. Ah, the truth friend, that very often the sermon or the article which is of the most benefit is the one which causes us to get alone with God and weep before Him. When we have flirted with the world or indulged the lusts of the flesh, the Holy Spirit gives us a rebuke or admonition. Third, mark then the inseparable connection between godly sorrow and godly joy: compare Psalm 30: 5; 127: 5; Proverbs 14: 10; Isaiah 61:3; II Corinthians 4: l0; I Thessalonians 1:6; James 2:13.

The current formatting and editing is copyrighted by Jim Ehrhard, 1999. You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that: (1) you credit the author; (2) any modifications are clearly marked; (3) you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction; and (4) you do not make more than 100 copies without permission. If you would like to post this material to your web site or make any use other than as defined above, please contact Teaching Resources International

Posted in A. W. Pink |

Poor in Spirit by Jim Ehrhard

January 2, 2010 by ADMIN

No one likes to be “poor” in anything. We certainly do not like to be poor in finances, we definitely do not want to be considered poor in character or abilities. Why then would Jesus tell us that we are blessed if we are “poor in spirit?” While this beatitude may be strange to us, it is important that we understand its meaning, for being “poor in spirit” is essential, not only to being blessed in this life, but also to being saved in eternity.

Let’s examine four questions about this beatitude: Why does Jesus begin the Beatitudes with the “poor in spirit?”; What does he mean by “poor in spirit?”; What are the evidences or effects of being “poor in spirit?”; and How does one become “poor in spirit?”

Why does he begin with the “poor in spirit?”

1. It is required for entrance into the kingdom of heaven. The Greek is more emphatic than the English on this point. Jesus literally says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs, and theirs alone, is the kingdom of heaven.” In other words, only one type of person will ever enter the kingdom of heaven and it will not be the proud, those who feel the are “rich in spirit.” In I Corinthians 1, Paul reminds us of this: “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things–and the things that are not–to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him” (vv. 26-29).

Indeed, no one can even come to faith unless they recognize how poor they are in the spirit. When Peter was confronted with the reality of who Jesus was, he saw his spiritual poverty and cried out, “Depart form me for I am a sinful man.” When Paul assessed his own life, he asserted that he was the “chief of sinners.” When two men came to the temple to pray, one felt himself to be better than others while the second stood at the back of the temple and smote his breast saying, “Be merciful unto me, a sinner.” Jesus told his disciples, “I tell you the truth, the last man went sown to his house justified rather than the first.” No one can enter the kingdom of heaven without a humble heart that recognizes its own spiritual poverty. Being “poor in spirit” is required for entrance into the kingdom.

2. It reminds us of our inability. Being “poor in spirit” is not just the entrance into the kingdom, it is the way to live in the kingdom. There is such a tendency in the life of believers to think that, after coming to faith in Christ, they can now make it on their own strength. Jesus reminds us, “Apart from me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5). This beatitude reminds us that God’s blessing on our lives depends on our recognition that we are still “poor in spirit” and we constantly need Him to be blessed in life.

Some, like Robert Schuller, are teaching the opposite. Schuller contends: “When a person believes that he is an ‘unworthy sinner,’ it is doubtful if he can honestly accept the saving grace God offers in Jesus Christ.” Yet the very opposite is true. Why would one need the grace of God unless he recognized his spiritual poverty? Wouldn’t you expect the one with nothing to be the first to flee to Christ at His offer of grace?

Others also contend, “We must love ourselves before we can love others.” But the reason that we don’t reach out and minister to others is not that we don’t love ourselves; it is that we love ourselves all too much. Still others assert that we cannot begin to meet the needs of others until our needs are met. Yet we are never told to focus on ourselves first. Instead, Jesus tells us: “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” In other words, we are not to seek for ourselves first, but for His kingdom. In doing so, He will care for all our needs.

Our spiritual poverty is a constant reminder of our utter dependence on Him. As long as we think we can do something without Him, we will! But Jesus reminds us that those who always remember their spiritual poverty will be blessed.

3. It is the foundation for spiritual character. “Poor in spirit comes first because it is the foundation for all spiritual graces. One cannot properly “mourn” or be “meek” or “hunger and thirst for righteousness” unless he constantly remembers his true spiritual condition. Whenever anyone believers that he is doing quite well spiritually, he will cease to mourn mover the sin deeply imbedded in his own life and he will not desire to be more righteous. Indeed, the Scriptures also remind us that we cannot expect the blessing of God on our lives unless we have this attitude of being poor in spirit. Proverbs 16:15 tell us that the proud are an abomination in God’s sight. James 4:6 reminds us that God is opposed to the proud. Only those who are poor in the spirit are qualified for God’s blessings and can progress in the other graces mentioned in the beatitudes.

What does He mean by “poor in the spirit?”

First, let us examine what he does not mean. It does not mean that Jesus exalted poverty and said that all who are poor will be blessed. Poverty is never considered a blessing in the Scriptures. Some commentators have even chosen to translate this passage: “Blessed in the spirit are the poor.” While such a translation is grammatically possible, it is highly unlikely. In fact, to follow this line of translating would produce a very peculiar reading of verse 8, “Blessed in the heart are the pure.” The grammatical structure is the same.

To be poor in spirit means at least three things. First, it refers to those who recognize their spiritual bankruptcy. There are two Greek words of “poor” in the New Testament. One word, penes, refers to the working man who has only enough to meet his needs. He has nothing extra at all. The other word is proches. It describes one who is completely destitute. It is a person who has nothing at all. That is the word that Jesus uses here. Those who come to understand the total bankruptcy of their spiritual condition are the ones that Jesus says will be blessed. Not those who think they have some spiritual resources. Not those who feel they have enough to just get by. But only those who see the complete emptiness of their spiritual condition are promised God’s blessing.

Second, it refers to those who are willing to be despised. Most people want to be admired by the world, but that is not an asset in the Christian life. Paul noted: “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10). Once the question of being “poor in spirit” is settled, one will not be swayed by concern over men’s opinions. That person will not care what others think about him; he only cares that he pleases God.

Third, it refers to those who are will to be content. One characteristic of the poor is that they are willing to be satisfied with less. One who is truly poor in spirit has learned how to be “content in what ever state” he is found (Phil. 4:11-12).

How Can I Become “Poor in the Spirit?”

First, quit trying to impress God. The monastic movement was based upon the idea that one becomes poor in the spirit by denying oneself. But all such attempts are really an attempt to impress God with our piety. Martin Luther said, “If ever a man could have gained heaven by monkery, it was I.” He learned that only when one gives up on trying to impress God can he truly be made right with God. Being poor in spirit is a matter of recognizing that we have nothing to give to God and joyfully receiving all He gives to us.

Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to thy cross I cling;

Naked come to thee for dress, Helpless look to thee for grace;

Foul, I to thy fountain fly, Wash me Savior or I die.”

This is true not only for salvation; it is equally essential for living the Christian life. In Revelation 3:15-20, Jesus warns a wealthy church: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm–neither hot nor cold–I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, `I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” It is not the poor church that is in danger of not fully serving the Lord. It is the rich church. Poverty is not the greatest danger for the church or for the individual believer. Instead, we must beware of the self-sufficiency that wealth often brings to us.

Second, give up all to follow Jesus. The rich ruler who came to Jesus learned that Jesus will not accept one who does not give up all to follow Him. The real issue was not his wealth, but whether he was willing to give up all that he depended upon to follow Jesus. Jesus himself said: “”The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Following Jesus is a matter of trusting Him only. “Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling” is the lifelong song of everyone who is truly poor in spirit.

Copyright Jim Ehrhard, 1999. You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that: (1) you credit the author; (2) any modifications are clearly marked; (3) you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction; and (4) you do not make more than 100 copies without permission. If you would like to post this material to your web site or make any use other than as defined above, please contact Teaching Resources International

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