Have you read the Beatitudes in Matthew chapter 5 lately? It talks about being poor in spirit and pure in heart. Jesus said that it will be the pure in heart that sees God. And He says that the kingdom of God is for the poor in spirit. Pure in heart? Do you know anyone that is pure in heart? What about poor in spirit? What does that mean?

What does that mean today? Are they just nice-sounding words that we are somehow to try to live up to? It seems like Jesus shared, in this whole Sermon on the Mount, ideal living that we cannot live up to.

What are we to do? Is there a solution?

Let’s go to the book of John where Jesus is talking with a Pharisee named Nicodemus. This was a really good guy. He did everything right. What did Jesus say to him?

John 3:3 “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Why can’t we see? Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:8 that we walk in darkness until the new birth.

Then Jesus repeats His statement in John 3:7 “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”

Poor in spirit

Being poor in spirit is realizing that we do not have what it takes to be accepted. It is accepting the fact that we are sinners. I am a sinner. Everyone is a sinner. Admitting it is admitting we are poor in spirit.

So, no one is good enough. All have sinned according to Romans 3:23. Jesus said that somehow we must be born again, but how does that happen?

Jesus talks with Nicodemus about an incident that is recorded in Numbers 21:4-9. There the people were dying from snake bites. God told Moses to make a bronze snake and put it up on a pole so all could see it. Those who looked to that snake in obedience to God were healed from their bites.

Jesus said that He would be lifted up for all to see that whoever would believe on Him as their only hope of salvation, their only hope of seeing God, their only hope of going to heaven, would receive His life in them and be born again. That is how strong a belief He meant.

That is being born again. Receiving His life in us knowing it is our only hope. 

Pure in heart

Pure in heart is having His life in us. He is the only one that is or ever was pure in heart. 

Then in John 1:12 it tells us that whoever would receive Jesus would be given the right to be called the child of God. No other way. No earning it. No doing what we want then expecting God to accept us. One way. God’s way. It is available to all. But it is the only way.

Inclusive and exclusive. Includes all who come His way. Excludes all who choose not to come His way.

Are you poor in spirit?

Are you pure in heart?

Will you come to Jesus admitting you are poor in spirit?

Will you come asking for His life to be given to you that you might be pure in heart? Will you receive His life in you?

He wants all to come. 

Words to light your path

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Would you like to pray to receive Him into your spirit so you can be born again, so you can be assured of going to heaven?

Lord God, open our eyes to see our need for salvation. Thank You for reconciling us to Yourself through giving Your Son to pay the price that we might be made pure in heart. Help us to receive Your gift.

Reading for this week:

John 3