In the parable of the sower, some seed is sown in good ground. Notice the progression:
Good ground - Heareth the Word - Understandeth it. Matt. 13:23
Good ground - Hear the Word - Receive it. Mark 4:20
Good ground - Heard the Word - Keepeth it. Luke 8:15.
I Corinthians 2:14 tells us that the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, that he actually regards them as “foolishness.” And he’s not going to “know them” or understand them “because they are spiritually discerned,” that is, apart from the revealing of the sense of the scripture by the Holy Spirit. He will not receive it, for it is foolishness unto him; therefore he cannot understand it, and what he will not receive nor is able to understand, most assuredly will not be kept! By keeping the word we mean, hiding it in the heart, finding it a precious treasure, meditating upon it, heeding and obeying its precepts. And this comes forth from “an honest and good heart” (Luke 8:15)
Man is responsible to God to receive the seed that is sown. Some refuse it, some attempt to receive it and think themselves able to secure the things of God, yet apart from the Spirit of God. There are others who realize that their responsibility to receive the seed into good ground is not possible within themselves, whereby they cry out unto God and cast themselves before Him as impotent sinners. Then may the Spirit Himself prepare the ground, that the Word of God may become “rooted and grounded” and “stablished.”
Once we find the seed rooted and abiding in our hearts, we then discover John chapter fifteen. Here, we find, as in the parable of the sower, that fruit is expected; here the means shown to us is the “abiding in Christ.” Thus two pictures are made known if one would bear fruit: the new birth, as the Holy Spirit quickens the Word in prepared ground, and now being made an abiding branch in the Vine, Christ Jesus.
Now concerning fruit-bearing; what is it, how is it to be brought forth, what purpose does fruit-bearing have in God’s economy, what part does it play in my life as a believer, what practical applications are to be found, is it something that will cause me to be more Christ-like and will help me to grow and begin to mature. . .?
We can, of course, go to Galatians 5:22-23, “but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. . .” But there is another scripture that bears a striking resemblance and may open a little further the door of our understanding.
The scripture is Matthew chapter five, verses three through twelve. We know it as the Beatitudes. There is far more to be found here than just an instruction in good behavior or proper conduct. It is relevant for Jew and Gentile alike; it was for those whom Christ addressed, it is, even at this moment, it will be during the 1000 year Millennial reign of Christ.
Bear with me as we go through these scriptures; I trust your patience will be rewarded as we see that which is to be unfolded.
As this is the first discourse before a multitude of people and perhaps His disciples also, we would do well to mark the significance of this initial teaching from our Lord. The Pharisees had long taught and practiced an outward keeping of the Law, and this they thought would suffice in pleasing Jehovah, and would gain them entrance into the Kingdom, and also secure an inheritance in the same, both earthly and spiritually. But Jesus begins to show forth immediately the error of their ways. His first sermon was not one of condemnation to His hearers but one of instruction in Righteousness. Those who regarded themselves as beyond hope suddenly heard that the poor may be called Blessed; that even they could enter into and inherit the Kingdom!
We find in these scriptures that God prizes the fruit born forth from the heart above the works wrought by the hand: in fact, the labor of the hand is as wood, hay, and stubble; it is empty and void apart from heart-work.
A sad commentary indeed is the Pharisaical claim made by the Laodocian church: we are rich, increased with goods, having need of nothing. In sharp contrast, Christ pronounces a blessing on the poor in spirit. His ultimate desire is not for their increase, but that they bring forth an increase; that the heart may bear fruit in the likeness of Christ and for the glory of God. Wicked indeed is the last utterance from that people blinded by pride and self-sufficiency; who do not acknowledge the depths of poverty; that their greatest works are as filthy rags before a thrice-holy God.
Here is a fundamental truth; so basic, so elementary, that it is the starting point for the Lord in His teaching the people; yet I fear that the large majority of believers have not perceived its message. We must need learn to differentiate between that which is works (which have their rewards) and fruit, born forth from the heart, in the spirit of Christ, to the glory of the Father, and that identifies us with Him, and is a sure testimony in our behalf that we are those known of the Lord, and are His children and heirs. (Unlike those found in Matt. 7:22-23,) “And many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” In verse 24 He further clarifies what He has said: “whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them. .“ Again it is not the outward performance of the Law, but the spiritual receiving of seed into good ground and the bearing forth of fruit from the heart in joyful obedience.
The fruit to be born is unto God Himself; therefore it is spiritual fruit. What we shall discover in the Beatitudes will doubtless surprise many: may it bring about a renewed humbleness of spirit in each of us as we meditate on these things.
The first Beatitude:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”
What do we mean by poor in spirit? It is poverty of spirit; it results from the work of the Holy Spirit in one’s heart that brings about an awareness of his bankrupt condition; he owns himself worthless and casts himself from his pedestal of self-sufficiency into the dust; claiming to have nothing nor to be anything. (A fair example is the parable of the Prodigal son.) How unlikely this appears to the unregenerate, that the poor should be pronounced blessed; but we who do know, understand the transforming Presence who has shown us our need, who has brought us forth from ourselves to find the Mercies and Grace of God: but Oh, too often must we be reminded; and how easily we tend to forget.
The second Beatitude.
“Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
Mourning is not one of the desires of the flesh. It would be made happy, cheerful, made comfortable, enjoys being entertained. But Jesus declares that the mournful are the ones who know joy of spirit, who are the Blessed of God If we are careful to maintain a consistency in our study, then must we understand the mourning to be spiritual: If it is “Blessed are the poor in spirit, then it follows, Blessed are they that mourn in spirit. This Beatitude is in close conjunction with the first: as one finds himself destitute before God, he discovers his nothingness, that he is spiritually poverty-stricken; he also realizes his sinful state; that, in turn brings forth a guilt, a condemnation from within his heart. He becomes a “man of sorrows” and that grief can only be alleviated by the “Man of sorrows,” the One “acquainted with grief,” the Lord Jesus Christ!
We are given word-pictures in the scripture to illustrate its doctrines. One such is to be found in Luke 18:9-14. On the one hand we see a self-righteous Pharisee, telling God what “wonderful works” he was doing. He began to recite to God his list of “moral standards:” How arrogantly he begins: “God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortionists, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.” However well he thought himself to keep the Law outwardly, he returned to his house as condemned and lost as he came. Now our attention is drawn to that publican; his heart was as that of his father David: “Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up;” He stood afar off, smote upon his breast, and cried “God be merciful to me a sinner.” In realizing his spiritual poverty, he began to mourn: this man returned to his house justified. Oh how precious the inner peace, the comfort that is afforded us through Christ, if only we cast down our weapons of war and cast ourselves before His feet, owning our hopeless and helpless condition: “Nothing in my hands I bring; simply to the cross I cling.”
They shall be comforted: by reason that our sins have been judicially, lawfully put away forever through the merits of atoning blood; that our Great High Priest has reconciled us unto God, that we are “accepted in the Beloved.” “My peace I give you” is a present day inheritance afforded us by Christ and effectually delivered by the Holy Spirit. But to share His Peace, we must know also of His heartache, His suffering, His pain. God will exalt, but first we must be abased; if we would know His healing, we must first know hurting. We shall, in future days, know Peace Perfected; one day to rule and reign with Him. But let us now be poor in spirit; let us mourn as we consider the shallowness of our love toward Him; let us join with Paul in his mournful song, “O wretched man that I am.” Let us echo the mourning sounds 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:”
Before continuing, let us stop for a moment to clarify what we have been saying thus far: do we understand that we are presenting fruit-bearing; and that being not from the works of the hand, but of the work of the heart? Can we now see that the fruit most yearned for, most cherished by God the Father, is that fruit of a “broken and contrite heart;” that lowliness, that poorness of spirit, that causes us to mourn: is it within our grasp to see that it was this same lowliness of heart seen in Jesus, that could cause the Father to cry, “This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased?”
The third Beatitude.
“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”
In Matthew 11:29 we find these familiar words of our Lord: “Come unto me. . .I will give you rest. . .I AM [identifies Him as God] meek and lowly in heart.”
Ephesians 4:1-3 is a companion scripture clearly showing the calling of every believer to be a follower of Christ in heart: “I beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.” Simply stated, we are to have a spirit of Humility, and that, in direct contrast with the spirit of Pride and Self-life.
Naaman arrogantly refused to dip himself in the Jordan that he might be cleansed of his leprosy, but he and his pride soon fell forth from the chariot in humble obedience. The Prodigal Son went from riches to rags after proclaiming his self-sufficiency, but a few nights lodging with the swine soon awakened him to his error; he returned to the Father, low in spirit, mourning, and in a spirit of meekness. In so doing he went from “rags to riches!” The Laodocean church is seen as a Prodigal; wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. If only he will return he will find the “best robe” to cover his nakedness; the “ring on his hand,” the restoring of honor and dignity upon him by the Father; the “fatted calf” for him, in that he “perishes with hunger!”
Let us, who are not-sufficient, fall into the dust from which we, in Adam, were first created: let us acknowledge Him, the All-sufficient One. In lowliness of spirit, let us mourn; let us approach the Thrice-Holy One in meekness and humility. But may we further resolve to “pull down the strongholds,” let us “cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exaulteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” Self seeks in its imagination, to enthrone itself above the throne of God; it endeavors to build strongholds of self-will; to exalt itself, not only above but against, in defiance of God. While Jesus declared, “In my Father’s house are many mansions,” Pride imagines its own self-created castle, a stronghold that must be pulled down. Elsewhere in scripture, imagination has to do with wickedness of the heart. In other areas we may speak of the “mortifying of the Flesh” or “dying to Self.” This scripture aptly identifies how this can be done.
The fourth Beatitude.
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”
A note of confirmation: the Bible is not that which has been aimlessly thrown together; it is assembled in a very orderly fashion. There is a beautiful flowing of the scriptures as a careful study of the Beatitudes will attest.
Note the progression thus far: a lowliness of spirit, an awareness of my nothingness. Then follows a mourning over my wretched condition, followed by a falling into the dust before God in a spirit of humility and meekness. Following next is the awareness that I am in desperate need of that which I do not have; it is that which God alone is more than sufficiently able to supply. The Prodigal Son, starving in the pigpen, began to hunger and thirst after the “Righteousness” to be found at the Father’s House. Pride and self-life afford no provision for the hungry heart; yet in relentless gluttony do they gorge themselves in lustful cravings. When one is brought to grips with his awful, depraved condition by the Spirit of God through the Truth of the Word of God; then by Faith will he cast himself down from his lofty pedestal; he will cast himself upon the Rock, he will desire that which is outside of himself: as a new-born baby he will cry out.
There appears to be something of a paradox here: One who hungers and thirsts after Righteousness shall be filled, shall be satisfied; and yet will never cease to hunger and thirst after Righteousness.
The fifth Beatitude.
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”
Up until now, we have beheld man in his deficiency; his lowliness of spirit, his mourning as a result; his meekness and humility; his hungering for that which has been non-existent in his life.
Another sense in which we should study this passage is this: we are a channel of mercy. Mercy must begin with God. As we find ourselves low in spirit, mourning, falling before the Lord in meekness, hungering and thirsting after Righteousness: we surely, by now, must realize that God has shown unto us, an exceeding abundance of mercy. We in turn, are not to be containers of mercy, but open channels. We are not to be imitators of God’s mercy; rather to allow His mercy to flow through us to others. Pretence is useless; in fact, harmful. Leave the counterfeiting to Satan. Let’s be real!
The sixth Beatitude.
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”
The first four beatitudes are as fruit born toward God. The last four relate not only to God, but also to man. Actually, by the time this short study is completed, I trust we will see the Christian life “in a nutshell,” as shown us by the Spirit of God from the Word of God, as spoken by the Son of God: hopefully our understanding of “Christian growth” will have increased, at least a little: but we still have much to learn. Holy Spirit, help us to be patient, even as you are ever patient with us!
Obviously, to be pure in heart does not mean sinless perfection. We are, of course, judicially, legally, declared pure or Righteous, in accordance with the Eternal Covenant; that which was validated by Heaven’s “Notary Public!”
Another definition might be a “oneness of eye” whereby one may most assuredly “see God.” Again, one might be called “pure in heart” if he will “love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” In a practical sense, God is working in us, to conform us to the image of Christ in our daily walk; to make true of us, what He has already judicially declared us to be.
To be pure in heart is to have “singleness of heart,” to which Old Self poses an ever-vigorous threat.
The seventh Beatitude.
“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
We are ever aware of those who would talk peace; but the literal making of peace is quite another story. This world cannot know any real peace for they remain in a tug of war. The closest thing to peace to be found is purchased at the price of compromise, and no one ever leaves the bargaining table completely satisfied.
But our current verse speaks not of one who loves peace, who desires peace, nor one who attempts to be a mediator, to reconcile two opposing parties together. The idea of a Peacemaker, one who is able to effect a permanent reconciliation, is absolutely unknown to this world. There is but One: God in Christ is the Peacemaker. Among other things, our Lord Jesus holds the appointed office of “Minister of Reconciliation.”
“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ,” II Cor. 5:18. How then, is Peace to be made? Upon what terms is reconciliation to be secured? Man comes in lowliness of spirit, in spiritual poverty; he mourns his sinful condition and his condemnation before God; he casts himself into the dust in lowliness and humility; his cries out unto God as his only hope: he who fell into sin, now willingly casts himself forth from his lofty perch: he desperately seeks for that which he knows he could never deserve. There is no compromise. God does not need to be reconciled to him; it is he who must be reconciled to God. Lasting Peace is made as he has thrown down his weapons of war in an unconditional surrender to the Sovereign.
By the sacrificial offering of Himself in our stead and the free-flowing blood of His cross, our Sin is lawfully, judicially, permanently put away. By His sprinkling of His own blood on the Mercy Seat, our Great High Priest has not only abolished our sin, but has initiated a lasting Reconciliation; He has brought us to God!
We shall pursue further this beatitude as we bring into play the last one in this series.
The eighth Beatitude.
“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”
The peacemaker is placed in an interesting position. On the one hand, we have those things presented to us in the previous beatitudes that are instrumental in making the peacemaker a peacemaker! On the other hand a very drastic condition prevails; an extreme series of trials to test the validity of he who is called now to be a peacemaker and a minister of reconciliation.
One could conceivably be a mediator, a peacemaker, could bring about a reconciliation between friends, who find themselves in some minor dispute. But how can one make peace under such circumstances as these: “men who revile you, persecute you, say all manner of evil against you falsely?”
Christ, the Peacemaker above all; the Father’s appointed Minister of Reconciliation: what would He do? Specifically, what did He do?
When Jesus was on the cross, men did unto Him precisely what He spoke in this final beatitude: they persecuted Him, they reviled Him, they said all manner of evil against Him falsely. What was His response? “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” He did not cry out, “I forgive you, for your wicked display of senseless hatred against me.” That would only have stirred them to greater strife and anger. (As Christ is our example, if it would not have worked for Him, it certainly will accomplish nothing were we to employ such tactics.)
The initial requirement for one who would be a peacemaker is of course, that he has first made peace with his Maker! That being, that those things we have dealt with in the earlier beatitudes are presently working in his heart. There can be no doubt as to the oneness of heart, the singleness of eye with the Lord Jesus.
The request: Father, forgive them, even though they are a wicked, lowlife bunch who deserve to go straight to Hell. NO! A thousand times no! Though Jesus Himself is not the one who is petitioned to forgive, yet in His heart is an attitude, a willingness to forgive, if only they would ask. But they are not going to ask His forgiveness; they are not going to ask God’s forgiveness; they despise with fiery hatred both Father, Son, and Spirit. So how is God to forgive those who will not be forgiven, who refuse to accept any favor or forgiveness? He cannot.
Then how can the prayer request of the Lord Jesus be answered? These for whom He prayed must be made peacemakers. Obviously if there are two parties who are peacemakers then reconciliation will be no problem.
How then can God make wicked men, full of enmity against God and eaten up with pride and self-will, to be peacemakers? The same way He did it with us wicked men, full of enmity against God and eaten up with Pride and Self-will. And we’ve already covered it: the Holy Spirit preparing the ground, planting the seed of Truth, from which comes one who is low in spirit, who realizes his nothingness; who begins to mourn because of his vile condition; who falls before a Holy God in surrender and humility and lowliness of heart; who is greatly moved by the mercies of God in his behalf; whose heart is made to hunger and thirst after God, desiring His sufficiency. This is how the Father could and does yet, continue to answer that prayer!
“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you”
There is prescribed here a blessing, from the Lord; the results of which are, Rejoicing, and exceeding Gladness: for great is your reward in Heaven:” Later, we find the Apostle Peter reiterating that which Jesus proclaimed: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you, but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” I Peter 4:12,13.
Jesus suffered persecution; yet His retaliation against the persecutors was in praying to the Father in their behalf, that they might receive forgiveness. If Christ is our example; more than an example: we are to follow Him; then may we learn an important lesson, right now! Whether it be the world or brethren within our local assembly: the unmistakable pattern we are shown is this: that we first search our hearts, that we bow in poverty of spirit, in mourning and meekness before the Lord, in hungering and thirsting for that which only He can provide. If there is a need for reconciliation with a brother, it must needs begin with reconciliation toward God. If then, there is an humble spirit found toward God, that same spirit must direct itself toward man. Paul pens these words: “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. . .” Rom. 12:3. “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves” Phil. 2:3. Yet the common cry given forth all around is for one’s self-esteem: this seems to be strangely foreign to the teaching of the scriptures, does it not?) “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up” James 4:10.
We are called to be peacemakers, even as the Lord Jesus; we likewise have been called to the “ministry of reconciliation,” even as our Lord. “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given unto us the ministry of reconciliation. . . hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation.”
This is beautiful! If I follow the example of Christ, I am not to struggle to reconcile myself to an offending brother, nor by fleshly persuasion attempt to reconcile him unto me. The ministry of reconciliation is this: I am to become both Peacemaker and intercessor before God. I am not to ask God to punish him for his offense against me; but in an attitude of lowliness toward God and man, I can echo my Savior: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” I ask you, who is more able to transform one’s heart into a peacemaker than your Father? Who is able to reconcile men’s hearts to Himself and also to one other? Rejoice in the thoroughness of your Father! I John 1:9 declares: “He is FAITHFUL [full of Mercies and Grace] to forgive. . .and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Further, He is JUST [lawfully, judicially, through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant] to forgive and cleanse.
Finally, let us look upon two of our brethren who, by their conversation, well illustrate those things we have considered.
If we thoughtfully meditate upon the account given us concerning Paul and Silas while they were in Philippi, we shall without doubt be able to identify them as Peacemakers and Ministers of Reconciliation. They could most assuredly relate to the eighth Beatitude: “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely. . .” They cast out an evil spirit from a fortune teller, and for that were laid upon and thrust before the magistrate by an angry mob. They were stripped, beaten, and then cast into the inner prison, their feet shacked. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God: (most likely they were continuing that which was begun earlier.) It is obvious that they were having no pity party, that they were not filled with hatred and bitterness toward their persecutors. What did they pray, anyway? Whether in the same words, we cannot be sure; but I am persuaded it was the same prayer as our Lord, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
They sang praises; a convincing evidence that they were at Peace with the Father, that they had approached Him in poverty of spirit, in mourning and meekness, hungering and thirsting after Righteousness; being reconciled to God, they desired that others might be also reconciled.
The response of the Father: a great earthquake, prison doors opened, everyone’s bands were loosed. Everyone that is, but the jailor: he was imprisoned by sin, held captive by its shackles. Paul cried out, “Do thyself no harm.” But the jailor had done them much harm.
“We are all here.” None escaped, though opportunity was there to do so.
It would appear that the attention of the Apostles was not upon their freedom, but the loosing of the jailor, yet in his bonds.
The jailor called for a light, and his eyes were opened to the Truth of the Word.
He cried, What must I do to be saved, and received the word of reconciliation - Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord.
And he fell in poverty of spirit, mourning his guilt and condemnation; he came in meekness and humility, owning himself as bankrupt and in need. He was forgiven. He was cleansed, he was reconciled to God. He became a Peacemaker. As a Peacemaker, he washed the Apostles stripes; he took them into his own house, he set meat before them; he rejoiced, believing, fellowshipping with Paul and Silas. He make peace with and was reconciled to the Apostles; but first peace and reconciliation had to be made with God.
The Philippi Chamber of Commerce was instrumental in obtaining accommodations for Paul and Silas. Unfortunately, there were no rooms available at the Philippi Hilton, so other arrangements were made. The Lodge to which the Apostles were directed did not have a AAA rating. The room was not cleaned prior to their arrival. They were not given fresh towels and linen. The floor, rather than being carpeted, had an earthy feel to it. This establishment would not likely have passed a sanitation inspection. The local pest control company had not been there of late. There was neither a restaurant nor room service. The room did not have a balcony with picture window overlooking the city. The Host was lacking in kindness and courtesy. . .
Paul and Silas were comforted in the midnight hour.
The discomfited jailor was comforted by Paul and Silas.
The Comforter came to indwell the heart of the jailor.
The jailor himself, became a comforter.
The jailor gave comfort to Paul and Silas.
The Apostles, after being beaten and imprisoned,
comforted the saints before leaving Philippi.
Copyright © 2005 by Darius Stewart.
