The Beatitudes (1)

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3
Pastor Alwyn Wall of Calvary Chapel Westminster, London, gives an interesting viewpoint on the Beatitudes that I think is worth sharing. That is, that the Beatitudes are not merely a collection of character descriptions that describe a happy, contented person, but they are also a progression in the Christian walk.
The first Beatitude concerns those who are “poor in spirit”. This is when we see ourselves for what we really are, compared to the righteousness that God requires. When we realise how repugnant our sin is to Him, we will have the same response as Isaiah, Daniel, and Peter: “Woe is me!” (Isa. 6:5, Dan. 7:28, Luke 5:8). Nobody who has this revelation of God, comes away feeling good about themselves. But this is the first step to salvation: recognising the state of our depravity and thus our need for a Saviour. This is why the poor in spirit are blessed, because this is the way to inherit the kingdom of heaven.
Being poor in spirit is not a one-time thing, but should be an ongoing attitude in the life of every Christian. We come into the Kingdom in poverty and humility, and this should characterise our lives ever afterwards.