Spiritual Warfare – The Transforming Power of the Gospel: Personality, Character and Discipleship – part 6
We continue this week with our discussion of the Beatitudes in Matt. 5:3-12 to see what Jesus values and ask the question, “Do our attitudes mirror the Beatitudes?”. We will go on later to look at how the Scriptures speak to aspects of our characters such as identity and habits. Finally, we will look at things which oppose our character transformation, which brings us full circle to Spiritual Warfare!
Value the things that Jesus Values
We should value the things Jesus valued, e.g. Sermon on the Mount, relationships with people, particularly the groups that the world looks down on (bruised reed). Read the gospels to see what they are – exemplified in the Beatitudes Matt. 5:3-12
We picked up the discussion at ‘Pure in heart’:
| Virtue | Characteristic | Worldly ‘virtue’ | Kingdom Value |
| Poor in spirit v.3 | Humility Psa. 34:18; 138:3; Prov. 16:19; 29:23; Isa. 57:15; 66:2; Mic. 6:8 | Pride | Belong to the Kingdom |
| Mourn v.4 | Sorrow for sin Psa. 32:1-8; 51:17; Isa. 61:2-3; 2 Cor. 1:4-7; 7:9-10; Rev. 21:4 | No conscience | Comfort – strength |
| Meek v.5 | Controlled strength, not self seeking Matt. 11:29; 21:5; Psa. 37:11 | Assertiveness Psa. 27:35-36 | Inherit the earth |
| Hunger and thirst after righteousness v.6 | Seeking God’s glory, will and purposes Psa. 27:4; 63:1-2; 84:2; Ezek. 9:4; 1 Tim. 6:11 | I did it my way | Will be filled – truly satisfied Psa. 107:9; Luke 1:53; Matt. 6:33 |
| Merciful v.7 | Kind & generous Psa. 41:1-2; Prov. 11:17; 19:17; Mic. 6:8; Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:12; James 3:17 | Look after number 1 Charity begins at home | Shown mercy (reap what you sow!) |
| Pure in heart v.8 | Integrity Psa. 15:2; 24:4; 51:6; 2 Cor. 7:1; Titus 1:15; 2:11-14 | Whatever feels good, do it! | Will see God |
| Peacemakers v.9 | Reconciliation, but ‘in truth’ as Jesus Rom. 12:18; 2 Cor. 5:20; Gal. 5:22; Eph. 4:1-3; Phil. 2:1-3; | Anything for a quiet life | Called sons of God |
| Persecuted v.10-12 | Rejoicing to be counted worthy to suffer for His Name Acts 5:41; Phil. 1:28; 2 Tim. 2:12; 3:11; Jas. 1:2-5; 1 Pet. 3:13-14, 4:12-16; | Avoid pain at all costs | Great is your reward in heaven – those who think most of the next world, do the most good in this one. |
Jesus’ Kingdom values shape our attitudes
| Value/characteristic | Modelled by Jesus | Encouraged in us |
| Humility | Matt. 11:28-29; | Phil. 2:3; Rom. 12:3, 10 |
| Sorrow for sin | Not His own, but weeping for others Luke 19:41-44 | 2 Cor. 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. |
| Not self seeking | John 5:30 I seek not My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me; | Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Phil. 2:4 |
| Seeking God’s glory and purposes | John 8:50 I do not seek My own glory. | Matt. 6:33 |
| Kind and generous | Acts 10:38 went about doing good | Luke 6:34-35; Phil. 2:14 Do all things without complaining or arguing |
| Pure in heart, Integrity, devotedness | John 8:46 Which of you can prove Me guilty of sin? Did no, sin, knew no sin, in Him is no sin | Phil. 2:15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world Heb 12:14 Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord |
| Reconcilers | God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself 2 Cor. 5:19; to reconcile all things Col. 1:19 | 2 Cor. 5:19-20 given us the ministry of reconciliation – ambassadors! |
| Troubles/correction/persecution | Heb. 12:3 | Psa. 141:5; Heb. 12/Prov. 3; Rom. 5:3-4 |