The following is a revision and summary presentation of two articles in the TTUF study of MATTHEW CHAPTER 5 (to read the full study in Ch 5, go here). This article itself is divided into two parts for your convenience, in bookmarking it once you complete the first half.
~ ~ ~ ~ PART ONE ~ ~ ~ ~
What does the word ‘beatitude’ actually mean, have you ever wondered? One rendering says, “To be supremely blessed, consecrated, and holy, in a state of bliss”. Those who follow the truth as expressed by the LORD in this chapter will certainly know (even if they don’t understand) this bliss and peace; yet there must be no mistake: in order to follow the Truth Incarnate, His Spirit must be the one to empower and enable them by indwelling their person! Christianity is not, and cannot (successfully) be a mere philosophy or a set of principles for ‘moral man’ to abide by. The one statement alone, made by our LORD should put an end to any such endeavor: MATT 5:48! Christianity is “Christ in us, the hope of glory” (COL 1:27; 2 COR 4:6-8)! Certainly the principles laid out by the LORD here are absolutely contrary to the philosophy of this world (1 COR 2:13) which is ruled by Satan, and is why the kingdom of God and Light is diametrically opposed to the world’s view (and why the true church that lives by the Spirit of God is so hated by those of the world):
Here is yet ANOTHER post NOT written by yours truly (why is it every time I say that, I keep hearing applause??)
This article is by Greg Reid www.gregoryreid.com I came from an unconventional background, and I lived an unconventional life and did unconventional ministry. I was an unconventional child, much to the concern of my very conventional parents. I tried to re-bury worms when it rained one day because they were coming out of the ground and I thought they would be cold. I cried for hours when I was 6 when I couldn’t find my neighbor friend, and my mom told me he had gone to Washington. She couldn’t figure out why I was so upset…till she figured out it was because I knew Washington was dead, and I thought she was trying to find a nice way to tell me what happened to my neighbor…
JOHN 4:16-19 16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. 17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: 18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. 19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. The LORD Jesus is having a dialogue with the Samaritan woman. Thus far, He has asked her for a drink and she has become somewhat contentious, asking why He, a Jew, would have anything to do with her, a Samaritan - to say nothing of the social barriers that were in place between men and women. He then mentions this "living water" that He offers to those who ask Him (vs. 10), to those who recognize Him for Who He is. She is still thinking in the natural however, considering the advantages of such water that would enable her to never "thirst again", but nevertheless is soliciting this from the LORD (vs. 15).
