The Poor in Spirit

Recently, our church began a sermon series through the Sermon on the Mount. I started where Jesus began: the Beatitudes. I preached the beatitudes in a single sermon, knowing I couldn’t dive as deep through them individually. So, I’m taking time to walk through them more in-depth through a series of blog posts in the weeks ahead. Let’s begin.

The Poor in Spirit: An Explanation

Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven (Matt. 5:3).” Some believe that Jesus speaks of material poverty here. I’m unconvinced. The grammar is necessary. Jesus doesn’t say that the poor are blessed, but the poor in spirit. What does it mean to be poor in spirit?

Simply put, to be poor in spirit is to recognize that apart from God’s saving grace, we are spiritually bankrupt. Apart from God’s saving grace and mercy, sinners have no hope. Listen to the Apostle Paul. He writes,

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind (Eph. 2:1-3).

That’s terrible news. Thankfully, the apostle doesn’t end there. He writes, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places (Eph. 2:4-6).” We cannot save ourselves.

We have all fallen short of God’s glory and deserve His wrath. That’s the bad news. We need to recognize this reality. Being poor in spirit means recognizing one’s need for a savior. We must begin here. There is no Christian life apart from embracing this reality.

How Does This Happen?

How do we become poor in spirit? That’s the question, isn’t it? What do we need to do? On the one hand, we can’t do anything about becoming poor in spirit. This is not achieved by strenuous human effort, by pulling oneself up by their bootstraps. What do we need? We need the Lord. We become poor in spirit through the Spirit’s regenerating work in our hearts. Listen to the words of John. He writes, “He [Jesus] came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:11-13).”

However, on the other hand, we are commanded to maintain this humility and dependence upon the Lord (James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:5). We see the mystery of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility.

How do we maintain this humility? First, we should stop focusing on ourselves and look to the Lord. When we gaze into His Word, we see Him for who He truly is. Only then will we recognize our utter dependency upon Him. In His Institutes, Calvin writes, “On the other hand, it is evident that man never attains to a true self-knowledge until he has previously contemplated the face of God, and come down after such contemplation to look into himself.” John MacArthur writes, “To seek humility, we do not look at ourselves to find the faults, but at God Almighty to behold His perfection.”

Second, we must put to death what is earthly within us (Col. 3:5). The root of all sin is pride and idolatry. Wrongly, we believe we have the right to do what we want. When we sin, we proclaim that God’s ways aren’t the best and that we know better. We shouldn’t prowl around seeking personal praise and glory. All that we do should be done for God’s glory alone.

Maintaining poverty in spirit is difficult if we’re seeking pride in ourselves. One commentator wrote, “The evil is not in being given praise but in seeking it and glorying in it.” Put what is earthly within you to death and put on compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience (Col. 3:12).

Third, seek a pure heart before the lord. We must pray for the Spirit’s work in keeping us humble. David prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me (Ps. 51:10).” That should be our prayer. MacArthur writes, “Humility, like every other good gift, comes only from God. Also, as with every good thing, He is more willing to give it than we are to ask for it, and He stands ready to give it long before we ask for it.”

Are You Poor in Spirit?

How can you tell if you’re poor in spirit? First, do you recognize your need for a savior, or do you believe that eternal life is God’s just reward for your merits? Do you, like David, realize that you are blessed in having your transgression forgiven and your sin covered (Ps. 32:1)? Do you know that apart from God’s grace and mercy, you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked (Rev. 3:17)?

Second, are you prone to grumbling about your circumstances, or do you realize that you deserve worse than you are experiencing?

Third, do you enjoy the giftedness of others and their being platformed? Or do you envy and resent the recognition of others? Can you rejoice with those who rejoice (Rom. 12:15), or do you find yourself weeping while others are rejoicing because you’re not being recognized? Do you count others more significant than yourself (Phil. 2:3)?

Fourth, do you wrongly believe that you can pick and choose how and when you follow Christ? Or do you take Him for His Word? Do you find yourself scoffing at certain commands, thinking, “I’m not doing that!” Or are you like the disciples who said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God (John 6:68-69).”

Lastly, do you find yourself praising God for His grace and mercy? MacArthur writes, “Nothing more characterizes the humble believer than abounding gratitude to his Lord and Savior. He knows that he has no blessings and no happiness but that which the Father gives in love and grace.”

The Effects of Being Poor in Spirit

What is the result(s) of being poor in spirit? First, we see that Christ promises the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:3). What does this mean? One commentator stated that the kingdom of heaven is a prominent theme in Matthew’s Gospel (occurring over thirty times). Being poor in spirit is a prerequisite for entering the kingdom of God. One must be poor in spirit to be a citizen (beneficiary of eternal life) of God’s kingdom. We may come to the Lord with a broken heart but not leave with one. We may come before Him begging, but we will go being satisfied. We give up our temporary and impotent kingdoms to receive God’s, which cannot be shaken (Heb. 12:28).

Second, unity should prevail in the church as a natural result of this spiritual poverty. If Christians realize their utter need for grace, they should be more gracious toward others. If Christians realize their need for mercy, they should be more merciful. We know that this world is not our home and that we don’t exist to build up ourselves. We live for the glory of God. Being poor in spirit should cause a Christian to seek God’s Word above his/her preferences. Being poor in spirit should cause Christians to consider others more significant than themselves. When confronted with the sin of others, the Christian shouldn’t be quick to condemn. Instead, they should learn to say, “There, but for the grace of God go I.”

What do you think would happen if you not only recognized your need for grace but lived out a grace-filled life? How would this poverty in spirit affect your life individually and your life in the body of Christ? How would this poverty in spirit affect the health and unity of your church?

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Josh Chambers

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