What is the good life, and the ultimate end or purpose of life?

Is it not happiness,
which is none other than the complete good, the sum of all goods, leaving nothing
more to be desired? Jesus addresses this question in his sermon on the mount. The
word beatitude literally means "happiness" or "blessedness". What is the
significance of Jesus' beatitudes, and why are they so central to his teaching? The
beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness that God has placed in every
heart. They teach us the final end to which God calls us, namely the coming of
God's kingdom (Matt. 4:17), the vision of God (Matt. 5:8; 1 John 2;1), entering
into the joy of the Lord (Matt. 25:21-23) and into his rest (Hebrews 4:7-11). Jesus'
beatitudes also confront us with decisive choices concerning the life we pursue
here on earth and the use we make of the goods he puts at our disposal. God alone
satisfies. Do you seek the highest good, the total good, which is above all else?

The beatitudes which Jesus offers us are a sign of contradiction to the world's
understanding of happiness and joy. How can one possibly find happiness in
poverty, hunger, mourning, and persecution? Poverty of spirit finds ample room
and joy in possessing God as the greatest treasure possible. Hunger of the spirit
seeks nourishment and strength in God's word and Spirit. Sorrow and mourning
over wasted life and sin leads to joyful freedom from the burden of guilt and
spiritual oppression. God reveals to the humble of heart the true source of abundant
life and happiness. Jesus promises his disciples that the joys of heaven will more
than compensate for the troubles and hardships they can expect in this world.
Thomas Aquinas said: No one can live without joy. That is why a person deprived
of spiritual joy goes after carnal pleasures. Do you know the happiness of
hungering and thirsting for God alone?

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LIVE IT

Be the Beatitudes: 8 Revolutionary Blessings That Will Change Your Life

In Matthew 5, Jesus lists eight remarkable statements that are known as the
Beatitudes. They are just as relevant today as they were 2,000 years ago, and here’s
how practicing them can revolutionize your life.

What are the Beatitudes?

The Beatitudes are specific blessings that Jesus detailed during a larger collection
of teachings known as the Sermon on the Mount. As followers of Christ, these
statements provide a guide for how we are to live for God. There are eight
Beatitudes in total and each one is powerful and life changing. So, let’s look at
each one and how putting them into practice can revolutionize your life!

Beatitude #1: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
In this Beatitude, Jesus speaks about those who are “poor in spirit.” At face value,
this might seem like a strange characteristic to highlight. What does it mean,
anyway? There are a few interpretations, but humility may be the most accurate
comparison. Contrast this to those who were proud in spirit, such as the Pharisees,
who Jesus often rebuked. Being humble, or “poor in spirit,” allows us to honor
God and understand our place in his kingdom. And Jesus tells us the kingdom of
heaven belongs to the poor in spirit.

How can I be poor in spirit?

Having a humble heart can be difficult, as the sin of pride is an easy trap to fall
into. However, an effective way to develop and maintain humility is by devoting
time to reading the Bible and modeling your life after the example of Jesus. Paul
describes Christ’s example of humility beautifully in Philippians 2:1-11. Think
about God, think of others. Look out for those around you. As C.S. Lewis said,
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”

Beatitude #2: Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
The mourning that Jesus mentions here is likely the process of mourning over our
sin or sinful nature. Paul describes this type of mourning as “godly grief” in 2
Corinthians 7:9-10. What grief is considered godly? The kind that leads us to
repentance and God’s abundant forgiveness. Mourn over your sin and receive
God’s comfort that is described in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (ESV).

How can I mourn over my sins?

Pray and ask God to convict you of your sins. If you are earnestly seeking to
repent, the Holy Spirit will prompt you to change certain habits that are not
honoring to God. We all have things that we can ask forgiveness for and improve
on. Although this process of mourning is a sad one as we come to realize how our
sins hurt God, don’t fall into despair! Ultimately, God wants us to recognize our
sins so we can seek repentance and build a stronger relationship with him.

Beatitude #3: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
The definition of meekness is “[being] quiet, gentle, and easily imposed on;
submissive.” Some people may consider being meek as weakness, but as Jesus tells
us, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The meek, he says, shall inherit the
earth! Being meek is a combination of humility, patience, and obedience to God.
Being submissive to God’s will often isn’t easy, but it’s for our own good. We can
trust God and his words in Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,
declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a
hope” (ESV). The meek find joy in submitting their lives to God.

How can I be meek?

Practice submission. You may be the type of personality who likes to take charge.
That’s great! But don’t force yourself to be the leader every time. Exercise
humility and patience by choosing to put yourself under the leadership of others. If
you are the type of person who doesn’t like to lead, that’s great, too. But that
doesn’t make us meek on its own. Examine your heart and make sure that when
you submit to others, you’re exercising humility and patience in your obedience as
well. After all, we’re under the leadership of Jesus Christ, and we’re called to obey
him. It’s a skill we all must learn!

Beatitude #4: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they
shall be satisfied.
We do not live in a righteous world – far from it. But, as Jesus describes in the
fourth Beatitude, we are still to seek out righteousness. We are challenged to be
morally responsible and seek out justice for those around us. Isaiah 33:15-17
speaks about a righteous person and how they should live. The righteous person
knows that, even in a world that is unjust, there is hope. At the end of this world,
God will usher in a new heaven and earth where the desire for righteousness will
forever be satisfied.

How can I seek righteousness?

Take the time to look around you – in your home, church, and community. What
injustices do you find, whether caused by yourself or others? Ask God to give you
his eyes to see and the strength to help those around you. Remember, righteousness
doesn’t always involve great acts – it often begins with the little things in our lives
that are easy to ignore. Above all, cling to faith in Jesus. Keep Romans 1:17 in
mind: “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is
written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith’” (ESV).

Beatitude #5: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
The next Beatitude that Jesus talks about is to be merciful. We are called to follow
the example that God has set for us – to show mercy to those around us. If we are
merciful, the Bible tells us, we shall receive mercy from God. How important it is
to be merciful! Recall the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant from the Gospel of
Matthew: Jesus paints a picture of a servant who has been forgiven a great debt by
his master, but then turns around and refuses to show mercy to someone who owed
him a much smaller payment. So, remember God’s mercy to you and extend it to
others!

How can I be merciful?

First, try to cultivate a merciful perspective. Think of all the ways God has shown
mercy and forgiveness to you. Not the least of which was Jesus dying on the cross
for your sins. If Jesus could show you (and me and the whole world) mercy to the
point of death, how can we refuse to be merciful to others in much smaller
matters? Meditate on the Scriptures and learn how to forgive others. Speaking of
which, we wrote an article recently on how to forgive others! Use it as a guide to
help you forgive those who wrong you and over time you will find yourself
becoming more merciful!
Beatitude #6: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Next, Jesus talks about the blessing for the pure in heart. But what exactly does
pure in heart mean? In 1 Peter 1:13-25, Peter talks about “loving one another
earnestly from a pure heart.” So, a sincere, selfless love for God and for others.
This is brought about by an “obedience to the truth,” the truth that he details earlier
in the passage – that we were redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ and that God
has raised him from the dead and glorified him so that he is our salvation.

How can I be pure in heart?

It’s important to know that we can’t live out these Beatitudes by our own strength.
It is Christ in us that gives us the power to live in a way that pleases God. Even
knowing the hope of Christ, our hearts are not always pure and we still sin. That’s
why it’s important to seek God’s forgiveness when we stumble. For an example of
this, look no further than Psalm 51:10. When David sinned, he lifted this prayer to
God: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me”
(ESV).

Beatitude #7: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Followers of Christ are called to be peacemakers. Not only that, but Jesus tells us
in this Beatitude that by our pursuit of peace we will be called children of God.
James 3:17-18 tells us, “…a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those
who make peace.” Seeking peace with others, especially those who we would
consider our enemies, is not an easy task. But we are called to emulate Jesus, the
Prince of Peace, and become peacemakers in our communities.

How can I be a peacemaker?

By living in peace with those around you. Easier said than done, sure, but that is
still what we are told to strive for. In Romans 12:18, Paul instructs us that “If
possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” At times, peace may
elude us, but it shouldn’t be because we didn’t offer it. Additionally, being a
peacemaker isn’t limited to a lack of external conflict. We should also strive for the
spiritual peace, the “peace of Christ,” that is mentioned in Colossians 3:15 – the
shalom that only comes from God.

Beatitude #8: Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The final Beatitude that Jesus lists really ties everything together. If we are seeking
after God, striving to be poor in spirit, pure in heart, merciful, meek, mourning
over sin, and seeking righteousness and peace, we will be persecuted. The
Christian way of life is antithetical with the way of the world, and we can expect
resistance. But being persecuted for righteousness’ sake is a good thing, as
unpleasant as that might sound. Peter gives us great encouragement 1 Peter 3:14-
17, and concludes the passage with this statement: “…it is better to suffer for doing
good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil” (ESV).

What if I am persecuted for righteousness’ sake?

According to Jesus, you are blessed! And if we are persecuted, we should not be
surprised. Jesus also said, “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”
So, how can we prepare ourselves for this persecution, whatever form it may take?
By living out the other Beatitudes in obedience to God and asking him to give us
the strength to shine our light for Christ, wherever we may be. And finally,
remembering the words of Jesus from John 16:33: “I have said these things to you,
that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take
heart; I have overcome the world” (ESV).