The Be-Atitudes: Citizens of the Now-Not-Yet Kingdom
Scripture
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Description
The eight beatitudes Jesus declares are “birthmarks” of the born again, for these can only be manifested in the lives of those made new in Christ by faith. The first four are connected to one’s hope in God through Christ and the last four are expressions of that faith toward others. Our study will clarify what it means to be in God’s kingdom and what a life of repentance looks like.
