 |
| ~Click Picture To Enlarge~ |
In this drawing an attempt is made to illustrate his matchless teachings under the figure of a Temple with the steps leading up to it. The pillars representing the order in which he presented his great doctrinal principles
Definition of Humility: Freedom from pride and arrogance; humbleness of mind; a modest estimate of one's own worth. Humility consists in lowliness of mind; a deep sense of one's own unworthiness in the sight of God, self-abasement, penitence for sin, and submission to the divine will.
Mat 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed Are The Poor~The poor in spirit are the humble of heart...those that know where they came from and are not self exalted. They know who the one is to be exalted Alone which is Jesus Christ.
They seek after the true riches....the heavenly riches both of grace and glory; and frankly acknowledge, that all they have, or hope to have, is owing to the free grace of God. They are poor in spirit in their own spirits, in their own sense, apprehension, and judgment: and may even be called "beggars"as the word may be rendered;
For being aware of their poverty, they place themselves at the door of mercy, and knock there; their language is, "God be merciful"; their posture is standing, watching, and waiting
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven; not only the Gospel, and the ministration of it, which belongs to them. "The poor have the Gospel preached": it not only reaches their ears, but their hearts; it enters into them, is applied unto them, they receive and embrace it with the utmost joy and gladness; but eternal glory, this is prepared for them, and given to them; they are born heirs of it, have a right unto it, are making meet for it, and shall enjoy it.
Humility is really the most important step~ for if we do not have the humility of the LORD and walk in humility of heart we have Not Really even begun the True Walk Of The LORD
Definition Of Penitence: Repentance; pain; sorrow or grief of heart for sins or offenses; contrition. Real penitence; sorrow or deep contrition for sin, as an offense and dishonor to God, a violation of his holy law: Sorrow for any thing done or said; the pain or grief which a person experiences in consequence of the injury or inconvenience produced by his own conduct:
The pain, regret or affliction which a person feels on account of his past conduct, Repentance is a change of mind, or a conversion from sin to God. Repentance is the relinquishment of any practice, from conviction that it has offended God.
Mat 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are they that mourn,.... For sin, for their own sins; the sin of their nature, indwelling sin, which is always working in them, and is a continual grief of mind to them; the unbelief of their hearts, notwithstanding the many instances, declarations, promises, and discoveries of grace made unto them; their daily infirmities, and many sins of life, because they are committed against a God of love, grace, and mercy, grieve the Spirit, and dishonour the Gospel of Christ:
Who mourn also for the sins of others, for the sins of the world, the profaneness and wickedness that abound in it; and more especially for the sins of professors, by reason of which, the name of God, and ways of Christ, are evil spoken of:
Who likewise mourn under afflictions, spiritual ones, temptations, desertions:temporal ones, their own, which they receive, either more immediately from the hand of God, or from men; such as they endure for the sake of Christ, and the profession of his Gospel; and who sympathize with others in their afflictions. These, how sorrowful and distressed soever they may appear, are blessed
For they shall be comforted: here in this life, by the God of all comfort, by Christ the comforter; by the Spirit of God, whose work and office it is to comfort; by the Scriptures of truth, which are written for their consolation; by the promises of the Gospel, through which the heirs of promise have strong consolation; and by the ministers of the word, who have a commission from the Lord to speak comfortably to them;
And then are they comforted, when they have the discoveries of the love of God, manifestations of pardoning grace, through the blood of Christ, and enjoy the divine presence: and they shall be comforted hereafter; when freed from all the troubles of this life, they shall be blessed with uninterrupted communion with Father, Son, and Spirit, and with the happy society of angels and glorified saints.
Penitence or Repentance~ Is A Crucial step as well as Humility for without it there can be no cleansing from sin by the Blood of the Lamb. True repentance is turning away from the sin and going the other direction in Truth and Righteousness....right doing.
Definition Of Meekness: Softness of temper; mildness; gentleness; forbearance under injuries and provocations.
Humility,resignation,submission to the divine will, without murmuring or peevishness~opposed to pride and arrogance.
Not easily provoked or irritated; yielding
Mildness of disposition, gentleness of spirit, meekness
Mat 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are the meek: Who are not easily provoked to anger; who patiently bear, and put up with injuries and affronts; carry themselves courteously~have the meanest thoughts of themselves, and the best of others; do not envy the gifts and graces of other men; are willing to be instructed and admonished, by the meanest of the saints; quietly submit to the will of God, in adverse dispensations of providence; and ascribe all they have, and are, to the grace of God.
For they shall inherit the earth: not the land of Canaan, though that may be alluded to; nor this world, at least in its present situation; for this is not the saints' rest and inheritance: but rather, the "new earth", which will be after this is burnt up; in which only such persons as are here described shall dwell; and who shall inherit it, by virtue of their being heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; whose is the earth, and the fulness thereof.
The meek are those who quietly submit themselves to God, to his word and to his rod, who follow his directions, and comply with his designs, and are gentle towards all men~who can bear provocation without being inflamed by it; are either silent, or return a soft answer; and who can show their displeasure when there is occasion for it, without being transported into any indecencies; who can be cool when others are hot; and in their patience keep possession of their own souls.
They are the meek, who are rarely and hardly provoked, but quickly and easily pacified; and who would rather forgive twenty injuries than revenge one, having the rule of their own spirits.
Definition Of Spiritual Hunger: A deep desire or hunger for that which the soul pants after~To hunger after God~His righteousness~His grace. He who spiritually hungers has a real sense of his own spiritual poverty~unworthiness.
Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst: Not after the riches, honours, and pleasures of this world
But after righteousness:The justifying righteousness of Christ, which is imputed by God the Father, and received by faith. To hunger and thirst after this, supposes a want of righteousness, which is the case of all men; a sense of want of it, which is only perceived by persons spiritually enlightened; a discovery of the righteousness of Christ to them, which is made in the Gospel, and by the Spirit of God; a value for it, and a preference of it to all other righteousness; and an earnest desire after it, to be possessed of it, and found in it; and that nothing can be more grateful than that, because of its perfection, purity, suitableness, and use: happy souls are these
For they shall be filled: with that righteousness, and with all other good things, in consequence of it; and particularly with joy and peace, which are the certain effects of it: or, "they shall be satisfied", that they have an interest in it; and so satisfied with it, that they shall never seek for any other righteousness, as a justifying one, in the sight of God; this being full, perfect, sufficient, and entirely complete.
As the body has its natural appetites of hunger and thirst for the food and drink suited to its nourishment, so has the soul.
No being is indestructible or unfailing in its nature but God; no being is independent but him: as the body depends for its nourishment, health, and strength upon the earth, so does the soul upon heaven.
Heavenly things cannot support the body; they are not suited to its nature: earthly things cannot support the soul, for the same reason.
When the uneasy sensation termed hunger takes place in the stomach, we know we must get food or perish. When the soul is awakened to a tense of its wants, and begins to hunger and thirst after righteousness or holiness, which is its proper food, we know that it must be purified by the Holy Spirit, and be made a partaker of that living bread, John 8:48, or perish everlastingly.
Now, as God never inspires a prayer but with a design to answer it, he who hungers and thirsts after the full salvation of God, may depend on being speedily and effectually blessed or satisfied, well-fed, as the word implies.
Definition of Mercifulness: Tenderness towards offenders; willingness to forbear punishment; readiness to forgive.
A disposition to be kind and forgiving; the quality or state of showing or giving mercy or of being compassionate
Mat 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Mat 5:7 Blessed are the merciful:Who show mercy to the bodies of men, to those that are poor, indigent, and miserable, in their outward circumstances; by both sympathizing with them, and distributing unto them; not only making use of expressions of pity and concern; but communicating with readiness and cheerfulness, with affection and tenderness, and with a view to the glory of God:
Who also show mercy to the souls of men, by instructing such as are ignorant, giving them good counsel and advice: reproving them for sin, praying for them, forgiving injuries done by them, and by comforting those that are cast down.
To show mercy is very delightful to, and desirable by God; it is what he requires, and is one of the weightier matters of the law; it is very ornamental to a child of God, and what makes him more like to his heavenly Father. The happiness of such persons is this that
For they shall obtain mercy: from man, whenever they are attended with any uncomfortable circumstances of life;whoever is merciful men show mercy to him... and from God, through Christ; which is free, sovereign, abundant, and eternal. Men are said to obtain this, when they are regenerated, and called by grace; and when they have a discovery, and an application, of the forgiveness of their sins: but here, it seems to design those supplies of grace and mercy, which merciful persons may expect to find and obtain, at the throne of grace, to help them in time of need; and who shall not only obtain mercy of God in this life, but in the world to come, in the great day of the Lord
The merciful are happy,This, like the rest, is a paradox; for the merciful are not taken to be the wisest, nor are likely to be the richest; yet Christ pronounces them blessed. Those are the merciful, who are piously and charitably inclined to pity, help, and succor persons in misery.
A man may be truly merciful, who has not wherewithal to be bountiful or liberal; and then God accepts the willing mind. We must not only bear our own afflictions patiently, but we must, by Christian sympathy, partake of the afflictions of our brethren; pity must be shown and bowels of mercy put on; and, being put on, they must put forth themselves in contributing all we can for the assistance of those who are any way in misery.
We must have compassion on the souls of others, and help them; pity the ignorant, and instruct them; the careless, and warn them; those who are in a state of sin, and snatch them as brands out of the burning. We must have compassion on those who are melancholy and in sorrow, and comfort them; on those whom we have advantage against, and not be rigorous and severe with them; on those who are in want, and supply them; which if we refuse to do, whatever we pretend, we shut up the bowels of our compassion
Now as to the merciful They are blessed; so it was said in the Old Testament; Blessed is he that considers the poor, Psa 41:1. Herein they resemble God, whose goodness is his glory; in being merciful as he is merciful, we are, in our measure, perfect as he is perfect. It is an evidence of love to God; it will be a satisfaction to ourselves, to be any way instrumental for the benefit of others.
One of the purest and most refined delights in this world, is that of doing good. It is more blessed to give than to receive
Act 20:35 They shall obtain mercy; mercy with men, when they need it; he that watereth, shall be watered also himself
We know not how soon we may stand in need of kindness, and therefore should be kind; but especially mercy with God, for with the merciful he will show himself merciful
 |
| Sixth Step~Inward Purity |
Interior private relational purity with God; Inward purification of the throne of the heart; Full of integrity, having no guilt, no hidden sins, no shame, a clear conscience before God.
Freedom from any sinister or improper motives or views.
Freedom from barbarous or improper words or phrases
Freedom from any admixture or modifying addition.
Freedom from foreign or inappropriate elements.
Freedom from foulness or dirt.
Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the pure in heart: The pure in heart are happy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. This is the most comprehensive of all the beatitudes; here holiness and happiness are fully described and put together.
Here is the most comprehensive character of the blessed: they are pure in heart. True religion consists in heart-purity. Those who are inwardly pure, show themselves to be under the power of pure and undefiled religion.
True Christianity lies in the heart, in the purity of heart; We must lift up to God, not only clean hands, but a pure heart, The heart must be pure, in opposition to mixture - an honest heart that aims well; and pure, in opposition to pollution and defilement; as wine unmixed, as water unmuddied.
The heart must be kept pure from fleshly lusts, all unchaste thoughts and desires; and from worldly lusts; covetousness is called filthy lucre; from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, all that which come out of the heart, and defiles the man.
The heart must be purified by faith, and entire for God; must be presented and preserved a chaste virgin to Christ. Create in me such a clean heart, O God!
For they shall see God: Here is the most comprehensive comfort of the blessed; They shall see God. It is the perfection of the soul's happiness to see God; seeing him, as we may by faith in our present state, is a heaven upon earth; and seeing him as we shall in the future state, in the heaven of heaven.
To see him as he is, face to face, and no longer through a glass darkly; to see him as ours, and to see him and enjoy him; to see him and be like him, and to see him for ever, and never lose the sight of him; this is heaven's happiness.
The happiness of seeing God is promised to those, and those only, who are pure in heart. None but the pure are capable of seeing God.
Nor would it be a felicity to the impure. What pleasure could an unsanctified soul take in the vision of a Holy God? As he cannot endure to look upon their iniquity, so they cannot endure to look upon his purity.
Nor shall any unclean thing enter into the new Jerusalem; but all that are pure in heart, all that are truly sanctified, have desires wrought in them, which nothing but the sight of God will sanctify; and divine grace will not leave those desires unsatisfied.
 | ||
| Seventh Step~Peacemaking |
