The Beatitudes, the Christian, and the world

Reading through John MacArthur’s The Jesus You Can’t Ignore, I found these comments on the Beatitudes worth meditating on and very insightful:

“The more faithfully a person lives out the first seven beatitudes, the more he or she will experience the persecution spoken of in the eighth.”

“All those qualities [speaking of the beatitudes] are radically at odds with the world’s values.  The world esteems pride more than humility; loves merriment rather than mourning; thinks strong-willed assertiveness is superior to true meekness; and prefers the satiety of carnal pleasures over a thirst for real righteousness. The world looks with utter contempt on holiness and purity of heart, scorns every plea to make peace with God, and constantly persecutes the truly righteous.  Jesus could hardly have devised a list of virtues more at odds with His culture.” (pp. 132-133).

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Philippians 4:8 and our culture

The focus in our culture is all on two things:  how does something make you feel and does it work?  We live in a feeling-oriented and pragmatic society.  And truth has died in the streets!  As John MacArthur has written,

People no longer ask “Is it true?” but “Does it work?” and “How will it make me feel?” Those latter two questions serve as a working definition of truth in our society that rejects the concept of absolute divine truth. Truth is whatever works and produces positive emotions. Sadly, such pragmatism and emotionalism has crept even into theology. The church is often more concerned about whether something will be divisive or offensive than whether it is biblically true.

Too many people go to church not to think or reason about the truths of Scripture, but to get their weekly spiritual high; to feel that God is still with them.

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Smoke is better than fire

“Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?” Psalm 74:1

“It is a terrible thing when the anger of God smokes, but it is an infinite mercy that it does not break into devouring flame.”–Charles Spurgeon

God does delay his judgment so that we might repent, spurred on by his kindness.  “Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” (Romans 2:3-4).

Oh that grant each reader repentance that leads to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone.  Want to know more about how to escape God’s wrath? Go here.

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