The beatitudes are essential to the Christian life, but many people have not taken the time to understand them properly. There are many Christians who have misconceptions about what they are and what they mean. Here are five mistakes people make in understanding the Beatitudes.
1. They assume the beatitudes are something only notable Christians possess.
The beatitudes are not something set aside for some unique category of Christians. They are something every Christian should possess. We do not do these things to be saved; we are this way because we are saved. The beatitudes are the products of the grace of God in our lives. None of us indeed possess them perfectly, and we should all desire to grow in them, but if we do not have at all, that should be a serious warning to us.
2. Like spiritual gifts, they assume each Christians will only have one or two of the Beatitudes.
The Beatitudes are not like spiritual gifts. One Christian does not get poverty of spirit while another has hungering for righteousness. All Christians are meant to manifest all of these. One of the main reasons is that as you begin to study through the beatitudes, you will find that they are all linked together. Poverty of spirit leads to mourning, and mourning leads to meekness, and meekness leads to hungering for righteousness and so forth. To have one is logically connected to having all of them.
3. They assume the beatitudes are natural tendencies or dispositions.
None of the beatitudes are natural tendencies. They do not exist in the heart of the natural man, nor are they even possible in people who have not been born again. Part of this misunderstanding stems from not understanding the Beatitudes themselves. They may assume that poverty of spirit means to sympathize with the poor or to mourn means to be sorrowful when someone dies, but even people who reject God do those things, and they do not possess the blessings attached to each of the beatitudes. The beatitudes go much deeper than natural behavior.
4. They fail to see them as the essential difference between Christians and non-Christian.
Since they often misunderstand the Beatitudes themselves and see them something that can exist in the natural man, they do not know how entirely upside-down they are compared to the desires and goals of the lost. Instead of poverty of spirit, the natural man pursues pride of spirit, and instead of mourning over their lost condition, they seek self-satisfaction and righteousness. Rather than being meek, they believe the only way to inherit the earth is through a will to power, and we could go on, but the reality is, rightly understood, only Christians can possess these. The Beatitudes reveal that the non-Christian and the Christian operate from entirely contrary principles.
5. They assume that the Beatitudes can help them gain worldly success.
Some people try to use the beatitudes like a list of self-help tactics to gain affluence. The reality is, the Beatitudes show us that we belong to an entirely different kingdom. The non-believer is pursuing the kingdom of this world while the Christian is pursuing the kingdom of heaven. The beatitudes are contrary to seeking the riches and treasures of this world, and those who try to use them in pursuit of worldly glory, show us that they do not understand them at all. The Beatitudes belong to those who desire God’s rule, righteousness, and glory.
This list of mistakes was derived from Martin Lloyd-Jones’ outstanding book, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount. In the book, he lays out five things we need to know about the beatitudes. Each of his points corresponds to one of the mistakes I have written above. These common misunderstandings are why I began writing a series of posts on each beatitude several years ago. Unfortunately, I got sidetracked. I have completed the first four, and I hope to finish the second four over the next few months. Below you will find the list of beatitudes. As each new post is written, I will update this page with the links to each article.
Man’s Relationship to God
Man’s Relationship to Man
- Merciful
- Pure in heart
- Peacemaker
- Persecuted for Righteousness
-D. Eaton
The Fight of Faith 
Thanks for this…I feel these beatitudes are closely linked to Paul’s statement in Corinthians. God chose the weak things of this world, to shame the strong. The foolish things of this world to shame the wise, and the things that are not to nullify the things that are. I am very lucky that God delights to use weak people!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some of these points are linked to poorly anglicised word “beatitudes” itself, deriving from titles in the Roman catholic bible. Evidently notorious for confusing these states resulting from living in the Spirit, to a self obtained attitude.
LikeLike