beatitude recap: whew we made it!
Somehow, someway, I’ve finally worked my way through Jesus’ Beatitudes! It’s always easier for me to start a new project than to finish an existing one, so I’m glad to have carried it through to completion.
I figured it would be nice as a final recap to give a one-sentence summary of each essay all in one place. I hope that these essays gave you a new perspective on the Beatitudes and helped you to understand how we are all so influenced by the beliefs and norms of the culture around us.
As always, I appreciate your support of my writing and am thankful for your willingness to engage with these ideas!
our secular culture’s approach to flourishing
The key to flourishing in our secular culture’s approach is working to create a personal kingdom big enough to satisfy all of your desires in life. You do this by imitating the successful, working hard to create your own success, and using your success to have a lifestyle of consumption.
Jesus’ approach to flourishing
The key to flourishing in Jesus’ approach isn’t found in building a personal kingdom big enough to satisfy all of your own desires, but rather by being born again, receiving God’s kingdom, and living out of God’s new desires in you.
the beatitudes: Jesus’ practical plan for flourishing
The Beatitudes are not a roadmap to prove that you deserve God’s blessing, but rather are Jesus' grace-filled invitation to participate in the flourishing life of God's kingdom.
how do you follow the beatitudes?
If you try to follow Jesus’ Beatitudes through your own willpower you’ll fall into either legalism or cheap grace. Biblical obedience happens as you put off your old self, are renewed through the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ new life, and put on the new self to become like Christ.
beatitude #1: how do you see yourself?
Secular culture says: you will flourish when you are proud in spirit and recognize that you are the most important person in the world and are capable of solving all of your problems, which will give you the mindset, energy, and endurance to ensure your success.
Jesus says: you will flourish when you are poor in spirit, recognizing that you're a spiritual beggar who is empty and has to rely on God for everything. Spiritual beggars flourish because they are the people God gives His kingdom to.
beatitude #2: how are you trying to be happy?
Secular culture says: you will flourish when you make the pursuit of pleasure the most important thing in your life. This will allow you to create a life where you’ll never need to be comforted since you’ll avoid the effects of sin at all costs.
Jesus says: you will flourish when you spiritually mourn over your sins and the brokenness of the world, because as you do, God will comfort you and will one day restore everything to its original glory.
beatitude #3: how are you trying to make a flourishing life happen?
Secular culture says: you will flourish when you do everything you to gain as much power as possible, and then use that power to make everyone and everything around you fit your desires.
Jesus says: you will flourish when you are meek and completely surrendered to God's will since God will act on your behalf in this life and will give you an eternal inheritance in the next.
beatitude #4: what’s driving your life?
Secular culture says: you will flourish if you hunger and thirst for success, prestige, and affluence since these things will help you build such a large personal kingdom that you’ll be sure to satisfy all of your desires.
Jesus says: you will flourish when you hunger and thirst for things to be made right according to God's will since God will satisfy your every desire, both now and in eternity.
beatitude #5: how do you create social change?
Culture says: you will flourish when you judge others against your ideals, point out their flaws, and punish them until they change.
Jesus says: you will flourish when you are merciful because it shows that you understand your own brokenness and need for God’s gracious mercy, which he will extend to you on Judgment Day.
beatitude #6: what’s the most important thing in your life?
Culture says: you will flourish if you believe that you’re the center of the universe, obsess over yourself, and prioritize your flourishing over everything else.
Jesus says: you will flourish when you set your heart completely on God and seek to serve and honor Him in everything that you do.
beatitude #7: how do you flourish when there’s conflict?
Secular culture says: you will flourish when you do everything you can to win every conflict possible so that you can ensure that you get the spoils of society.
Jesus says: you will flourish when you approach conflict as a peacemaker since your radical behavior will show that you truly are a child of God.
beatitude #8: whose approval do you need to flourish?
Secular culture says: you will flourish when you seek and get the approval of the popular, powerful, and successful, for they will give you access to all of the things you need to build your kingdom.
Jesus says: you will flourish when you obey God and seek His approval above everything else, even if it results in persecution, because you have a future life and treasure awaiting you that nothing on earth can take away.
Thanks again for reading!
