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Peter on the Great Controversy – Hit the Mark — 3 Comments

  1. Brother Curtis, thank you for the post!
    You wrote: “Although poor in spirit, Jesus pronounced that theirs was the kingdom of heaven.” And: “The meek, those who had nothing of worldly value to boast about, who resided in the shadows of obscurity, now heard from Jesus that they would inherit the earth.”
    May I add some words? Did Jesus mean that meekness and prosperity are incompatible? Paul said: “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” (Philippians 4:12)
    Is it bad to be abound? The same apostle Paul claimed: “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” (1 Corinthians 6:12) Of cause I know that Christ said: “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” (Luke 18:24) But He didn’t say that it was impossible, only hard. So then this world riches don’t deprive us of the kingdom of heaven. But they make it harder to enter the kingdom of God because it’s really hard to have riches and not to be brought under the power of them.
    Jesus did not say just “poor” but “poor in spirit”. Doesn’t it mean both poor and reach men who just don’t glory in their riches but glory in this, that they understand and know the Lord God (Jeremiah 9:24)?
    And another question is why then Jesus didn’t say “rich in spirit”, but said “poor in spirit”. I remember the words of one of my school teachers. He was always saying: “Although some of you have got the excellent marks, neither any of you nor me myself don’t have an excellent knowledge of the subject, only God does”. According to this idea I can suppose that Jesus meant that nobody can be rich in spirit but the only God. Nevertheless being even poor in spirit we can inter the kingdom of God. Doesn’t this correspond with the words: “if you have faith as a mustard seed …nothing will be impossible for you”? (Matthew 17:20)

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    • Thank you for your thought-provoking comment, Lubov.

      Indeed, some may possess much wealth yet be "poor in spirit" - conscious of their great need of Christ. Abraham was a wealthy man by the standards of his time, yet he was "poor in spirit," conscious of his need of God. Nicodemus was probably the wealthiest man in Jerusalem, yet he became "poor in spirit," using his wealth to sustain the early church. What marvelous things God can do with wealthy people who are "poor in spirit"!

      And it is also possible to be materially poor yet proud in spirit, rejecting the salvation Christ offers. Many of the poor of this world band together to take what they feel entitled to, while feeling no need of Christ.

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      • Inge, perhaps we look for what is the most appealing many times. We want the best of both worlds. If I am searching for a heart of flesh and not of stone, then my search cannot be a truthful search of both at the same time. Trying to get as close to the edge without falling, can be a disaster as well a waste of time. The story of the rich young ruler Matt 19:17-27 may be appropriate.

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