Introduction
Beatitudes are series of eight to ten blessings in the sermon of Jesus on the mount. It is derived from Latin phrase beati sunt means “blessed are.” Bible promises the blessed life, that is life in the presence of God or life with God. The life with God is an everlasting life within the presence (John. 11: 26). This was an herculean task and even impossible for the people living under the Law of Moses. The grace through the person and work of Christ has overcome all those challenges. The gospel of Matthew was written with the purpose of explaining Jesus as like Moses and greater than Moses. Furthermore, explains that the blessed life the people of Israel could not found through Moses can possibly found in Christ. The blessed life pictured in the sermon on the mount highlights four major challenges of people of Israel under the Old Covenant and assures how that is resolved by Jesus Christ through the New covenant. The first was the way to know the Law of God. The second was the way to write the Law inside of their heart. The third was how to live as people of God? And last was how to keep the indwelling presence of God with them?
The people of Israel experienced blessed life because of the presence of God with them. They enjoyed the timely intervention of God in their way, that made available all sufficiencies in their challenges and needs. When God said to them, “Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey, for I will not go up in your midst, because you are an obstinate people, and I might destroy you on the way, “when the people heard the sad word, they went to mourning (Ex. 33: 3,4). The greatest challenge of people of Israel in their life was they do not exactly know how to live and walk with God? Jesus came as Immanuel to reveal the way to live and walk with God. The sermon on the mount is special narrative style the evangelist Matthew used in order to present Jesus has provided the best covenant than Moses. Jesus expressed His intention for the attention of them,” Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the prophets, I did not come to abolish but to fulfill (Mt. 5:17). Thereby, the four ways by which Jesus has granted the blessed life, they hoped. Through the blessed life, Jesus has given grace to know exactly the way to know Law, the way to write law on their heart, the way to live as people of God and the way to dwell with God.
Know Exactly the Way to Know the Law
St. Paul explains the contrasting effect the knowledge of the Law up on fallen humanity. When a person knows the Law without the newness of the spiritual formation through Christ arouses sinful passions. Ultimately, those passions bear death (Rom. 7:5). They were ignorant of the exact way to know law but Jesus has shown the exact way to know Law. The first was they do not exactly know how laws were placed within. St. Paul says, ”For we know that Law is spiritual, but I am also of sinful flesh, sold into bondage to sin.” (Rom. 7:14). While we were in the flesh, the sinful passions were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death (Rom. 7:5). The knowledge of the Law to the person who is in the bondage of sinful flesh produces sin that leads to death (Rom. 7:9).The challenge is now resolved through Jesus Christ, He has died according to the Law, which has been bound on humanity. We have been released from the Law and we now serve the newness of the Spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter (Rom. 7:6). The blessed life in Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit, exactly knows the Law of God. The prophet Jeremiah promised about the New Covenant (Jer. 31:33) that established through Christ provides a new heart which is a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). Thereby, the desire of the heart always compels to please Christ (2 Cor. 5:9). Thus, the new creation in Christ produces the new heart with new attitude and actions, thoughts and character to know exactly and to build spiritual life in Christ.
Know Exactly the Way to Write the Law in their Heart
Jesus has accomplished the work for the full forgiveness of sins. The New Testament covenant of grace promises full forgiveness of sin, it is always connected with the renewal of the heart (Ps. 103:3a). When God takes away the guilt of sin, instantaneously he takes away the power of sin. Furthermore, he puts away our offences against his law and creates in us desire in future to obey the law. Gospel has not come to abolish the law but establishes the Law. Thus, Law written through salvation through grace in the New Testament either erases any single precepts of the Law or lower the standard of justice of the Old Testament. Thus, the law in the gospel is not only vindicated by the sacrifice of Christ, but also honoured by the work of Christ in the hearts of men.
Know Exactly the Way to Live as People of God.
Gospel of grace produces perfect men. John Wesly calls it as Christian perfectionism. It is not the absolute perfectness of God nor the perfection standard of angels, and perfect condition of Adam before the fall. However, the Spirit of the perfected Christ indwelling up on the regenerated man because of the fulfilment of God’s righteous demand by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit works and dwells within the renewed spirit of men and continues to prepare for the day of redemption. The sermon on the mount concludes that how can build, as people of God. The heart of regenerated hunger and thirst after the righteousness of God. Thus, they seek always the mind of God.
The spirit of unregenerate not accepting the forgiveness of sin by believing in the work of Christ cannot dwell as people of God. Paul says that natural men show the work of the law, written in their hearts (Rom. 2:14). The original record of law up on human heart at creation, depraved by man’s fall and subsequent transgression. However, the fallen heart left with enough light on the conscience to condemn men for most of their iniquities.
Know Exactly the Way to Keep the Indwelling of God with them.
St. Paul says, “For we know that Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.” (Rom. 7:14). While we were in the flesh, the sinful passions were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death (Rom. 7:5). The knowledge of the Law to the person who is in the bondage of sinful flesh produces sin that leads to death (Rom. 7:9). The challenge is now resolved through Jesus Christ, He has died according to the Law, which has been bound on humanity. We have been released from the Law and we now serve the newness of the Spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter (Rom. 7:6). The blessed life in Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit, exactly knows the Law of God. The prophet Jeremiah promised about the New Covenant (Jer. 31:33) that established through Christ provides a new heart which is a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). Thereby, the desire of the heart always compels to please Christ (2 Cor. 5:9). Thus, the blessed life in Christ create new heart, attitude and action to build spiritual life in Christ.
Conclusion
The goal of blessed life is union with God. The blessed union was impossible in the Old Testament covenant, that is made possible in the New Covenant. The sermon on the mount is the official teachings of Jesus about the kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God. It is established in the heart of one who enters the kingdom of God through repentance and acceptance of Jesus. The Christian joy or blessedness is unique, that no one take away (John 16:22). The beatitudes speak about such a permanent joy nothing in the world can ever take away. The joy, pain, loss, grief are powerless to touch. Furthermore, it is the joy shies through tears, nothing in life and death can take away. Even the poorest in the world can inherit the richest joy of kingdom of God, established through Christ.
The law of God is joyfully established within the heart of one who is in Christ. The joy of the salvation in Christ and its unchanging nature among the chances and changes of life narrated in the beatitude. The Spirit of Law is love of God, the obedience results in abiding with God. Jesus fulfilled the righteous requirement of Law for the humanity and brought us back to the abiding presence of Father (John ch 15). Jesus calls,” abide in me” and warns, “apart from me you can do nothing. “Thus, Jesus who is the way, truth and life revealed the exact way to know, write, live and dwell has been revealed through the beatitude.
