Dr Paul Allen

English: Detail of stained glass window created by Louis Comfort Tiffany in Arlington Street Church (Boston) depicting the Sermon on the Mount. March 2009 photo by John Stephen Dwyer (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 5:8 –9 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (vv. 8–9). Christians are not free to embody only some of the traits in the Beatitudes (pp. 35–36). As believers, we must possess all the qualities of Matthew 5:2–12, at least in some measure, lest our claim to have faith be proven false. This text tells us the “pure in heart” receive God’s blessing and will one day see Him (v. 8). Jesus’ instruction in this verse is not new information for those well-versed in the Old Testament . It is based on  Psalm 24 , which says that only those with “clean hands and a pure heart” can stand in the Lord’s presence (vv. 3–4). According to Augustine, seeing God...

The Sermon of the Beatitudes (1886-96) by James Tissot from the series The Life of Christ, Brooklyn Museum (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 5:1–3 “ Blessed are the poor in spirit , for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (v. 3). Throughout history, the church has treasured Matthew’s gospel as a primary teaching tool, mainly due to his incorporation of large blocks of Jesus ’ instruction including the Sermon on the Mount . Today begins our study of this famous sermon. Some preachers try to separate the Sermon on the Mount from the person who preached it. They then try to apply it to all men — non-believers as much as believers. But it is not a treatise on social ethics. Certainly, the sermon has bearing on our relationship to society, but it cannot be divorced from allegiance to Christ (Matt. 5:11). Above all, the sermon describes life in  God’s kingdom , that place where God’s people embrace His rule. It is given to Jesus’ disciples (v. 1), makin...

No one could possibly claim that the Beatitudes (see Matthew 5:1 -12) are overlooked or underappreciated. They have been the subject of countless books and sermon series. But this is not to say that the Beatitudes have been widely understood and properly taught. As often as not they have suffered from moralization , reduced to the level of the fortune cookie and with all the spiritual power of a fortune cookie. In Crucifying Morality, R.W. Glenn takes a new look at the Beatitudes saying, Maybe you “were taught that the Beatitudes were the highest form of morality that anyone could live by, and you know now how impossible they are. Or maybe you experienced the flannelgraph version of the Beatitudes.” If that is the case, “maybe it is time to get unfamiliar. Maybe you need to read these verses with fresh eyes for the first time. Whatever your exposure to the Beatitudes has been, you probably think of them as less powerful and captivating and helpful than they are. Take a step back...

Image via Wikipedia In a sense we are fortunate that we cannot see God. If for one second the veil were removed and we caught a brief glimpse of the face of God, we would perish instantly. His effulgence is so brilliant, His glory so dazzling, that in our present corrupted state we could not bear the sight of Him. He remains invisible both as a curse and as an act of protecting grace. As long as we remain infected by sin we are doomed to wander in His world sightless with respect to Him.  We may be comforted by His Word and healed by the secret ministration of His Spirit , but we cannot see the supreme beauty of His face. But we have a dream; nay, more than a dream. We have the sure and certain promise that someday we will see Him face to face. The heart of every Christian longs for the face of Christ . We yearn to look directly at God Himself without fear of being consumed. That deep yearning will be fulfilled one day. The future vision of God is called the " Beatific Vision ...

Image via Wikipedia Image via Wikipedia Image via Wikipedia Matthew 5:10-12 "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ...For your reward is great in heaven" ( vv. 11-12 ). Our flesh may not like to hear it, but biblical Christianity does not promise to make our lives better, at least in the short term. Actually, Jesus tells us that following Him as Lord will bring us many trials and tribulations. This is His point in today's passage. In concluding the Beatitudes , the Savior declares "blessed" those who are persecuted for righteousness ' sake ( Matt. 5:10 ). Jesus does not say if you are persecuted. Attacks from unrighteous people are inevitable for the Christian, not mere possibilities. In fact, persecution is such a part and parcel of serving Jesus that we should question our allegiance to Christ if we never face persecution for His sake. Darkness hates the light ( John...