“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)

In our world today, there is a stronger emphasis on what we have than on what we are. The world says, “Blessed are those with wealth, strength, power, knowledge and popularity.” But in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus puts an emphasis not primarily on what a man has, but on what a man is. The first of these character qualities is a poorness of spirit.

Matthew 5 reveals how bankruptcy can become a blessing. “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” In this passage, Jesus is not talking about financial poverty. Rather, He is identifying the spiritual poverty of a man. 

In the spiritual realm, we are absolutely, totally bankrupt—beggars before God. We must discover this truth and admit it; if we don’t see it or refuse to acknowledge it, we will never receive the kingdom of Heaven. 

Adrian Rogers said, “This discovery comes when we see just who God is, and then we understand who we are.” Brokenness follows this discovery; we realize we cannot depend on the things we once believed we could. We cannot depend on our pedigrees, our education, or our knowledge; these things cannot help us. 

Those who are spiritually bankrupt cannot afford to be proud. All we can do is declare our dire condition. Because, as Matthew 5 reveals, spiritual beggars are blessed…“for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” 

This condition is a blessing because it is the only way we can get to Heaven. Adrian Rogers said, “Until a man lays his pride in the dust, he cannot be saved. Even God cannot fill that which is already full. We’ll never live spiritually until we admit we are dead spiritually.”

When we lay aside our pride and receive salvation from Jesus Christ, we are, in turn, received by God, just as we are. It is the only way we can come to the Father.

Life Application

Discover your spiritual bankruptcy, depend on God’s promises, and declare truth to others today. Adrian Rogers says, “Evangelism is one beggar telling another beggar how to find bread.”