The Need-be Attitudes – Part 2

Michael continues: Jesus said, “whosoever will may come”. However, Matthew 13:15 says, (NIV). “For this peoples’ heart has become calloused (hard-hearted); they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.”  Those who refuse God’s gracious gift have deliberately shut their ears, closed their eyes, and heartened their hearts. They have decided that they do not need God’s salvation and God wrath for sin remains upon them. 2 Corinthians says, the god of this world (the devil, the God-rejecting world system and the sin nature of the flesh) has blinded their eyes, lest the glorious light of the gospel of truth should shine unto them. They willfully walk on darkness of sin and unbelief.

Those whom God has chosen, choose to turn from their sin and pride, forsake their own self-righteousness to receive God’s gracious gift of salvation through Christ. With a heart of repentance and humility, they realize that they cannot make it on their own; that In their own fallen in sin flesh dwells no good thing. Despite the darkness of this world and our fallen nature which we inherited from Adam’s original sin, 1 John 5:4-5 says, “For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

To embrace the beatitudes is to allow God to transform us from within to give us a new-attitude. Living according to Christ’s beatitudes also means that we are greatly commissioned to share the gospel of Jesus Christ His good news of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. The devil tries to sell us his tempting empty promise: the world and everything in it. His deceived salesmen of this God-rejecting world sell his bill-of-goods for their own devilish commission, a percentage of the sales price (sinful pride, pomp, passions, position, power, promiscuity, payola, and possessions). However the things of this world will come to naught…. You can’t take it with you.

As sons and daughters of God, we are dedicated to Christ's Mission (God's Plan of Salvation of the world) and our Great Commission to advance the Kingdom of Jesus Christ). He has given us His spirit - the spirit of God, in Christ, in us, the hope of glory. Our mission and our co-mission is to give; For it is more blessed to give than to receive.The Beatitudes need to be our attitudes.  According to 2 Corinthians 5:19-20, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be reconciled to God. For he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him”, that together we may live in the beauty of Jesus’ beautiful attitude to the praise of the glory of His grace!

Your brother in Christ, Michael