W Dean Witten

The Beatitudes of Jesus W Dean Witten

We must not think of the Beatitudes as requirements for gaining grace, mercy, love, salvation, and new life. The point of the Beatitudes is not to qualify us. The point is not to eight steps toward unfaltering faith. The point is not steps to a perfect theology which qualify one for divine blessings. The point of the Beatitudes are gifts from God freely given. The good news is that you just don't have to earn what God freely gives. Heaven, comfort, the earth, righteousness, mercy, seeing God, and status as children of God are free gifts. You can't darken the kingdom with your failure. You can't diminish it with your disobedience or diffuse it with your doubt. You can't make it better by your personal effort. You can, however, receive the blessings of God, namely, the kingdom of heaven, comfort, the earth, mercy, God, and etcetera. to happiness. The point is not do this and you live happily ever after.