OUTWARD ACTIONS

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. ⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted. ⁵ Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth. ⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Matthew 5:3-6 (CSB)

The first four Beatitudes are Inward Attitudes that we need to develop. The last four are Outward Actions.

The dictionary describes actions as a voluntary act of will that manifests itself externally, a mode of conduct.

When we review the next four, we can see that they portray acts of will that need to be demonstrated outwardly.

1.     Giving mercy to others (merciful)

2.     Being honest and trustworthy at all times (pure in heart)

3.     Working for peace among others (peacemaker)

4.     Standing strong for what we believe. (persecuted)

These outward actions speak to the world around us that God is inside of us.

To act outwardly like a kingdom citizen, we need the inward work done on us first.

So, Christ gives us a glimpse of the way He works in our lives as Kingdom citizens.

We are now about to embark upon the study of the last four Beatitudes, Actions that we should see in our lives as followers of the Lord.