As we continue to delve into the Beatitudes, today’s beatitude to hunger and thirst for righteousness is what Jesus designates Christians. This is extremely importantly for Christians to live by as it is based on Jesus’ terms. Jesus is describing His kingdom citizens to demonstrate a character of always being hungry for righteousness. As an adolescent hungers for food constantly through development, Christians show they’re growth as they’re always hungry. In other words, spiritual appetite is directly correlated to spiritual health. It is those that are poor in spirit that continue to hunger and thirst for righteousness who will be satisfied.
What hungry and spiritually healthy Christians look like
In Scripture, we see Peter’s transformation from being a fisherman to becoming a disciple of Christ. Peter’s conversion and newfound faith began directing his hunger for worldly things to the spiritual things of God. It is after meeting and believing in Christ that Peter’s spiritual appetite is completely changed in his heart (Phil. 3:7-8). As all are born in sin from Adam’s nature, there is absolutely no spiritual appetite and spiritually unhealthy (1 Cor. 2:14). However, the gospel becomes the greatest treasure and propels the unbeliever to sell everything he must obtain and keep it. What follows the heart transformation is a hunger for righteousness.
Spiritual hunger is from a sense of lacking our own righteousness. It is starving to know the righteousness of Christ. There is nothing that will truly satisfy the Christian from the world; therefore, they never cease hungering after the things of God.
Why do some Christians, however, lose their appetite from time to time? It is a sign that spiritual sickness has taken place because spiritual junk food is eaten rather than healthy food from the Lord. Spiritual junk foods pertain to idols and the things of the earth rather than God or the things of God. We can fall into the lie that something else can satisfy the hunger we have. Rather, our attitude must be like the psalmist who pants and thirsts for God in his soul (Ps. 42:1-2).
Our indifference to the word of God is a sure sign that we are spiritually unhealthy. It is true that we often times distance ourselves from God’s word when we are not spiritually well. In contrast, those that are spiritually healthy hunger and thirst after God’s word. Joy and excitement fill the heart, soul and mind to read, study and obey the word of God.
The healthy Christian has pity for the lost and strive to the utmost to share the gospel of Christ. The truth is that unbelievers are hell-bound, and this must drive the Christian to their knees and reach out to the lost.
Unhealthy Christians fear man, not God. If we are in this state, we must quickly repent and return to a healthier spiritual state in fearing God alone.
What hungry and spiritually healthy Christians pursue
Our spiritual appetite must lead to hungering after God’s righteousness and pursue it to the utmost. Generally, righteousness is being right and doing right before God. There are two different types of righteousness: imputed and imparted.
Imputed righteousness is given by God as someone repents and believes in Jesus Christ. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21). Christ’s perfect righteousness covers the Christian.
Imparted righteousness is living righteously having been given Christ’s righteousness and by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Imparted righteousness is also known as sanctification. In other words, hungering and thirsting for sanctification shall be satisfied.
The pursuit of sanctification that results in righteousness is defining character and attitude of a Christian. By the work of divine grace in salvation is also at work in our sanctification. This truth enables us to respond in obedience to God’s word as we have a strong desire to become like the Lord Jesus Christ.
What elements are apparent in our sanctification? We have deep hate and disgust for sin. One of many Christian sufferings result from struggling and resisting sin and evil. Christians hate sin because God hates sin. In addition, a Spirit-filled life that is growing in sanctification bears spiritual fruit. The fruit of the Spirit is thereby manifested through the Christian.
Sanctification occurs as often as we read God’s word and pray. Christians receive blessing from this pursuing righteousness and sanctification as they will be satisfied. Furthermore, God promised to Christians of eternal satisfaction in heaven. What a great God who promises that our daily hunger for righteousness will be forever satisfied in Him as we enter into His presence after death!
BIBLE COMMUNITY CHURCH 
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