Blessed Are The Undefiled…

“Blessed” introduces a state of being that is endemic (or ought to be) to the Christian condition.  It refers to the state of being happy.  We can take it to refer to both the state of temporal happiness and a state of spiritual happiness.  On the one hand in refers to the experience of gladness, joy or fulfillment.  On the other, it refers to a happy or beneficial condition.  It is plain that this is a desirable condition both on the human level- we desire to be happy or blessed; as well as on the design - God desires for us to be happy or blessed and so has made a provision for that state to be achieved.

The Road desire for all men is to be happy.  There is no more basic need or want and the human condition.  Whether we caught fulfillment, peace, joy, realization or actualization, or a host of other names - it is the greatest, for most in need in the human heart, at least from a human perspective.  It is significant then, that God has made provision for the meeting of that need in the pursuit of His Word.  This Psalm outlines the tremendously profound impact the simple and honest, diligent pursuit of God’s Word truly is.  No human endeavor has quite the same profound effect on the life, heart and mind as the ongoing study of the Scriptures.

We need to note that it is not simply the possessors of the Scripture that are blessed.  “Undefiled” translates the word rendered “without blemish” or “perfect” in other places in the Scripture.  It refers to being complete or sound, entirely as intended.  In other words, many find their completion only as they walk according to the guidance and wisdom of the Word of God.

It is not that men cannot be happy, even profoundly so, apart from the Word of God.  Is that men can all only be as happy or blessed as God intended and designed to them to be when they walk according to the Word.

The implication is that obedience to the word results in a state of being.  The clear implication here is that a state of the gladness, as the Scripture holds its forth, results exclusively from the submission and obedience to the mandates of the Bible.  It is not those who want to be undefiled, or even those who aspire to or are striving to be undefiled that are blessed - but those who are the undefiled in the way.  The goal must be achieved for blessedness to result.

Thankfully, the goal is not a loftier result-oriented thing, but a process.  “The way” is an euphemism for the entirety of one’s life with God.  It speaks of the living out of the life of the spirit as quick and an energized by the presence of the living Christ in the life.  It is not speaking of either the issue of justification or of sanctification specifically, but in general terms, of both together as they make up salvation.

Just what is in view is further define for us immediately.  Two extremes are to be avoided.  First we must avoid the idea that it is our works that secure blessedness.  This is not so as it is the prevenient work of God that brings about any righteous living to begin with.  Apart from the regeneration of God’s Spirit - no good works are possible to begin with.

However, we must also avoid the other extreme of Quietism.  The “let go and let God” crowd would have us believe that no effort on our part is needed - that indeed, it is the putting forth of effort that undermines the very result we are seeking.  But that is precisely what this verse is exhorting for us - “walk” according to the Law of the Lord.

“Walk” is a participles and so is intended to convey to us some sense of action and activity in an ongoing sense.  The word most often (overwhelmingly) refers to the physical act of walking.  In contexts where it is clear that such physical activity is not in view, it refers to the normal conducting of one’s life.  It is the one whose normal conduct of life is according to the precepts of the Word of God who is truly blessed.

There is an aspect of this that can be seen as the walk of the child of God is that which demonstrates that they are indeed undefiled - namely, that they are true Sons of God.

It is significant also that the child of God recognizes that defilement is possible and that the guard against that defilement is found outside of themselves - in the Word of God. Most people look for the key to such happiness within themselves - at least that is how the world would counsel us to find it. They would have us believe that all of the answers to life’s questions are inside of us already. But the Word of God tells a different story - namely that the answers lie outside of ourselves - in fact, outside of man altogether in the revealed information in the Word of God.  Men must look outside of himself for the answers to life’s most profound and troubling questions and to achieve life’s most desirable goal - happiness.