Blessed, blessedness

(1 Tim. 1:11; 6:15; Matt. 5:1–12). In Holy Scripture the words “blessed” and “blessedness,” apart from the Lord God, who is “blessed, and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords” (1 Tim. 6:15), and the angels who ever behold the face of the Father in heaven, are applied to various persons, under various circumstances and conditions, sometimes only with respect to external, earthly blessings, but for the most part with respect to spiritual and eternal blessings. Thus the Mother of God is called blessed (Luke 1:45; 11:27); those who fear the Lord and love His commandments are called blessed (Ps. 1:1–3; 127 [128]:1–5); those who keep the commandments of the Lord (Rev. 22:14); those who hear the word of the Lord and keep it (Matt. 13:16); the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those persecuted for righteousness’ sake, those reviled and persecuted for Christ’s name (Matt. 5:3–12).

The full and perfect blessedness of the Christian belongs to the future state, when the final victory over hell and death shall be accomplished. Concerning this future blessedness Holy Scripture often speaks: 1 Peter 1:5–8; 1 John 3:2; 1 Cor. 2:9; John 12:26; Matt. 5:8; 1 Cor. 13:12; John 17:24; Matt. 13:43; Col. 3:4; 1 John 3:2; Matt. 25:46; John 5:24; 10, and elsewhere.