Matthew 5:1-161And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 13Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:1‑16)
Part 12
The Seventh Beatitude
“Blessed are the peace makers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Verse 9.
The mission of the children of God in this world, has a character which far exceeds, we fear, the measure of our intelligence, faith, and practice. There is a dignity—a moral beauty and glory connected with it, which we too often fail to appreciate. It emanates from God the Father; it partakes of His own moral attributes; it is the reflection, however feeble, of the blessed Lord, who was the perfect reflection of the divine glory.
Every thought, every feeling, of His heart breathed the perfect rest, and rose to the height of the absolute purity and peace of the Godhead. The seven beatitudes shine in all their divine perfectness in the lowly path of the Son of Man—Emmanuel, God with us. And He being our life, the features of His character should be produced in us, by faith, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
This is the believer’s mission whether of Jewish or of Christian faith. In our meditations we muse on both; but chiefly on the application of truth to the latter; though we rejoice in the assurance that Israel will manifest the character and be crowned with the benedictions of all the beatitudes, in the latter day. However valuable they may be to the Christian now, they look forward to the setting up of the kingdom in power and glory, and will have their complete fulfillment in that future day. But in the meantime, the Christian should seek to shine in all the graces which are here pronounced “blessed.” They ought all to be found in every Christian, though some will be more manifest in one than in another.
Mark then, my soul, and weigh well, what thy mission is, and how it should be characterized. And see that thou beginnest well. Let thy first step be a right one; this is always important. Thou must begin with God, and work out from Him. There is no such thing as working up to God, thou must work from Him. This only is the right way. First learn thy own nothingness in His presence; be weighed and measured there. Thou wilt find a just balance for self nowhere else. O, how many things, unworthy of the Christian, this would save him from.
In place of being characterized by humility, dependence, and obedience, as the blessed Lord was, we are, from lacking these graces, self-willed and self-sufficient. But having learned thy lesson well at the Master’s feet, thou wilt be fitted to go forth and bear testimony for Him, according to the portrait here given of the believer. Because of the dishonor done to His name, thou wilt mourn; and like Him, thou wilt meekly bow to that which may be personally trying, and calmly leave things in His hands. Thou wilt also seek to do the will of God, to be merciful to those around thee, and to walk before God with a pure heart. And this brings us to the last of the seven beatitudes,
“Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the children of God.”
It is not, observe, they who live in peace, walk in peace, or keep peace, that are crowned with the divine blessing, but they who make peace— “peacemakers.”
The distinction is important, as many who have a peaceable nature are the least qualified to make peace, and are in danger of being unfaithful for the sake of peace. But peace-making is quite another thing. It is the grace of the Lord Jesus in blessed activity, pouring oil on troubled waters—on the tumultuous passions of men. And this, mark, without compromising the holiness of God, or saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace. It may occasion much self-denial, much anxiety, much waiting on God, much disquiet to one’s own mind. The most opposite feelings, convictions, interests, affecting character and happiness for life, may have to be dealt with and weighed in the balances of the sanctuary. But the peace maker must be impartial; he must see that “mercy and truth meet together, that righteousness and peace kiss each other.”
There must be truth as well as grace, purity as well as peace. Time must be given for God to work; peace cannot be forced. But wherever there is the smallest possibility, consistently with the holiness and truth of God, of bringing peace into a scene of trouble and sorrow, the Christian should remember his privilege and calling, and if in the scene, should reckon upon God for guidance and blessing.
“Blessed are the peace makers; for they shall be called the children of God.”
Is every Christian, it may be asked, called to be a peacemaker? Everyone has the grace, and the privilege of the grace in Christ Jesus for this blessed work, but all have not used it alike. The quality or measure of grace necessary in a peace maker, depends upon his own state of soul in the presence of God. Are the other features of the Lord’s character manifest, we would inquire? Is he enjoying, for example, the blessedness of the last beatitude? “Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God.” This is, the divine preparation for a peace maker. He must be right with God Himself, and breathe the sweet peace of communion with Him.
The pure in heart are at peace with God through the precious blood of Christ. Cleansed from all sin—whiter than snow—they see God, and have learned much in the divine presence that fits them for peace making, He who walks with God must live in the spirit of self-judgment—must all that belongs to himself naturally, and thereby gain complete control over his own Spirit, temper, words and ways.
The pure heart is a peaceful heart, loves peace, and earnestly desires the peace awl happiness of others. Love rules in such hearts, and overflows in truest charity to all who are in a condition to need the peace maker. But sound spiritual judgment is necessary, it will be said, in cases of dispute and discipline. Most true; but who so it to judge spiritually as those who judge themselves, and walk in the light as God is in the light?
The sixth beatitude, we have no doubt, is the true preparation for the exercise of the God-like grace of the seventh; or as James says, “First pure, then peaceable.” (James 3:1717But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. (James 3:17)).
(To be continued)