The Demands of the Kingdom

 

 

 

Central thought: A believer in Christ should maintain purity of heart, live in peace with others and be ready to suffer for the Lord.

 

 

Text: Matthew 5:1-12

 

We are concluding the lesson on “the Beatitudes”.  In the first part we examined the meaning and the blessedness of being “poor in spirit, mourning, meekness, hungering and thirsting after righteousness and of being merciful”. In this concluding part, the meaning of being pure in heart, being peacemakers and the willingness to suffer for the Lord will be examined.

“The Beatitudes may be described as a code of ethics and a standard of conduct for all believers in Christ.  They describe what we should be like as Christ’s followers.”  May we therefore resolve in our hearts to be “more and more like Jesus” in this present world.  Amen

 

 1. Who are the pure in heart and what characterizes their lifestyle?

Being pure in heart implies having a “clean” heart; a heart devoid of evil thoughts, imaginations and filled with the Holy Spirit, pondering always on the goodness, mercy and grace of the Lord Jesus.

The heart of the natural man is “deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it?”, Jeremiah 17:9.  It is not in any way inclined towards God.  Since man was conceived in sin and born with the sinful nature received from Adam, Psalm 51:5, the possession of a pure heart can only come through the transformation of an individual’s life.

The transformation takes place at the new birth.  That is when an individual realizes that he or she is a sinner, acknowledges their sin and gives their life to Christ receiving Him as personal Lord and Savior.  He or she is then given a new heart; a heart that is inclined towards God and His ways, 2 Corinthians 5:17.

The life of one that is pure in heart is characterized by the fruit of the Holy Spirit.  That life manifests in humility, good deeds, free of anger, clamor, bitterness, lying, and deceit, etc.  Read Galatians 5:22-23 and Ephesians 4:23-32.

 

2. How can someone keep his heart pure and what reward will the pure in heart receive?

A believer who wants to keep his heart pure must constantly meditate on God’s word.  In Psalm 119:9-11 we read, “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.  With my whole heart I have sought You: Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!  Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”

Also the counsel in Philippians 4:8 must be diligently applied by the believer in daily living.  “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

It is also necessary for the believer not to be conformed to this world but live with a renewed mind; a mind that has been transformed in line with the word of God.

Those who are pure in heart will have the blessedness, reward of seeing God and being indwelt by the Holy Spirit.  They will enjoy God’s presence, (wisdom, care, direction, provision) in this present world and in eternity.

 

3. Who is a peacemaker and what reward will such a person receive?

Right from the fall of man, the world has been in enmity with God because of sin.  Although in the different dispensations before Christ’s coming, God made a covenant with those who feared Him and chose to walk in His way, the entire creation had deviated from God’s plan and way and need to be reconciled to Him.

The Lord Jesus Christ brought about that reconciliation between God and man, and established peace between men and God.  Anyone who believes in Christ comes into a wonderful relationship with his Father and enjoys the benefits of that peace and reconciliation with God, 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Ephesians 2:14-17.

Thereafter the onus is on the believer to take this message of peace and reconciliation with God to other people so that they can come to the saving knowledge of Christ and also be at peace with God.  God wants to use every believer to bring the message of peace and reconciliation with Him to other people.  The believer who does this truly represents Christ and is described as a peacemaker.

Also in the affairs of men, believers are expected to live at peace with all, Hebrews 12:14.  Where there are disputes among men the believer can also be an instrument in God’s hands to bring peace and reconciliation between the disputing parties.

The blessedness/reward of the peacemaker is that he will be called a Child of God and the numerous blessings of being a Child of God will be enjoyed by him, Matthew 5:9; Romans 14:19; Philippians 4:7.

 

4. Who are those being “persecuted for righteousness sake” and how will they be rewarded?

Those being persecuted for righteousness include those who suffer punishment, torture, neglect, deprivation, etc., at the hands of men, leaders, governments because of their Christian beliefs and conviction to pursue righteousness (what is right in the eyes of God) as they live in society.

Some female Christian students have suffered failure in exams because they refused to yield to immoral demands of their teachers.  Some believers have been denied promotion because they refused to partake in corrupt practices in their offices.  Some young converts have been beaten, flogged, denied food, money, clothing and other privileges by their parents, spouses, etc., for professing faith in Christ instead of following the inherited religious practices of their ancestors.  Some have been lied against and spoken evil of, by men just to “rubbish” them for professing faith in Christ.  These are just some of the ways believers suffer persecution for righteousness sake.  There are many more.

The believer is however encouraged under such situations to be happy and hold on to his faith.  The blessedness/reward for suffering persecution for righteousness sake is that the believer will inherit the kingdom of heaven.  The Bible declares, “but as it is written, eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him”, 1 Corinthians 2:9.  Also in 2 Corinthians 4:17 we read, “for our light affliction which is but for a moment  worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.  For the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal”.  Indeed there are several rewards for those who suffer persecution for righteousness sake, Revelation 7:9-11.

It is pertinent to state here that while not praying for or desiring to experience suffering/persecution, the believer should have a mindset that in the process of practicing his/her faith persecution/suffering may come.  “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution”, 2 Timothy 3:12.

 

 

Daily living application:

Believers are expected to diligently follow and walk in the way of the Lord.  His standards (and not the standards of the world) are ours to pursue.  In order to continue in this victorious Christian life, the believer should constantly examine himself to ensure a non-compromise.  We are assured of God’s grace, deliverance and reward as we follow and reveal Christ in our character.

 

 

Memory verse

Matthew 5:8 – “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.”