The Blessed Life - Part 4

The Blessedness of Those Who Are Holy (continued)

            Further showing that the blessed life is connected to righteousness and holiness, Jesus says, “Blessed are the pure in heart” (Matthew 5:8). A pure heart is one that is undivided. As the Psalmist prays: “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name” (Psalm 86:11, emphasis added). He knows it is possible for his heart to be swayed in various directions and desires a heart that is solely focused upon God. A pure heart truly desires God, and it is thus, a morally upright, clean heart.

            One who sincerely desires God, Jesus promises, “shall see God.” Many people scoff at belief in God because they cannot see Him, but the Scripture indicates that our inability to relate to God is due to sin. Therefore, sin gets in the way of seeing God, and it is vital for us to be pure in order to enter the presence of God. As a matter of fact, the follower of Jesus named John says, “we know that when he [Jesus] appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure” (1 John 3:2b–3, ESV). Those who have the great hope of being with Jesus and being made perfectly like Him are already seeking purity in their lives. They shall see God in the kingdom of heaven and live in His presence eternally.

            Do you have this hope of seeing God? Even right now one can have the joy of knowing God and perceiving Him in a spiritual sense. But again, this comes with a heart unified toward seeking God. I heard of a man recently who (though being a professing Christian for many years) is having a crisis of faith, wondering if God even exists. He said he is looking for God to really show Himself in some tangible, unmistakably clear way. The problem is He is asking God to come on his terms, when God says He will reveal Himself to those who come on His terms: in faith, seeking purity. If you want to know God and one day see Him, then realize what is getting in the way of this is not lack of evidence but rather the presence of sin. Ask God to purify your heart, to work in you, to change you that you may know Him and perceive Him personally in your life.

            The final beatitude related to holiness is: “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9). At first, this trait may seem quite in keeping with the most valued ethic of our culture: tolerance. Peacemakers, many would assume, are those who affirm others’ right to believe and do as they please. However, Jesus Himself was not one who merely affirmed everyone, and being one who “lets things go” all the time does not actually breed peace. For example, I know as a parent that if I simply let my children do as they please, my household will not be filled with peace. My observation is that home-life tends toward dissention and chaos unless there is oversight and intervention. True peacemakers are not simply those who avoid conflict; they are people who are willing to confront and deal with issues that ultimately harm the condition of humanity (as Jesus did).

            On the other hand, peacemakers are not contentious people. If one is always concerned about getting his or her own way, peace will not abound. Marriage demonstrates this reality. The only way to have a peaceful marriage is for the husband and wife to have a sacrificial rather than selfish mindset. When they become obstinate and focused on their own desires and perspective, it results in relational turmoil.

            Ken Sande’s depiction of peacemaking provides a good summary of all of this. He says there are peace-breakers (those who are aggressive), peace-fakers (those who are avoiders), and true peacemakers (those who are alleviators of conflict). Being a true peacemaker means having a willingness to deal with problems but also having an attitude of love and kindness. The previous beatitudes show that being a follower of Christ stems from a heart that has been changed. Godly character is the true means of peace.

            Those who are peacemakers, Jesus says, “shall be called sons of God.” As with all the beatitudes, this blessing finds ultimate fulfillment in the kingdom of heaven, which peacemakers will reside in as sons of God–the receivers of His inheritance. But this also points to a reality we see all the time: children resemble their parents. Therefore, children of God resemble God and are shown to be in His family. God is the ultimate peacemaker who, as the Scripture says, “shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8, ESV). God did not wait for us to wave the flag of surrender before acting. Instead, He made the first step toward peace with humanity in the Person of His Son, who gave Himself up that we might have peace with God. To follow in the footsteps of the heavenly Father is to be one who sacrificially gives whatever it takes to strive for peace in relation to others. Those who live as peacemakers are rightly “called sons of God.”

Works Cited:

Ken Sande, “Peace-breakers, Peace-fakers, and Peacemakers,” (available at http://www.peacemaker.net/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=aqKFLTOBIpH&b=1043497&ct=1254849, accessed May 2012; Internet).

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version.  Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.