Issue 11, Aug 2008
In the previous three issues of this ezine, we examined the first six of the Eight Beatitudes found in Matthew 5:3-10.
In the Seventh Beatitude (Matthew 5:9) Jesus proclaims the Good News: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God” (NIV).
We live in a world where concepts like mutually assured destruction, truces where centuries old hatred remain, genocide, civil wars, and the like fill our news reports and political philosophies. It is hard to find a real definition and experience of “peace” in this world today and especially in the lives of the people of this world. Since no mere man has ever brought a truly lasting peace to even a part of this world, we have to ask ourselves the question of “Who is the peacemaker of whom Jesus speaks?”
We must look to definitions given by God in His Word to determine the meanings of the words used by God in the Scriptures. In the Scriptures, we do find that there are times where the Scriptures identify peace only with an absence of war or conflict, as in
Luke 14:32 and
Acts 12:20, for example. But does Christ only point to people who settle the conflicts that break out in this world as those of whom He speaks in this Beatitude?
In
Ephesians 2:14-15, Jesus Christ Himself is named “our peace”, while in verse15 He is described as one “making peace”. How can it be that He is “peace” who “makes peace”? Above all else, “peace” is the tranquility of being absolutely certain of our salvation before the One True God through Jesus Christ alone, knowing that we, through Him alone, have nothing to fear under God’s righteous Law, and therefore are completely content with our earthly lot, whatever that may be. Accordingly, “peace making” is, above all else, being in Jesus Christ through faith and witnessing Christ our Peace by word and deed to others.
While a Christian’s life is a life in Jesus Christ, our Peace, and a life proclaiming that Peace to others, the Eighth Beatitude proclaims “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:10, NIV)
Note first of all that the promise contained within this Beatitude is set forth in the present tense “is” just as the promise in the First Beatitude is also presented with “…for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3, NIV)
The promises we found in the second through the seventh Beatitude are presented in the future tense of “will be”. Those living in and by the true Gospel have both the assurance of the “now” and the “not yet” but forever eternal life in and through Christ Jesus. But, the life we live now on this earth is a life under the cross.
Because this world is bound up in the complete domination of sin, Satan and death, it will always reject God’s Way. The life of a believer is truly a life of sorrow and tribulation. We bear our crosses under His cross as we exercise our God-given vocations in this world. We live a life of serving others as Christ serves us even though the world rejects us as it opposes Christ as the One Way unto salvation.
He is the Way of our salvation and through faith worked, strengthened and preserved by Word and Sacraments, we rejoice in His Way of our salvation.
I urge you to read and reread all Eight Beatitudes hearing the entire Gospel message proclaimed therein.
Grace alone. Faith alone. Christ alone. Scripture alone. To God be the glory!