Heaven is yours part two

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:9-12)

Welcome to part two of our study on The Beatitudes. The heart of God for His people is to experience His unmatched and unparalleled blessings that can only be found in His statutes. 

“Being blessed by God means experiencing hope and joy, independent of the outward circumstances. To open the door to such hope and joy, which leads to the deepest form of happiness, we must walk across the threshold of suffering, sacrifice, and transformation” (NIV Bible Commentary). 

The pure in heart 

As I have read through the Bible, I have noticed an important consistent characteristic in the Bible legends we have come to know, they all sought a purity of heart towards God and towards others. This is a key component of living a life pleasing to God because the heart is a window into the soul. God, who can see right through habits and external behaviors, examines our hearts rather than the latter. A purity of heart is worth more than all the treasures this world has to offer because here, Jesus tells us that those who are pure in heart will see God. 

“Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their savior. Such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek your face, God of Jacob” (Psalm 24:3-6). 

The peacemakers 

A signifier of children of God should be that we are peacemakers. I wonder, however, how many people would describe Christians in their life as one who brings peace to their relationships and environments. Sadly, I think this is an area many believers need more intentional practice in. So much damage relationally and spiritually could have been avoided by keeping peacemaking at the forefront of our minds and interactions. Peacemaking feels like common sense however it requires an intentionality in our posture towards humility and maturity. 

“Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:12-16). 

“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous” (Matthew 5:44-45). 

At times, many of us are fighting against the very heart of God when we act quarrelsome among each other. Peacemaking is the faithful act of obedience to a faithful God. It is something that needs to be fought for. 

The persecuted, the insulted, and falsely accused for righteousness 

The last two blessings seem to echo each other don’t they? When we choose to follow Christ we are bound to receive hate, some more vial than others. Following Christ will come with a spectrum of suffering, judgement, hate, persecution, insults, and false claims against us; however, the hope we have in Christ outweighs the temporary discomfort we receive from others. What we receive from a relationship with God is more than enough. I love what 1 Peter 3: 14,17 says:

“But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed…For it is better, if it is God’s will, to for doing good than for doing evil.”  

Doing good will always be better than doing evil. Relationship with God will always be better than no relationship with Him. We serve a God who is full of mercy, full of compassion, full of love, full of justice. Living a life that is pleasing to God may not always feel like sunshine and roses but being in relationship with Him is unmatched with joy, wisdom, and transformation — nothing the world can offer in the slightest. Here, Jesus is promising a reward in heaven for those who suffer for Him and reminds us of the many great people of God before us were also persecuted, yet still proved  faithful to Him! 

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me” (John 15:18-21). 

The Good News is this: The heart of God for His people is one of blessing. He has provided a roadmap to living a faithful, obedient, and righteous life for Him. And although there will be times of hardship and persecution, we can remain hope-filled and steadfast knowing the One who leads us is faithful, trustworthy, and true.