Blessedarethe peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.Blessedarethey which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.Blessed are ye, whenmenshall revile you, and persecuteyou, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for greatisyour reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”
Blessed are the peacemakers. Notice it does not say ‘peacekeepers’ There are many who simply want peace at any cost and think that by compromise they can live peaceably and get along. However, the scriptures never call blessed those who reason that way. On the contrary, those who are willing to compromise the truth as it is in Christ Jesus, revealed in His Word are called cursed [Galatians 1:8].
Peacemakers, however, are blessed because they desire for others the true peace of God, pointing them to the LORD Jesus Christ as the Prince of Peace. He is the one who by virtue of His obedient life and sacrificial death has reconciled guilty, condemned sinners to God, Romans 5:9-11. Peacemakers are true pacifists being at peace with God since the cross, free from all legal demands of the law because of the complete satisfaction of God’s law and justice by Christ. Abel did not strive with Cain, but rather Cain with Abel. Cain represents all ‘works monger’ religionists who hate the free grace of God, because it leaves no room for them to boast of their works and their will. But, peacemakers, being at peace with God [Romans 5:1] they are called the children of God, by electing, redeeming, and justifying grace alone.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake. Our fallen nature hates God’s righteousness, and would be as Cain with Abel, persecuting [literally pursuing to the death] those for whom Christ paid the debt, were it not for God’s restraining sovereign hand. Natural minded sinners are jealous for their works, above the exclusive, singular work of the LORD Jesus as God’s satisfaction for sin. Some may find it difficult to understand how being persecuted is a blessing, yet, those who are called saints by the imputed righteousness of God in Christ do rejoice because the kingdom of heaven is already theirs in Christ. Abraham sought a city whose builder and maker is God, and that city is none other than the church (the New Jerusalem) of which all its citizens are by God’s everlasting grace and the effectual redemption by the blood shed of the LORD Jesus, alone. [Revelation 22:14].
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you…for Christ’s sake. This blessing is not reserved for the martyrs in history, but ‘blessed are YE,’ those who are the LORD’S right now in this time and generation. Being reviled [literally to show their teeth against you like angry dogs] and persecuted [like a hunter pursuing a prize], is considered a blessing when it is for Christ’s sake [His honor and glory]. Those who are the LORD’s seek no glory for themselves, but rest in that salvation that the LORD Jesus wrought for them. The reward [not rewards] in heaven is none other than the LORD Jesus Christ who is seated (reigning) there, and His people in Him. He is their righteousness before the Father, and their Advocate in the face of their sin. So complete was His work accomplished for them at Calvary that there is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION to those who are in Him. The world will say all manner of evil against the LORD’S people falsely. Not that they are not worthy of condemnation, but rather because what faults legalists would point out in them, God Himself never sees, because HE sees only the righteousness (justice) that the LORD Jesus accomplished for them.
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