When Christ was presenting the “Beatitudes” (blessed), He was addressing His disciples primarily and the crowd that had gathered secondarily. He was talking about those qualities of a person that make up righteousness. The standards He set are impossible for us as fallen people to ever achieve 100%. He has already said in this sermon that they would be blessed if they were “poor in spirit”, “mourned for their sins”, were “meek”, “hungered and thirsted for righteousness”, were “merciful”, and were “pure in heart..” Now he tells them they will be blessed if they were “peacemakers”.
For those who have been saved by the power and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, live out your faith. Do not be intimidated by anyone. Live so that people see Jesus Christ in your every day life- you may be the closest thing to Jesus they will ever know. Don’t go underground with your faith in Him. Let your righteous living be like the clapper of the liberty bell. That bell does not make a sound if the clapper does not strike the inside of the bell. In this country you have a right to privacy guaranteed in our constitution. In our Bible, we also have a commandment from Jesus not to make His righteousness private.
The Beatitudes
