The Preaching of the King –Part5
Matthew 5:7-8
In these Beatitudes the Lord Jesus Christ describes the distinguishing characteristics and privileges of those who are "His disciples," or the birthmarks by which the true subjects of His kingdom may be identified. Looking at these Beatitudes from another angle, we may regard them as furnishing a description of the nature of true happiness, and how true happiness is attained. His teachings of true happiness are contrary to the teachings and the theories which obtain in the carnal mind. Instead of attributing genuine happiness in the possession of outward things, Jesus attributes true happiness to the possession and cultivation of spiritual graces. Jesus is not describing the foundation the sinner’s hope of receiving mercy from God rests, but is tracing the spiritual features of His own people, among which mercifulness is a prominent one. His evident meaning was: mercy is an indispensable trait in that holy character which God has inseparably connected with the enjoyment of that happiness, both in this life and the hereafter, which is the product of His own sovereign kindness.
The place first four Beatitudes may be regarded as the initial work of the Holy Spirit in the heart that has been awakened by the Holy Spirit. The next four Beatitudes deal with the subsequent fruits of the heart. In verse 6 the soul is seen hungering and thirsting after righteousness and than filled by the Holy Spirit. In verse 7 we are shown the first effect and evidence of this. Having received mercy from the Lord, the saved sinner now offers mercy to others. It is not that God requires us to be merciful in order to obtain His mercy that would overthrow the whole purpose His grace, but having received mercy the disciples of Jesus act graciously toward others.
The merciful Jesus refers to is compassion of the soul that is moved to pity and go to the relief of another in misery, a gracious disposition toward our fellowman and fellow Christians. It is a spirit of kindness and benevolence which sympathizes with the sufferings of the afflicted, so that we weep with those that weep. It ennobles its possessor so that he tempers justice with mercy, and scorns the taking of revenge. It is a holy disposition in contrast with that foolish sentimentality which ignores the requirements of justice, and is inclined to sympathize with those in deserved misery. That is a false and unholy mercy which petitions the courts to cancel or modify a just and fully merited sentence which has been passed upon some flagrant offender. It is also a holy compassion as opposed to that partiality which is generous to some and harsh to others.
The roots of this mercy do not have in them anything in the natural man. True, there are some who make no profession of being Christians in whom we often find sympathy for the suffering, and a readiness to forgive those who have wronged them, yet is it merely instinctive, and though admirable there is nothing spiritual in it. Instead of being subject to God’s authority it is often opposed to God’s law. The mercy Jesus refers to is different from and superior to natural graciousness, it is a graciousness approved by God in which is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and commended in His Word. It is the result of Jesus living in our heart. He was moved with compassion. He wept with the mourner. If He is living in us the same disposition in Him, however imperfectly manifested, must be reproduced.
This mercy is something more than a feeling it is an active principle. It not only stirs the heart, but it moves the hand to render help to those in need, for the one cannot be severed from the other. Jesus makes it very clear that no work of mercy is shown to those in misery except that it proceeds from inward compassion. The "mercy" Jesus refers to in this Beatitude exerts itself in doing good, being a fruit of the love of God shed abroad in the heart. It is an unmistakable trait of the new man. It is like the "mercy" in Abraham, after he had been wronged by his nephew, which caused him to go after and secure his deliverance from the hands of his enemies. It was the "mercy" on the part of Joseph, after his brothers had so grievously mistreated him, which moved him to freely forgive them. It was the "mercy" in Moses, after Miriam had rebelled against him and the Lord had smitten her with leprosy, which moved him to cry, "Heal her now, O God, I beseech You” (Numbers 12:13). It was the "mercy" in David which caused him to spare the life of his arch-enemy when the wicked Saul was in his hands.
There is a reward for those who are merciful. The one who shows mercy to others gains mercy, "the merciful man doeth good to his own soul" (Proverbs 11:17). There is a personal satisfaction in the exercise of pity and benevolence, which the fullest gratification of the selfish man can not be compared. He receives mercy from God. Mercy will be shown to the merciful in the Day to come (2 Timothy 1:16, 18; Jude 21).
This sixth Beatitude has been grossly perverted by the enemies of the Lord: those who have, like their predecessors the Pharisees, posed as the champions of the Truth and boasted of a superior sanctity to that confessed by the true people of God. All through this Christian era there have been poor deluded souls who have claimed an entire purification of the old man, or have insisted that God has so completely renewed them that the carnal nature has been eradicated, and as a result they not only commit no sins, but have no sinful desires or thoughts. But John tells us, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). Of course, such people appeal to the Scriptures in support of their vain delusion, using verses which describe the legal benefits of the Atonement, or one as that has nothing to do with the sixth Beatitude.
The purity of heart in this Beatitude does not mean sinlessness of life is clear from the inspired record of the history of all God’s saints. Noah got drunk, Abraham lied. Moses disobeyed God, Job cursed the day of his birth, Elijah fled in terror from Jezebel, and Peter denied Christ. While it is true these occurred before Christianity was established, it has also been the same since then. Where shall we go to find a Christian of superior attainments to those of the apostle Paul? And what was his confession? Read Romans 7 and see. When he would do good, evil was present with him (v. 21); there was a law in his members warring against the law of his mind, and bringing him into captivity to the law of sin (v. 23). He did, with the mind, serve the Law of God nevertheless with the flesh he served the law of sin (v. 25). The truth is we do possess a pure heart that is to be conscious of and burdened with the impurity which still indwells us.
In the Beatitudes Jesus exposes the thoughts of the natural man, who errs greatly in his ideas of what constitutes real blessedness. He refutes the Pharisees, who contented themselves with a species of external ceremonialism or mere outward holiness, failing to realize that God requires "truth in the inward parts" (Psalm 51:6). In this sixth Beatitude, it equally condemns most of that which now passes for genuine religion in Christendom. How many today rest satisfied with a head religion, supposing that all is well if their creed be sound; and how many more have nothing better than a hand religion, busily engaged in what they term "Christian service." "But the Lord looks on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7), which includes the mind, conscience, affections and will.
By nature the heart of fallen man is totally depraved and corrupt, deceitful above all things and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). How can it be otherwise when each of us must make the humiliating confession, "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me" (Psalm 51:5)? This purity of heart is by no means to be restricted to inward chastity or simplicity, without guile and deceit but has a far more comprehensive meaning and scope. The heart of the Christian is made pure by a fourfold operation of the Holy Spirit. The imparting a holy nature at the new birth, bestowing a saving faith which unites its possessor to a holy God, by sprinkling him with the precious blood of Christ, which purges his conscience and a protracted process of sanctification so that we, through His aid, mortify the flesh and live unto God. In consequence thereof, the believer has a sincere desire and resolution not to sin against God in thought, word or deed, but to please Him in all things.
What is this purity of heart? Spiritual purity may be defined as undivided affections, sincerity and genuineness, godly simplicity. It is the opposite of subtlety and duplicity, for genuine piety lays aside not only hatred and malice, but guile and hypocrisy. It is not sufficient to be pure in words and outward behavior, purity of desires, motives, intents, is what should, and in the main does, characterize the child of God. Here, then, is a most important test for each professing Christian to apply to himself, Have I been freed from the dominion of hypocrisy? Are my motives pure and intentions genuine? Are my affections set upon things above? Do I meet with the Lord’s people to commune with Him or to be seen of men?
A "pure heart" is one which has a pure Object before it, being attracted by "the beauty of holiness." It is one in which the fear of the Lord has been implanted and the love of God shed abroad, and therefore it hates what He hates and loves what He loves. The purer the heart, the more conscious it becomes of, and the more it grieves over, indwelling filth. A pure heart is one which makes conscience of foul thoughts, vile imaginations, and evil desires. It is one that mourns over pride and discontent, unbelief and coldness of affection, and weeps in secret over unrighteousness. It is sad how little is this inward purity esteemed today: the great majority of professors content themselves with a mere form of godliness, a shadow of the reality.
The blessing promised the pure in heart is, “they shall see God.” The promise of this Beatitude has both a present and a future fulfillment. The Christian’s purity of heart is only in part in this life, but perfected in the life to come. Now we see through a darkened glass, but then face to face; now we know in part; but then shall we know even as also we are known" (1 Corinthians 13:12). To "see God" is to be brought nigh to Him, to be introduced into intimate intercourse with Him, which is the consequence of having the thick cloud of our transgressions blotted out, for it was our iniquities which separated us from Him (Isaiah 59:2).
The pure in heart possess spiritual discernment and with the eyes of their understanding they obtain clear views of the Divine character and perceive the Excellency of His attributes. That which pollutes the heart and clouds the vision of a Christian any sin that has not been confessed. Any sin that is not confessed communion with God is broken, and can only be restored by genuine repentance and confession. Since, the privilege of seeing God is dependent upon heart purity, how essential it is that we give earnest heed to the exhortations of Isaiah 1:16; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Peter 3:15.
