Matthew 5:5 says, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” To be meek is not simply to be gentle, humble, and submissive. Meekness is related to something inward, to what we are in our being. To be meek means not to resist the world’s opposition but to suffer it willingly. To be meek means not to fight or resist. If we are meek, willing to suffer the world’s opposition in this age, we shall inherit the earth in the coming age, as revealed in Hebrews 2:5-8 and Luke 19:17, 19.
The New Testament tells us that we do not fight against flesh and blood but against the Devil, the enemy of God, and his angels, the evil powers in the air. Although we must fight against the Devil, we should not fight against people, not even those who oppose us. Toward all people, including the adversaries and opposers, we must be meek. While we are being meek toward people, we must fight against the powers of darkness.
In Matthew 5:7 the Lord Jesus says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” To be righteous is to give one what he deserves, but to be merciful is to give someone better than what he deserves. For the kingdom of the heavens we need to be not only righteous but also merciful. If we are merciful to others, the Lord will grant us mercy (2 Tim. 1:16, 18), especially at His judgment seat (James 2:12-13).
In Matthew 5:7 there is the promise that those who are merciful shall receive mercy. If we judge our brothers without mercy today, we shall not receive mercy at the judgment seat. But if we have mercy on our brothers, the Lord will have mercy on us at His judgment seat. Therefore, although we should be strict in dealing with ourselves, we should be very merciful in dealing with others. This is not an outward matter; it is a matter related to our inward being.
In Matthew 5:8 the Lord Jesus says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” To be righteous is to deal with ourselves, to be merciful is to deal with others, and to be pure in heart is to deal with God. Toward ourselves we must be strict and allow no excuses. Toward others we should be merciful, giving them more than they deserve. Toward God we must be pure in heart, seeking nothing besides Him. The reward for being pure in heart is to see God. God is our reward. No reward is greater than God Himself. We gain this reward by being righteous with ourselves, by being merciful toward others, and by being pure in heart toward God.
To be pure in heart is to be single in purpose, to have the single goal of accomplishing God’s will for God’s glory (1 Cor. 10:31). This is for the kingdom of the heavens. Our spirit is the organ to receive Christ (John 1:12; 3:6), whereas our heart is the ground where Christ as the seed of life grows (Matt. 13:19). For the kingdom of the heavens we need to be poor in spirit, empty in our spirit, that we may receive Christ. We also need to be pure in heart, single in our heart, that Christ may grow in us without frustration. If we are pure in heart in seeking God, we shall see God. Seeing God is a reward to the pure in heart. This blessing is both for today and for the coming age.
Matthew 5:9 says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Satan, the rebellious one, is the instigator of all rebellion. For the kingdom of the heavens, under its heavenly ruling, we must be peacemakers with all men (Heb. 12:14). Instead of fighting with others, we should pursue peace with all men. This means that we should endeavor to keep a peaceful situation with everybody, living in peace with others.
If we are peacemakers, we shall be called the sons of God. The sons of the Devil make trouble, but the sons of God make peace. As the Son of God, the Lord Jesus made peace with God and man. Now, as the sons of God, we should follow Him to make peace.
Our Father is the God of peace (Rom. 15:33; 16:20), who has a peaceful life with a peaceful nature. As those born of Him, if we would be peacemakers, we must conduct ourselves in the divine life and according to the divine nature. Thus, we shall express the Father’s life and nature, and we shall be called sons of God.