Bible Study on Matthew 5, verses 3 to 12, part 4, of peacemakers and persecution

 

Peacemakers are not diplomats negotiating peace between warring countries. They are preaching peace between God and man.

 

Isaiah 52:7  How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

 

Notice how in this passage following that Christ is our peace, both Jew and Gentile, with God.

 

Ephesians 2:11 ¶  Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

 

    14 ¶  For he is our peace, who hath made both one [Jew and Gentile into the Church], and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17  And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18  For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

 

And in Romans, Paul states that this peace is delivered by preaching in a reference to the passage I quoted from Isaiah.

 

Romans 10:12 ¶  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14  How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?15  And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

 

Man is at war with His Creator. Peace is attainable but only through God’s mercy through Christ.

 

Persecution in history, for your faith in Christ, was much like it is in Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia or Iran or communist countries like Vietnam or China and often resulted in the death of Christians. It was not something so trivial as your neighborhood association objecting to a scripture verse in your front yard or your boss making you take down a verse from your office cubicle. Real persecution involved and involves a threat, implied or obvious, that if you do not renounce Christ you will suffer.

 

2Timothy 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

 

This goes beyond the pharisaical thought, if you don’t do what I think you should do in any given situation you are denying Christ. This is life or death. Persecution for one’s faith is a true badge of honor if God is given the glory.

 

1Peter 4:16  Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

 

There is a power in being persecuted if one is faithful and gives God the glory. It is, as this verse in Matthew 5 states, a proof that one is a part of the kingdom of God.