"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."--Matthew 5:10. This is the 8th Beatitude but it is connected with the 9th in terms of persecution. However, the reason for persecution is different in Matthew 5:11 than in Matthew 5:10. This is why I have decided to divide Matthew 5:10-11 into two blogs. This one we are dealing with those that are persecuted for righteousness.
The persecuted. A little over an hour ago I was sitting in our Wednesday night class here at the Bear Valley Church of Christ in a class dealing with Biblical interpretation. One of the statements that was made was that if we as Christians are trying to do what God says, we are accused of being legalists. Be that as it may, one of the things God expects of us is to be righteous. Here is what I mean. The definition of the Greek word used here for righteous means having the quality or characteristic of upright behavior (BDAG 248). Keep this definition in mind. If you have ever been persecuted because of your behavior (upright behavior) as a Christian, then you have God's stamp of approval.
The persecuted. We are not talking specifically here about just being a Christian. We are simply talking about one aspect of Christianity which involves the change of behavior that needs to come with our obedience to the gospel which also involves repentance. My prayer is that you as a Christian have already recognized this important aspect of living the Christian life. If you would like to more about it, click on the highlighted links. But if you have recognized this important aspect, chances are you have been persecuted for it to some extent. Remember, you have God's stamp of approval if this is the case. Furthermore, the kingdom of heaven is yours if this is the case. This is not in reference to the Lord's church but to the actual kingdom of heaven in which God reigns presently and forevermore. This is a whole discussion in itself that I do not want to take your valuable time explaining at this time. The point is tonight that if we are persecuted for our upright Christian behavior, we have God's stamp of approval.
The persecuted. I don't pretend to be perfect and none of us should because it is only the redemptive work of Christ that has made any of this possible. We did nothing to earn it. But by the same token, if I had a dollar for every time I have been looked down upon for holding myself to a higher standard because of God's expectation of me, I could probably retire comfortably on an island somewhere. The fact that God holds us to a higher standard as Christians does not mean we should pretend to be self righteous or perfect but it means we should strive to set an example among believers and the lost alike in our behavior. Paul encourages Timothy to do this in 1 Timothy 4:12 in reference to his conduct which is among 4 other areas. Furthermore, Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:12 that whoever desires to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. These have God's stamp of approval.
The persecuted. What breaks my heart about this situation is the fact that many of our own brethren look down upon us simply because we are trying to do what God expects of us in terms of our own behavior. Whatever the case, it is the persecuted that have God's stamp of approval.
In light of all this, my encouragement to you is this. Something I struggle with but am getting better at is not being afraid to say something when I see my brethren behaving in a questionable manner. The Sermon on the Mount is about righteousness. Matthew 5:10 refers to having righteous or upright behavior. No one is better than anyone else. But by the same token we mustn't be afraid to hold ourselves to a higher standard based on God's expectations of us. We mustn't be afraid to set an example in our behavior and conduct per 1 Timothy 4:12. So my encouragement is for you to encourage your brethren as well as yourself to hold to a higher standard of behavior based on God's expectations of us.
DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! PRAY ABOUT IT! LOVE Y'ALL! GOD BLESS!
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