The Sermon on the Mount
teaching. One is reminded of Jesus’ words just prior to His departure and recorded by Matthew, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mat.28:19). The Gospel (the euangelion) is about forgiveness and requires mercy and kindness in its application. In Romans ch.1 the apostle Paul describes the awful sins of the people of the port city of Corinth, identifying homosexuality and lesbianism and describing them as leaving “the natural use into that which is against nature” (v26). The chapter is full of content material about how this all came about and the key role of God in it all and His judgement, but also the attitude of those who are equally sinful in other areas of life. These people endorse those who engage in these practises. I am asking the question about showing mercy towards these people. How should the church handle these matters? Blessings are promised by Jesus to those who show mercy to those who come seeking forgiveness. The disposition, or the bent of our heart is to constantly desire to extend mercy to the marginalized and the poor, to embrace those who have been abused by cruel and wicked men and women. We have a merciful God, and the disposition of our heart is to show how wonderful is God’s forgiving nature. “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God,” this verse has been adopted as the text for the mystics. This blessed state of heart purity has the most amazing promise attached to it, that they will see God! Jesus is declaring that a pure heart is the condition for intimacy with God. This is one occasion in the Scripture where purity is predicated of the heart. The heart is the focus of the personal life, the very centre of our being. Jesus said later, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Mat.15:19). To be pure in heart means to be pure throughout, “He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully” (Ps.24:4). The outcome of inward purity is the realization of the mystic vision of God, “Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart” (Ps.73:1). One is reminded of the words of Job when he is confronted by the vision of God, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear: but now my eye sees You” (Job 42:5). “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God,” This is the only time in the NT when this word appears. I think this is the most practical of the beatitudes, but to exercise mercy is equally practical towards others. The active endeavour to achieve peace among fragmented and opposed people is the remit of God’s children. We ought to be known and marked out as peacemakers, - peacemakers between brothers who need to be reconciled and people groups who also need reconciliation. Showing kindness and mercy are basic ingredients for reconciliation. The subject is too big to be properly dealt with here, it certainly may include the exercise of discipline in certain cases which will include conditions which need to be monitored. Surely, Jesus’ statements beg explanation and require Him to return to such pronouncements at some future occasion when He may illustrate truth by means of a parable. Later, in this same chapter, Jesus advises a man to make peace with his enemy, “Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison” (Mat.5:25).
New Life Radio – Talk No 36
5 Derrick Harrison
16/06/2021
