THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NE S S
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hatred of men, is made the basis of re ward. Contempt now is to be followed by praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 1 :7), for if we suffer, we shall also reign with Him. (2 Tim. 2:12). When the spirit of the world discrowns us, then the Spirit of glory and God rests upon us. (1 Pet. 4:14). None of the beati tudes has been more manifestly rea.- lized in history. Men have taken joy fully the spoiling of their goods (Heb. 10:34); have rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer (Acts 5:41), and hundreds of thousands have laid down their lives with eagerness and gladness of heart. (2) THE LAW OP LOVE PERFECT ED, vs. 43-48. “ Be ye therefore perfect.” The Jews regarded their fellow Jews as righteous and all others as enemies. (Luke 18:9). The Lora gave them a fourfold rule concerning their actions toward their enemies. (1) Love your enemies. This is a se vere test for love. (2) Say loving things of those who say unlovely things about you. (3) Show some kindness toward those who would show some unkindness toward you. (4) Plead with God in behalf of those who seek to harm you. This rule introduces the perfection of love. The phrase, “ Be ye therefore perfect,” is translated “ Ye shall be per fect even as your Father,” as referring to a future state. There is no sugges tion of sinless perfection. The chil dren should be like their Father. He loves His enemies; so should they. But in order to do so, they must have the love of the Father with which to do it. Divine love necessitates divine life. The Lord is driving the Pharisees into close quarters. No one ever lived in this earth who met the requirements of these laws except the Lord Jesus. He only had a righteousness which would stand before the Father. The
the parable of the unjust steward. (Luke 16). “ The quality of mercy is not strained; It droppeth as the gentle rain from Heaven, Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest; It blesses him that gives, and him that takes.” It is an attribute of God Himself. “ Blessed are the pure in heart.” To see God is to know Him; to know Him is eternal life. (John 17:3). We see Him now through a glass' darkly (1 Cor. 13:12) at best, and therefore we must keep the glass pure and clean. Remember the reason the window pane remained cloudy was because the stain was on the inside. Keep pure within if you would see God; if you would under stand Him. The veil with which Satan blinds the eye is woven of a woof of duplicity and impurity on a warp of sin. Tear it away that you may see Him as He is. (1 John 3 :2). “ Blessed are the peacemakers.” How can we be but such as "make for peace,” when we reflect on the wretch edness which strife has wrought in the world, in the church, in the family? Strife is Satanic, for Satan is the in stigator of all wars. (Rev. 20:7-10). Peace marks the distinction between the children of the devil and the chil dren of God. He is the God of Peace. (Rom. 15:33). He bestows the peace of God. (Phil. 4 :7 ). Christ made it. (Eph. 2:15). We are called to peace (ICor. 7:15), and we should follow the things that make for peace. (Rom. 14:19). “ Blessed are ye when men shall re vile you and persecute you.” This is the most remarkable among these paradoxical statements. To count it joy to be regarded and treated as the offscouring of the earth is a strange reckoning. To be accounted among those who have made a failure of life .and brought down on themselves the
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