Wednesday 12 September 2012

The Beatitudes.

"'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  'Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
  'Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
  'Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
  'Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
  'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
  'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
  'Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  'Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on  my account.
  'Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.'"  Matthew 5:2-12 (NRSV)

I believe that Jesus is differentiating between the ways of the world (which are evil) and the ways of God (in the coming kingdom or the afterlife).

Poverty, grief, righteousness, mercy, love, peace, integrity.....
These things are not valued by the world, but they are valued by God.

So when God comes, either in the kingdom or the afterlife, these attributes will be recognized, but in the world they are persecuted.

Satanists promote the ways of the world :
money, fame, success, status, victory, glory, luxury, opulence, vanity, egotism.....
They achieve them by deception, violence, fear, and seduction.
But God will,"'rescue us from the evil one."'  Matthew 6:13b (NRSV)

N.B.  By practicing the ways of God you bring about the kingdom of God on earth (Lorraine Parkinson).    


(Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.)

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