The Beatitudes

Jim Borer
June 8, 2012

Jim presented this topic on Sunday morning of Alumni weekend, after breakfast, in the Student Lounge.

The Beatitudes (Matt. 5) constitute Jesus' plan of recreation. They contain the same stages as the Blessings in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 1:28). The Creator's Plan has never changed. We are living the Beatitudes today under True Parents' guidance. The Alpha and Omega are one.

The nine Beatitudes are grouped in three stages of three corresponding to the Blessings in Eden to be fruitful (individual), multiply (family), and take dominion (God's dominion thru His children).

The first grouping (Beatitudes 1 – 3) begin with humility and encompass the spiritual development of the intellect, emotion, and will of an individual.

The second grouping (Beatitudes 4 – 6) anticipates the socialization of the maturing individual. She seeks righteousness in relationships and is considerate of others. At the top of this growth stage, the pure in heart shall see God. This developmental stage is where Adam and Eve became impure in heart (not of one mind and heart) and lost the ideal in Eden. They could no longer walk and talk and see God. When the individual comes to the stage of seeing God in others, they are qualified to be candidates for marriage. That marriage will be successful because it is based on the cumulative foundations that have preceded this, allowing them to see the eternal spirit of God in each other.

The third grouping (Beatitudes 7 – 9) are realized for the first time by True Parents giving the Marriage Blessing and leading us to establish God's dominion. Peacemakers shall be called Children of God. Peacemakers are Blessed Couples. They have been joined by the authority of the Returning Christ and his Bride. In this seventh Beatitude Jesus sets out the way to change the lineage, from "sons of the devil" to "children of God." As predicted in the Book of Revelation, in the Last Days we participate in the "First Resurrection." We are the first people to have the opportunity to live a fully mature life while here on earth.

There are nine Beatitudes. Traditionally, Christian leaders have counted eight, combining the ninth with the eighth if they included it at all. The ninth is the all-important conclusion where Jesus pleaded for his followers to witness to him while he was here on the earth to build the Kingdom of Heaven restoring God's dominion. I believe this plea has been discounted due to Jesus' death being taken as God's will.

Jesus emphasized the eternal truth of the Beatitudes by saying that these words would never pass away. He follows them with further counsel tracking the sequence of their steps. His final words in the chapter direct us to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect (Matt. 5:48). "Perfect" is better translated from the Greek as "mature." We must follow the steps of the Beatitudes to spiritual maturity.

In the ideal city descending in the Last Days, there is no church; the dwelling place of God is with mankind. We return to the joyful beauty of natural Eden where children grow up, get married, and take responsibility for the creation.

I am enrolled in the UTS D.Min. program to develop a curriculum for spiritual maturation based on the Beatitudes.