THE BEATITUDES (8)

Blessed Are the Peacemakers

Matthew 5:9

Victor M. Eskew

 

          Those individuals who have accessed the mercy of God, and those individuals who have had their hearts purified by the blood of Christ, also experience peace with God.  Sin separates the sinner from the Holy One (Isa. 59:1-2).  It not only separates one, it makes him an enemy of God (James 4:4).  However, the person who submits to the demands of the gospel is reconciled, that is, made friendly with God once again.  There is no longer antagonism between the two.  Now, there is peace.  This person, because of his experience of being reconciled to God, longs to be a peacemaker.  Jesus pronounces a blessing upon this person in one of the  beatitudes.  “Blessed are the peacemakers:  for they shall be called the children of God” (Matt. 5:9).

          Having learned how to be at peace with God, and having experienced that peace personally, the child of God desires to be a peacemaker.  His first desire is to take the gospel of peace to all in the world who are in sin and who are at odds with the Father in heaven.  They are convicted of Paul’s words found in the last part of Romans 10:15.  “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” 

          Their message begins with Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6).  “For he is our peace…” (Eph. 2:14).  When He was born, it was announced by the multitude of heavenly hosts to the shepherds:  “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14).  It was He who died on the cross of Calvary in order to bring peace to all man.  “And having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight” (Col. 1:20-22).  It was He who “came and preached peace to you which were afar off and to them that were nigh” (Eph. 2:17).  It was Jesus who reconciled both Jew and Gentile unto God in one body by the cross (Eph. 2:16).

          This divine message of salvation is designed to produce faith in those who hear it.  By this faith man is justified and finds peace with God according to Paul in Romans 5:1.    “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Many read this verse with the word “only” immediately following the word “faith.”  This is not what the verse says.  Saving faith is more than a simple belief within the mind.  Faith is the engine that drives man to complete all of the conditions of salvation in order to be saved.  We see this clearly in the conversion of the Philippian jailor.  He asked Paul and Silas:  “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30).  “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31).  Even though the jailor was told to believe to be saved, he could not immediately do so.  The reason is because faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom.10:17).  The jailor had not heard the Word up to this point.  This is why the text of Acts 16 continues with these words:  “And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house” (Acts 16:32).  The Word of God not only demanded faith, but is also commanded repentance and baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).  Thus, the jailor complied with both commands.  “And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway” (Acts 16:33).  It was at this point, the jailor and his household were saved.  Acts 16:34 reveals that following their baptism, the jailor “set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.”  Note that the verse says that following his baptism he believed in God with all his house.  Saving faith is a process.  One is not saved until that process is complete.  Then, once an individual has obeyed the Christ (Heb. 5:8-9), he can truly say he is at peace with God.

          Faithful Christians not only seek to bring peace between man and God, they also strive to bring peace between all men as well.  The world is Satan’s domain.  His modus operandi is to divide and conquer.  As long as there is strife, contention, arguing, fighting, and wars between men, there will never be peace.  God is not the author of conflict, dissension, and disunity.  He is the God of peace (Rom. 15:33; 16:20).  In both the Old Testament and the New Testament, God exhorts His people to “seek peace” (Ps. 34:14; 1 Pet. 3:11).  There are other passages that also instruct God’s children to pursue peace.  “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Rom. 12:18).  And again:  “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see God” (Heb. 12:14).  The Christian is not one who runs from conflict with others.  Oh no.  He does all he can to be reconciled to those with whom he has problems, disagreements, and trespasses.  “Moreover if they brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him fault between thee and him alone:  if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother” (Matt. 18:15).  Christians yearn for peace, seek peace, and do all they can to maintain it once it has been established.  “Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3).

          Truly, Christians are called to be peacemakers.  Jesus proclaimed this promise to the peacemakers:  “…they shall be called the children of God.”  The God of peace can only bring forth the children of peace.  It is a wonderful blessing for a human being to be able to proclaim:  “I am a child of God.”  Just saying one is a child of God, however, does not make it so.  The genuine child of God does all he can do to be like his heavenly Father.  Becoming a peacemaker is one of the traits of God’s children.  “Blessed are the peacemakers:  for they shall be called the children of God” (Matt.5:9).