“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Matthew 5:9
The Lord continues. Just a few minutes into the sermon on the mount He has already turned Judaism (and all organized religion) upside down. We must
not forget the flow of what the Lord is presenting. To enter God’s kingdom one be humble, mourn over their sin, hunger and thirst over being right with God and then accept God’s authority in their life meekly.
When one does, God shows mercy and saves him by changing his
heart so he shows mercy to others. He fills him with His Spirit so
he seeks to live righteously and purely before God. Now the Lord
tells us in this, the seventh beatitude, that when we see God we will
be driven to tell others about God so that they too may have peace
with Him rather than be alienated from His kingdom forever.
Blessed are the peacemakers The Greek word translated
peacemaker means one who loves peace. It refers to one who bravely declares God’s terms by which one becomes whole or at peace with God. This word is only used here in the New Testament. It does not mean one who is a pacifist. It does not refer to one who avoids all confrontations. It is not referring to those who have a laidback, easy going personality. To gain an insight into what the word means we look at a closely related word (also used only once in the New Testament). Colossians 1:20 says ” and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross”.
The Lord says that a characteristic of those who will enter His kingdom is that they share the good news of how to be at peace with God. Why is this a characteristic of one who inherits God’s kingdom? Because when one has seen God, His majesty, His power, His love, His goodness and His wrath on sin the child of God is compelled to share the message of great forgiveness with others.
What can we learn? Peacemakers describe servants of God who are at peace with God through the shed blood of Jesus Christ but who are also at peace with themselves. They are not living in sin, it is repented of and confessed. Their relationship is open and vibrant with God, their fellowship unmarred by sin. It is a relationship based on love – their relationship with God is primary to them (unlike the church at Ephesus – Revelation 2:3). Second, they work to keep unity within the body of believers. Ephesians 4:3 says they “endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”. They are not contentious or argumentative but seek to show the love of Christ to others while staying true to the Word of God. Finally a peacemaker tells others how to find peace with God.
This includes both the message they bring to others (salvation through the shed blood of Jesus Christ) as well as the way
they present the message (nor argumentative but in love and compassion – as the Lord did). James 3:17 comments on
how the Gospel is to be presented. “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable”. Do you see the same sequence as in the Beatitudes? The message is first pure (unstained by sin) and then peaceable. If the truth of the word of God causes conflict, that cannot be avoided. The way we present the Gospel should never create conflict.
How important is this to God? “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things.” (Isaiah 52:7)