Blessed are the Peacemakers
Yahweh is a God of peace (Rom 15:33; Phil 4:9; Heb 13:20), and Jesus Christ is the prince of peace (Is 9:6). God the Father sent God the Son to make peace with mankind (Lk 2:14), which has been at enmity with God since the fall from the Garden of Eden (Gen 3; Jas 4:4). Peace offerings in the Old Testament sacrificial system were types of Christ’s perfect mediation of peace (Num 10:10; Dt 27:7; 1 Chron 16:1; 2 Chron 33:16; Ezek 43:27; 45:15). The apostle Paul wrote, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 5:1).” Our faith is in the Prince of peace, who secured the blessing of permanent peace with God for us.
God the Father and God the Son have sent God the Spirit to speak peace to God’s people (Ps 85:8; Jn 14:26; 15:26). Faith comes by hearing God’s Word of peace (Rom 10:17). Preachers of peace have been sent to the sons of Israel (Acts 10:36) and to the Gentiles, who were far off (Eph 2:17). As God’s people, we are called to peace with God (1 Cor 7:15), and then to be messengers of peace (Is 52:7), bearing witness to the Gospel of peace (Eph 6:15). Jesus taught in His sermon on the Mount of Beatitudes, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called, ‘children of God’ (Mt 5:19).”
When an elect soul is dragged to Christ (Jn 6:44), receiving grace and faith to trust in Him (Eph 2:8–9), the new believer’s heart is changed. It is made peaceable. The heart of stone has been replaced with one of flesh (Ezek 36:26). It is as if the lion were to lie down with the lamb (Is 11:6–9). Royal children have an interest in keeping the peace for the sake of unity and stability of their inherited crowns. Christians receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Where is peace?
Conversion to Christ is a miracle working of the Holy Spirit (Jn 3:1–8; 1 Pet 1:3). Fearful captives to sin and Satan, while being set free from their slave master, are assured that the God of peace will soon crush Satan under their feet (Rom 16:20). Satan was the original peace breaker (Gen 3). The devil wishes to destroy the peace of Israel (Rev 12:3–5). His preachers present a false peace (Jer 14:13; Ezek 13:16). Their message is marked by confusion (1 Cor 14:33), “Peace, peace, but there is no peace (Jer 6:14).”
The adopted child of God has been given the pledge of peace, which is the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 1:22; 5:5). The promise of God is to sanctify the saint entirely (1 Thess 5:23), by means of the Spirit and the Word (Jn 6:63; Jn 17:17), which is God’s will for her (1 Thess 4:3). The child of God has blessed assurance of God’s permanent presence, for the God of love and peace will never leave nor forsake His children (2 Cor 13:11; Phil 4:9; Heb 13:5). The Spirit manifests spiritual fruit in the children of God (Gal 5:22–23). One fruit is peace. This is a peace given to the whole church, the Israel of God (Gal 6:16).
So, we have seen how the God of peace makes peace with His chosen people, giving them His peace, which makes them peaceable. Blessed are the children of God, who are peacemakers. Making peace means this gift of peace must extend to others, for we are ambassadors of peace for Christ, who is making peace through reconciliation of those who were His enemies (Rom 5:10; 2 Cor 5:20). The preacher proclaims Christ as King and calls out to Christ’s enemies with the terms of peace. Some refuse to repent from their allegiance to sin, while others experience an irresistible grace to trust the Lord Jesus (Acts 5:31; Phil 1:29).
The kingdom of God is a kingdom of peace (Rom 14:17). Just as Amasi was made to voice his peace with David before the son of Jesse would receive him (1 Chron 12:17–18), so people bear witness to Jesus as Lord, and receive His blood of the eternal covenant for peace (Heb 13:20). There is no peace for the wicked (Ps 57:21), who refuse to bow their knee to the Prince of peace (Is 9:6; 45:11; Rom 14:11).
Christ sends His people into the world to herald peace with God through Him (Acts 1:8; Mt 24:14; Mk 16:15). Grace and peace were always on the forefront of Paul’s communication with others (Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:3; 2 Cor 1:2; Gal 1:3; Eph 1:2; 6:23; Phil 1:2; Col 1:2; 1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:2; 1 Tim 1:2; 2 Tim 1:2; Tit 1:4; Phil 1:3).
Christians must not make peace with the world on its terms. The world promises the church peace if it will only compromise on truth. Sheep thrive in an environment of peace, but not the peace the world gives us. This is peace before the storm. Just as Jesus prayed for our peace (Jn 17), we must pray for wisdom to live peaceably with all men (Rom 12:18). The wisdom from above is peaceable (Jas 3:17), but there is a wisdom from the world, inspired by demons, enticing us to trade our birthright for pottage.
Christianity in America is following the pattern in Europe, where it is ever relegated to a smaller and smaller place in society. It is punished for operating outside of the acceptable boundaries set by secular atheists. Their hostility toward Christians is fierce, and they are on the offensive. Recent attempts in the Bible belt states, to protect Christians from sexual deviants, have failed for fear of reprisals. American Christians are quickly becoming defenseless sheep at the whims of wolves. The reason is we traded truth for peace. Instead of compromise, we must suffer as warriors, for we will have no peace with the god of this world, the prince of darkness (2 Cor 4:4).
Related to this has been the loss of peace within the church. Endless schisms, caused by the unraveling bond of peace, have left us scattered. Each schism steals resources from ourselves, as new church buildings pop up to accompany ones already experiencing miniscule use. How many recreation centers can the church build for the community before going bankrupt? Meanwhile, missionaries are being recalled from the field for lack of funds. We must examine ourselves and measure the cost of our peace breaking. It is Christ’s will, “be at peace with one another (Mk 9:50).” It is good for brothers to dwell in unity (Ps 133). If we are blessed as peacemakers, we must surely be cursed as peacebreakers.
What must we do, today, to find this unity in our churches? How can we live in peace with one another? First, we must all draw near to our Good Shepherd. He must lead us to good pastures, and we must trust Him to protect us. As we draw near to Him, we are drawing closer to one another. He encourages us to be kind to one another (Eph 4:32).
Second, we must stop running from pasture to pasture. Too many Christians are in search of the church of heaven on earth. Our relationships are ever-changing and forever shallow. We hinder our growth together because we are never really together. It takes time and investment in one another to grow in grace. Instead of making peace with others, too many Christians just move on instead of reconciling differences. Unless we pursue peace, we are denied grace. God has promised to give grace to the humble, but he resists the proud.
Third, when Jesus left His disciples, He left His peace with them, and He prayed for them. So much of the wrong within our churches could be remedied if we would come together in peace and pray together. The devil does not want us to pray, which is why it is imperative for us to pray.
How can we know one another’s hearts, if we cannot hear our brother or sister’s heart poured out before God in prayer. The disciples were right to ask Jesus to teach them to pray. What better to pray for than unity and peace? In this case, we are asking for the Spirit to lead us, while we all submit in humility, which is how we get grace.
Fourth, it is ironic how Pilate and Herod became friends in the common cause of destroying Christ, but Paul and Barnabas were divided in His service. Should we not pray for the Lord of the harvest to send us laborers to help in harvest? What good is the unemployed Christian? Some are overtaxed because of the fear of loss of power and position, while others sit dormant for lack of pastoral tending. Happy sheep have their proper place in the pasture, and they are peaceable in their shepherd’s care. Beware of the hireling who has an empire to build but who does not love the sheep, best demonstrated by His time spent with them (Ezek 34).
Finally, we must practice peace in our homes so we can learn to practice peace in our local churches. Unhappy Christians in church are often striving with something somewhere else. Left unchecked, the serenity façade portrayed on Sunday morning will eventually crumble. Fake Christianity produces fake Christians. Are marriages not under assault from the enemy? Have we not sacrificed our children to electronic demons? Is it not because we ourselves have succumbed to godless ideology? Is it wrong to presume why we are not at peace in the body of Christ?
Therefore, we must return to our first love. We must repent of our sins and our ways. We must confess we have become too much like the world. Christians boast, “We are in the world but not of the world.” With God as your witness, would you confess this to be true? Maybe we should make our first confession about our worldliness. We have made too much peace with the world. While ministering to the leper we have become lepers. We must be made clean through a thorough renewal of the Spirit and the Word. This must begin in our homes.
See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God (1 Jn 3:1). And if that is what we are, then should we not be blessed peacemakers? Peacemakers are poor in spirit, mournful of our state, yet gentle and merciful. This is not natural. It is the supernatural change of heart from filthy defilement to purity. The clean-up is on-going, so we must bear with one another.
Peace in our hearts is the gift of God Himself. His peace is collective within His body. When we are not at peace with members of His body, we are not at peace with His Spirit. Peace is paramount but never at the expense of truth. Our test: are you at peace with your brother or sister? If not, then you are not right with God. God fills His people with joy and peace (Rom 15:13), and this is a peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:7). Peace be with you.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
March 15, 2021
