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Blessed Are The
Peacemakers
Matthew 5:9
Our God is the God of peace
(1 Cor. 14:33; Php. 4:9; 1 Thess. 5:23). His Son is the Prince of
Peace (Isa. 9:6) and the Lord of peace (2 Thess. 3:16). The
apostles Peter, Paul and John included a blessing of peace in their
letters. Surely we too must be people of peace. But how can
we reconcile these truths with what Christ said in Matthew 10:34, “Do
not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to
bring peace, but a sword”?
To make
peace is to bring harmony between two parties. We typically think
in terms of peace between two people, or families or nations. We
do well to desire such peace even to pray for it. And, certainly,
given opportunity we ought to make every effort for peace with all men.
But Jesus knew the gospel would not bring world peace. In fact,
because of the nature of man, the gospel would in many cases bring
division. We must remember, however, that man is the cause of
division, never God.
There is
a peace that is accomplished through the gospel: peace between God and
man. This is the peace Jesus gives to all who will obey.
From the time of Adam’s sin there has been division between God and man.
Because He is holy, God cannot be in the presence of sin; because we are
sinners we cannot be in the presence of God. But Christ came and,
through His death, made peace between God and man. His blood
washes away our sins, first in baptism, and then continually as we walk
in the Light with Him (1 John 1:7).
Those who have found this
peace are truly blessed because they are the children of God. As
His children we ought to be peacemakers. We should desire peace
with all men: in our homes, our communities, our nation and our world.
We should promote peace among the brethren. But we must also seek
peace between God and man for such peace has the greatest virtue.
We can best help bring about this peace by teaching others the gospel of
Christ. When we proclaim the gospel to the lost we have a part in
their reunion with God.
Let us
always be peaceful. And let us be peacemakers. First
let us, through Christ, make our peace with God. Then let us do
all we can to make peace between God and our fellow man. When we
do these two things we too are the blessed children of the God of peace.
Thomas Sneed
Pond Church of Christ
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