Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God (Matthew 5:9).
When we believed in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we became children of God. This is the standard given for salvation (see John 1:12; Acts 1:12; Romans 10:9). Therefore, the opening Scripture (Matthew 5:9) is not saying that you need to establish peace between arguing/warring parties to be admitted into the family of God. Understanding the Jewish culture of “sonship” will help throw more light on this Scripture. In a traditional Jewish setting, when a young man comes into a place of maturity, he is “adopted” by his father as a son. With his position or adoption as a son, he is seen as one full of age, a viable representative of his father and one able to transact business on his behalf. We can see this also in Galatians 4:1-2: Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father”. In Matthew 5:9, we are given the key to moving into our position as sons of God: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons [Greek: huious: also emphasizes the likeness of the believer to the Heavenly Father, resembling His character more and more…” (HELPS-Word Stud)] of God”. Our growth to becoming matured children of God requires that we become peacemakers.
Our task as peacemakers involves bringing about peace, chiefly reconciling adversaries. The one who sows discord among brethren is included in the things God hates (Proverbs 6:19). Therefore, if we are wise we will refrain from doing so, but rather make every effort to “follow the things that make for peace” (Romans 14:9). Even so, we cannot be effective peacemakers if we do not have peace ourselves. We simply cannot give what we do not have. Therefore the Holy Spirit, through Paul, instructs us in this way: “The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:9). We are to make a practice of the things Jesus said and did, and all that the Scriptures teach. When we do, we just don’t attain unto a “peaceful state of mind” but the God of peace Himself comes to be with us. When He comes to us as peace, His peace saturates us. His peace becomes the environment within and around us so that we exude His peace in our world. When we have His peace, we will excel in our calling as peacemakers. Foundational to our task as peacemakers is our ministry of reconciliation: “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Cor 5:18-20). There couldn’t be better peacemakers than those who avail themselves to be used of God to reconcile the enemies of the cross back to Himself.
Those who give themselves to becoming peacemakers are called blessed by the Lord Jesus. They are those that grow to become matured sons and daughters of Christ. Those who have proven themselves worthy to be entrusted with much in the household of God.
Kwadwo Omari
© 2014