Matthew 5:9
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“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
So again, these blessing are for believers.
More specifically, these beatitudes describe what believers are to be in Christ.
Believers are those who are poor in spirit, those who mourn over their sin, those who are gentle meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, those who are merciful, those who are pure in heart.
And tonight, those who are peacemakers.
But first, we must answer a few questions.
What is biblical peace? Another way to ask this:What does it mean to have peace with God?
Who has peace with God?
Who doesn’t have peace with God?
What is biblical peace? Another way to ask this:What does it mean to have peace with God?
What is biblical peace? Another way to ask this:What does it mean to have peace with God?
First we must understand that we are not born possessing a peace that we lose.
There is a false belief out there that we are born spiritually neutral, but that is not what Scripture teaches.
We all are born with the innate desire to sin.
Listen to David.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.
We were born into sin.
We all possess a sin nature.
Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
By Nature, children of wrath. This is who we are at our core.
And because of that, we are born at odds with God.
God does not tolerate sin. His holiness will not allow that. Look at Romans 5:10
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
This verse tells us a whole lot.
He is speaking of believers so he is going to speak of their past, while proclaiming what he has done for them in their current condition.
So in their past, they we enemies of God.
That is what they were before God did something for them.
And here is where we find how we should define biblical peace.
Biblical peace is reconciliation with God.
Two parts to this.
Christ earns the Father’s favor through his righteous life.
Christ curbs the Father’s anger through his death.
Christ has made peace for us.
Paul says it even more clearly in Colossians 1:20
and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
So what is biblical peace?
Its the peace that comes through faith in Christ.
His blood is our peace. It covers our sin. And justifies us before the Holy Father.
So then, lets answer the second question.
Who has peace with God?
Those whom he in his grace has reconciled.
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
That’s pretty clear.
So who doesn’t have peace with God?
All those who remain in their sin. All those who have not believed and still cling to their sin.
Isaiah makes this clear--
“There is no peace for the wicked,” says the Lord.
Biblical peace then is peace with God.
So what does it mean to be a peacemaker?
I think this plays out in two ways.
I believe it carries with it the idea of being someone who is striving to evangelize the lost so that peace is made between them and God.
If someone is living apart from God, then they do not have peace.
Ultimately that is the peace that truly matters.
Paul commands us in Ephesians 6:15
and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
I believe a huge part of being a peacemaker in this world is being someone who share the Gospel of peace.
Many are trying other ways other that the Gospel in an attempt to bring peace in today’s world.
We live in a divided nation, but politics won’t fix it. Social Justice won’t fix it. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Gospel of Peace and it is the Only way man can have true peace with God, and until that happens, we can never expect to have peace with our fellow man.
What else does it mean? I believe it means that we are to be genuinely peaceful people. We strive to live at peace with people.
Peace is a fruit of the spirit.
Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
There should be peace within the body of Christ, and we should strive to live at peace with those outside the body of Christ.
Romans 12:18
If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.
So far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.
In other words, don’t let the divide be your fault. Strive to live at peace.
Be peaceful people.
Lastly, For Clarity, living peaceful doesn’t mean we give up our biblical and theological convictions.
Standing for truth sometimes means peace with men is not possible.
In other words, we must seek truth that leads to peace rather than seeking peace to the neglect of truth.
Paul said this very thing about the Corinthian Church.
1 Corinthians 11:18-19
For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you.
Sometimes division is necessary. Why? So that which is true may be revealed and those who are true might be revealed.
James 3:17
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
The first attribute of wisdom must be pure. Then Peaceable. Apart from purity, there is no peace.
In other words, we must be united, peaceful, but we must be united around truth. Avoiding division while embracing error will not bring peace.
Wisdom is first pure, then peacable.
To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. For, “The one who desires life, to love and see good days, Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. “He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it. “For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
God is a God of peace, and his children will look and act like him. We ought to be people of peace because our Father and our God is a God of peace.
Those who are peacemakers will be called the sons of God.
Let’s pray to be peaceful tonight.
