Blessed Are The Peacemakers

The evil one wants war between nations, cities, peoples, within families, and between friends. True peace comes from above. Righteousness and peace go together.

The Italian scholar Francesco Petrarch (A.D. 1304-1374) said that the enemy of peace was sin with this comment,

The five great enemies to peace inhabit with us: avarice, ambition, envy, anger, and pride. If those enemies were to be banished, we should infallibly enjoy perpetual peace.

Peace-Seeking. So how do the followers of Jesus seek peace? There are at least four steps they can take.

First, we are to encourage those who are not at peace with one another. In Philippians 4, the Apostle Paul publicly encourages two women who were apparently at war with each other to live in peace with one another.

I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. (NASB) Phil. 4:2

While a public statement like that would not be welcomed in many cultures, Paul’s example reminds us that whenever we hear someone complaining or criticizing another person, we should challenge them to forgive and make peace with that person. When a follower of Jesus listens without taking action it means that he or she is not a peace seeker.

Second, we should appeal to others to forgive and accept those who have wronged them. Paul wrote a letter to Philemon. In that letter Paul encouraged Philemon to accept Onesimus. Onesimus was Philemon’s servant. Here is Paul’s request.

Peace seekers get involved and help restore peace. Peace seeking starts with those who believe in Jesus. They must forgive others first. All true peace starts with our forgiveness.

Third, the followers of Jesus might need to perform church discipline. The first step of what might have been a church discipline situation is given to us in 3 John.

I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church. (NASB) 3 John 9-10

Righteousness and peace did not exist in this church. This church leader was responsible for discord and unhappiness. He was in sin. Righteousness and peace go together. When peace does not exist, look for sin. The Apostle John warned this man that if he came, he (John) would deal with him. That is church discipline. The pattern for church discipline is given to us in Matthew 18:15-18.

The fourth step of church discipline follows if the person doe not repent. Sometimes a member of a church is in sin and will not stop. At that point, the only biblical option is to continue the process of church discipline as outlined in Matthew 18:15-18. The goal of church discipline is to restore a sinning follower of Jesus - to cause him or her to stop sinning. The goal is not punishment. Peace will follow if the individual repents and stops sinning.

Conclusion. Peace starts in a changed heart. It requires a spiritual birth, and that occurs only when one believes and submits to Jesus Christ. Then the Holy Spirit takes over one’s life and the spiritual fruit of peace starts to grow. Every follower of Jesus Christ is called to be a peace-seeker by encouraging others to make peace, to forgive, or by rebuking those who sin, and if necessary by following church disciplines.