“Blessed are the peacemakers,, for they will be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9).
The Bible makes a distinction between godly and carnal peacemaking. There are those who will make peace at any price, including the price of the truth and the Gospel. They seek to reconcile God and the world by selling out God. Some of the most visible “peacemakers” in Israel were the false prophets, who cried “Peace, peace,” when there was no peace (Jeremiah 6:14).
The peacemakers that receive the blessing of God are those who get to the root of animosity and bring authentic The peacemaker is a mediator who tries to bring two people, two groups, or two nations together.
I’ve done some work in the area of marriage counseling, and whenever I would speak to a wife, I would hear (from time to time), “Oh, you’re pro-husband.” On the other hand, when I would speak to the husband, I would often hear, “Oh, man, you’re pro-wife.” I was happy to hear those statements because it meant that I was communicating the wife’s concerns to the husband, and the husband’s concerns to the wife.
A mediator tends to be a lightning rod. Anytime you step between two people who are fighting you risk a broken nose because what happens inevitably when you step into the breach is that the hostility that had been directed against the other person is for a time directed against you. The peacemaker has to be prepared to take the flak that comes with being a mediator.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was the great Peacemaker, who reconciled God and humanity. On the cross, He was the target of concentrated human hostility against God. And on the cross, He became the God-ordained target of God’s unmitigated wrath against defiant humanity. As a result, He accomplished peace with God for us—not a guarded truce, but an everlasting peace. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
True peacemakers are called sons of God because the Son of God was the Supreme Peacemaker, who never compromised the truth of God, or negotiated the holiness of God, to attain peace. As Christians, we must never compromise truth, but we must always seek peace. Strive to maintain peace and truth in your circle of friends and contacts.
