Happy are the Peacemakers (Matthew 5:9)

1. Peace

Jesus said blessed are the peacemakers. What is peace? Peace is a lofty theme throughout the entire Bible. The Hebrew concept of shalom is a whole lot more than peace in the ordinary sense. It refers to completeness, not just the absence of conflict. When wishing someone "Shalom!" in Hebrew, people are referring to the completeness of someone's welfare and contentment. It includes peace with God and fellow human beings.

Paul wrote to the Colossian Christians that Jesus died to make peace with everything in heaven and earth (Colossians 1:20). The gospel is twice called the gospel of peace (Romans 10:15; Ephesians 6:15). Those who work for peace are the happiest of people and are promised the title of the children of God.

2. Peacemaking

Jesus said blessed are the peacemakers. What is peacemaking? In this life, there will always be inevitable conflict between those who are on God's side and those on the side of hatred and evil. Today's catch cry for tolerance is actually a hypocritical appeal. Those who reject moral perversions are not tolerated, while those who engage in them are. Peace at all costs is no peace at all. Just as good cannot have peace with evil, neither can morality have peace with immorality.

Extremists of all three great Abrahamic religions have been war makers not peace makers. Christian, Jewish and Islamic terrorists have taken up the sword in the name of heaven, believing they were pleasing God, when God calls us to be peacemakers. James teaches that war is not a consequence of right motives, but of a selfish desires (James 4:1). Although helping to stop a war is part of peacemaking, complete peacemaking includes reconciliation between peoples. What are we doing to reconcile conflicts between people?

3. Peace when Possible

When Jesus said blessed are the peacemakers, he did not promise that it is always possible. Within a society we must live and work with all kinds of people, even the most evil and perverse. While we cannot compromise with evil, we can seek to live as peaceably as is possible. The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans suggesting that they life peaceably with all men as much as is possible, and that is the key. It is not always possible (Romans 12:18). In the context, he gives a few suggestions.

Paul suggests that we bless those who persecute us. That is, when others hate us, we ought to still take positive steps towards peace, rather than seek vengeance. He also suggests that we take extra steps to build a reputation as honest people. Peacemakers overcome evil with good, not with more evil. A peacemaker then is someone who restores peace between people, or someone who works for peace. Jesus promises that peacemakers are happy.