9. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - How to make Peace

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9)

The natural inclination of man is self-importance and defensiveness of his own interests. He fights for what is rightfully his. That is why the whole world is now focused on human rights. Wars are fought and court cases are heard because man must defend his rights. In the Kingdom of God, it is completely different. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said if you do not forgive others, God won’t forgive you. He also taught that if a brother has anything against you, it is your duty to go and make it right with him.

These are the qualities of a peacemaker. A peacemaker is a person who desires peace and exercises and promotes forgiveness and communication in order to have peace. Usually, s/he lives a self-sacrificial life, regularly denying their own rights, views, and opinions for the sake of peace.

Our scripture states that such people will be called sons of God. Why? It is because God’s nature is peace and love. All Christians, or children of God, have to be peacemakers. Peacemaking should come naturally for them. Thinking in terms of family life, however, there is a distinction between a child and a son. A son is a child who takes responsibility, who has proved himself to be reliable. He cares more for the parents’ and others’ needs than for his own. Similarly, children of God are at different levels of peacemaking. Immature, young Christians may still be very self-centered, but as they grow in faith, the focus gradually shifts from self to the Lord and others. Then they take on peacemaking as an attribute. They are called sons of God.

A peacemaker is someone who does not gossip, does not hate, does not speak death and condemnation through being critical, but seeks and speaks peace and reconciliation into every situation, declaring the skill and advantage of being the least into every situation. A peacemaker should for example always find the good about a gossip victim and heap burning coals on the heads of the gossips (Romans 12:20) by reminding them of that good.

If you don’t do these things (making peace as mentioned above), are you a Christian? Yes, if you are born again, you are a Christian regardless of your sins (remember the previous beatitude), but you probably still are an immature child. However, a good son is like the Father. God desires peace and unity within His global church even more than the devil works to create division. It is up to each individual Christian to make peace instead of becoming part of the division. Our selfish nature prompts us first to look after our own interests, but our sonship with Father God prompts us to seek His interests: peace and unity.

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way.