Post #363186

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. -Matthew 5:9 If you are not part of God's family, then by no means will you be saved. This is to say, you must be *adopted* into His family. This does not happen by our own efforts, but by our spiritual poverty - that is, to receive our membership in the Kingdom of Heaven by grace alone. But how shall we know that a man is part of God's family? Hearing someone pay lip service to doctrinal platitudes is not sufficient. Anyone, even the devil himself, can tell make sounds with their mouths that sound Christian. But for someone to be *called* a son of God, for the inner man to be recognized by the outer self, requires them to be a peacemaker. Let us not be mistaken. Just because someone is cantankerous or crabby does not mean that he or she is damned. God calls you a son of God if you belong to Him by virtue of justifying faith, not some measure of sufficient peacefulness. But there is a point wherein love of conflict can become disloyalty to God, and we must be careful on that front. The man who thinks that every problem is solved by fighting and death risks his soul, if it becomes clear that what he *really* worships is strife. Nonetheless, the chief meaning to Christ's words here is that other people will recognize the peacemaker to be a son of God. Why is this the case? Because Jesus is the chief Peacemaker, and He is *The* Son of God. We worship Jesus because He made peace between God and men by submitting to Crucifixion. We recognize Christians by their willingness to maintain and establish peace if they can help it. It is worth noting that the world has always proclaimed the opposite. Pharaohs were called sons of their false gods as they waged war and took other people's captive. Caesar was declared a deity by the Romans by virtue of his conquests. The Aztecs worshipped their kings who bathed their lands in blood. Ancient Germanic pagans believed in "Valhalla," an eternal battlefield for their greatest warriors. Even when worldly men proclaim themselves pacifists, they excuse their favorite murderers. I'll have none of the nonsense objections we hear from Christians who bear a childish desire for violence. I can already hear their arguments - "God is a warrior!" "Jesus said He came to bring a sword!" "What about the Old Testament!?!!" All well and good, yes. But Christ says they will know you to be a son of God if you are a peacemaker, and so the Apostolic command is "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all" (Romans 12:18). Do not covet the fight. You can prepare all you want for inevitable conflicts, but do not start them and seek to prevent them. When they happen (and they will), try to end them amicably if you can. That is what it means to be a peacemaker. We don't need more widows and orphans. We don't need more rape victims or refugees. We don't need more ruined friendships or divorces. Blessed are the peacemakers.