Blessed Are The Peacemakers

Peace is not just something God gives. It’s who He is.

Scripture repeatedly calls Him the God of peace:

• Romans 16:20 says, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”

• 1 Thessalonians 5:23 prays, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely.”

• Hebrews 13:20 describes Him as “the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant..."

  
  

God is not passive when it comes to peace—He actively makes peace. And if that’s who He is, it has everything to do with who we’re called to be.

How Did God Make Peace?

The ultimate act of peacemaking is found in the gospel. Colossians 1:20 tells us that God reconciled all things to Himself, “making peace by the blood of His cross.” And 2 Corinthians 5:19 says, "...in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them.”

In simple terms, God sought peace when we chose war. We rebelled, turned our backs on Him, and lived in opposition to His will. But instead of abandoning us, He pursued peace. Through Jesus, He reconciled us. He ended the confrontation between our sinful nature and His perfect, peaceful nature.

The entire plan of redemption reaches its climax at the cross—where God made peace between Himself and us, not by ignoring sin, but by paying its price through His Son. That’s not just something God did. It’s who He is.

Sons of God Have the Spirit of Peace

And if that’s who God is, then His children will reflect that nature.

Galatians 4:6 says, “Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” Romans 8:14 echoes this: “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

So how do we become sons of God? John 1:12 says, “To all who received Him, who believed in His name, He gave power to become children of God.” Galatians 3:26 adds, “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.”

Being a child of God isn’t about church attendance or spiritual background—it’s about trusting in Christ. But with that identity comes responsibility. If God is a peacemaker and we are His children, then we are called to carry His character. The Spirit He puts in us is a Spirit of peace. And if we are led by that Spirit, we will become peacemakers.

Peacemakers Are Called Sons of God

That’s why Jesus says in Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Peacemaking doesn’t earn you the title "son of God"—it reveals it. It shows who your Father is.

Later in the same chapter, Jesus explains what peacemaking looks like. In verses 43–45, He says:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.”

According to Jesus, peacemaking means more than staying out of conflict. It means loving your enemies, praying for your persecutors, and actively working to end hostility. It means following the example of our Father who loved us when we were enemies and brought us near.

A Simple Step Toward Peacemaking

Jesus gives us one especially practical way to begin: in Matthew 5:47, He says, “If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?”

This may seem small, but it’s often where peacemaking starts. Sometimes we go to great lengths to avoid people we don’t like. We might not be rude—we just won’t be nice. We might even justify it by saying, “I’m just keeping the peace.”

But avoiding someone isn’t peacemaking—it’s avoiding peacemaking. It keeps the wall in place instead of trying to break it down.

God didn’t just give us a nod from a distance—He gave His Son. If we’re His children, we can start with something as small as a hello. As John Piper put it, “Show as much courtesy as the enemy will tolerate.” That small step may not fix everything—but it opens the door to something greater.

Final Thoughts

If we are children of God, we carry His Spirit. And that Spirit leads us to peace—not just peace with God, but peace with others. It pushes us to reconcile, to forgive, to take the first step, and to love those who don’t love us back.

Peacemaking isn’t always easy—but it is a mark of who we belong to. It’s a reflection of our Father.

Start small.

Start sincerely.

Start with a hello.