Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Today in our society more than ever we are noticing in increasing measures that disagreements are being expressed more openly and quickly evolving into anger, which often times are being expressed more violently. This increase can be attributed to many different reasons or circumstances that influence and contributes to this unfortunate outcome. More so than ever these disagreements are expressed, experienced and seen on numerous different formats.
One way that most of us have experienced this is with “Road Rage”. Webster’s Definition – “A motorist’s uncontrolled anger that is usually provoked by another motorist’s irritating act and is expressed in aggressive or violent behavior.”
6 Road Rage Statistics – February 11, 2021
- Road Rage is the leading cause of accidents. (Source: Safe Motorist)
- Eight in 10 drivers experience road rage. (Source: Brandongaille)
- Intentional tailgating is the most common kind of aggressive road rage behavior. (Source: Psychology Today)
- 44% of road rage cases are triggered by drivers who get cut off.
- 2% try to force an aggressor’s car off the road. (Source: Brandongaille)
- 37% of aggressive driving incidents involve a firearm. (AutoVantage Club).
Another common way where some of us have personally experienced or know of someone who has experienced verbally aggressive disagreements, is on social media such as Facebook. They are known as “Facebook Feuds”, or “Facebook Fights”. It has been said that, “Facebook is where you can become enemies with a complete stranger because they argue with you on a mutual friend’s comments.”
Blessed are the peacemakers,
Most of us have read Matthew 5:9 countless number of times, but when we read this portion of verse nine, do we really know what Jesus meant when He said peacemaker?
Vincent Says, “peace-makers;” Should be held to its literal meaning. Makers of peace are the “founders and promoters of peace; who not only keep the peace, but seek to bring people into harmony with each other. Tyndale renders it, “the maintainers of peace.”
Barclay tells us the following concerning peaacemakers. “The peace which the Bible calls blessed does not come from the evasion of issues; it comes from facing them, dealing with them, and conquering them. What this beatitude demands is not the passive acceptance of things because we are afraid of the trouble of doing anything about them, but the active facing of things, and the making of peace, even when the way to peace is through struggle.
When there are disagreements it is not only the person or the maker of peace that helps others resolve them and come into agreement, but also the one who is angrily in disagreement must also make the effort to control their anger before it escalates and is expressed violently.
Disagreements and arguments that turned violent is nothing new, the first one ever recorded is found in the Bible in Genesis 4:1-8.
4 Now Adam had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, “With the Lord’s help, I have produced a man!” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel. When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground. 3 When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought a gift—the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, 5 but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected. 6 “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? 7 You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” 8 One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him.
There are some important points we can learn about anger from this portion of scripture that we need to know before we can be the “peacemakers” Jesus is talking about.
First, God always knows how we feel, He knows when we are mad and the cause of our anger. He knows our emotions and thoughts which usually accompany anger. Verse 6, “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected?”.
Next, we see it is clear that Cain knew what was the right thing to do. Verse 7a, “You will be accepted if you do what is right.
Also, in verse 7, God made it very clear to Cain what he should do about his anger concerning his brother Able, “…you must subdue it and be its master.” This verse tells us that we can control and “subdue” our anger, but it is our decision if we are to “be its master” or have dominance over it. We also see in this verse, before Cain decided not to do the right thing, God gave him a warning with that choice, “But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out!”
Cain’s thoughts acted out caused by his uncontrolled anger was sin. Sin would be the result of Cain’s anger if he did not control it, “Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you.”
God also made very clear to Cain what would happen if he did not do anything about his anger. If Cain chose not to do the right thing and chose to do what was wrong, there would be consequences and we see this in verse 8, “Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him.”
What James tells us sums up everything that God told Cain about his anger, James 4:17, Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.
Also, what the apostle Paul tells the Ephesian believers also applies to what we can learn about anger in Genesis 4:1-8. Ephesians 4:26-27, 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
Being a peacemaker as a child of God who has subdued and is master of their anger has three common characteristics when a discussion or disagreement becomes heated. James 1:19-20, 19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be a) quick to listen, b) slow to speak and c) slow to become angry, 20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. We can also add that a peacemaker displays “the righteous life that God desires” when a discussion or disagreement becomes heated and their anger is not controlled.
We cannot be “peacemakers” if we are angry. To be a peacemaker is knowing what is right and not doing what is wrong. Also, we cannot be obedient to what Jesus teaches us if we are being controlled by our anger.
As God told Cain concerning his anger, “But you must subdue it and be its master.” Jesus teaches us what we are able to do when our anger is under control in Matthew 5:44-45. 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. The blessing or benefit of anger under control is being recognized as “sons of God”.
“…for they will be called sons of God.”
Our testimony which is the result of our peacemaking decisions and actions, is how we will be recognized by others.
Paul writing to the congregation in Rome gives us a very good example of a peacemaker’s actions. It is important to note what Paul tells us in verse 18, that sometimes we cannot be proactive as peacemakers in some situations, but we are always to try to take the initiative. In addition to this Paul brings out a very important point for us to understand concerning God’s sovereignty in a situation when we are experiencing a confrontation, we see this in verse 19. In verses 20 and 21 what Paul teaches about the peacemaker is contrary to what our culture most of the time believes when confronting a disagreement with another.
Romans 12:14-21, 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Even though Paul does not use the word “peacemakers” in this particular portion of his letter to the Ephesian believers below we can see the two aspects, first of what a Christian must NOT do which is contrary and counterproductive to a life of a peacemaker, and what is characteristic to what a peacemaker does.
Ephesians 4:29-32, 29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
The only other place in the New International Version of the Bible where the word “peacemakers” is found is in James, which tells us of another blessing that a peacemaker experiences because of their actions.
James 3:18
Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
Pastor John
