It appears that I am getting used to a two-day break before picking up this task of sharing Rev. Sang Ho Bae's expository study on the Beatitudes. This time, he explores the meaning of the blessedness of the peacemakers.
Peace is the state of life that human beings most deeply long for, and Scripture says that the source of this peace is in God. When war, conflict, and family discord shake the heart, any success loses its meaning. Proverbs says that “to have peace with only a dry piece of bread” is better than strife in a house full of feasting, emphasizing that peace is a value that stands above material abundance. God is “the God of peace,” and where His rule comes, order and stability take their place. On the contrary, when sin enters, jealousy and strife arise, and the heart and the community fall into confusion. Therefore, peace is not a mere emotion but the order of life that flows from a right relationship with God.
Genesis 3 shows that the fundamental cause of discord lies in the destruction of the relationship with God. As a result of disobeying God, Adam shifted his responsibility onto Eve. Then Cain, when his relationship with God collapsed, eventually came to sin by killing his brother. All conflicts in human relationships ultimately arise from discord with God. Beneath them lie selfishness and self-centeredness. When one puts one’s own benefit first, conflict becomes inevitable. However, when one’s relationship with God is restored, the disposition of the heart is renewed, selfishness is laid down, and one’s gaze toward others becomes gentle. As a result, relationships are restored, life regains order, the community becomes healthy, and faith bears practical fruit.
Peace does not come about by itself. Paul said:
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Peace is an intentional choice and a continual effort. To live in peace, we need to be reminded of four basic truths:
First, the restoration of the relationship with God is the starting point of all peace. Jesus, through the cross, destroyed the enmity between God and humanity and made us children of God.
Second, one must lay down a self-centered attitude. Peace begins not with changing the other person but with the change of my own heart.
Third, courage is needed to approach first. Jesus commanded that one should go to a brother and reconcile even before offering worship (Matt. 5:23–24).
Fourth, because human relationships are like glass and easily broken, one must be careful with words and actions.
Jesus said:
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
This means that the act of making peace is not a condition for salvation but evidence that appears in those who have already become children of God. A peacemaker is not someone who avoids conflict but a mediating being who connects God and people, and people with one another. He imitates the mediating work of Jesus and reveals the truth of the gospel through his life.
If the first six beatitudes concern the state of the heart, the seventh beatitude emphasizes the fruit of faith revealed in action. Citizens of heaven sow love and peace, reject division and hatred, build up the community, heal wounds, and reveal the order of God’s kingdom on this earth.
Monica, the woman of faith and mother of Saint Augustine, was an outstanding example of one who brought peace to her home. By leading her fiery-tempered husband, her difficult mother-in-law, and even her wandering son into peace with God, she showed in reality what the life of a peacemaker is.
The birth of Jesus proclaimed “peace on earth,” and His cross accomplished peace between God and humanity. Therefore, Christians who follow in the Lord’s footsteps must devote themselves to the mission of making peace in this world. A life that sows peace in the home, in the church, in society, and in the world is a life that reveals the character of Jesus. The life of a peacemaker shows that he belongs to the kingdom of God.
Peace is a favorite theme these days, not only in social media but also in education. In social media like TikTok and YouTube, the message of peace becomes popular as a consequence of the current crisis in the dating field, as well as in marriage. It appears that there is an increasing hostility not only among the LGBT groups but even among those who adhere to the traditional, orthodox, or conservative views of gender. Hence, the message “no more chaos and drama, but peace” is a popular mantra among men these days.
In the field of education, Nicholas Wolterstorff, one of the front-line American philosophers and theologians within the Reformed epistemology movement, advocates a shalom model of education. He believes that in this model of education, justice is its foundation, but it must not stop there. It must go beyond justice. The goal is restoration of a holistic relationship to God, to one’s self, to fellow human beings, and to nature. Shalom is the biblical term for this goal. In this holistic restoration of relationship, the most important component is delight.
