PeaceMAKER or PeaceKEEPER part 1

As an introductory note, I submit to you that I am seeking God for conflict resolution, the operation of true love and the perfection of His peace in all relationships.  Here are some of my findings thus far.

 "How blessed are those who make peace!   For they will be called sons of God.”  

Matthew 5:9 (Complete Jewish Bible)

Our prime example for perfect human behavior is Jesus Christ.  In studying the life of Christ as written in the Bible we see the imprint of God himself, the exact representation of His being in all His glory, and we are called to be perfect as He is perfect.  However, as we consider various situations He dealt with, could we possibly imagine ourselves giving such answers (or refraining from answering) as He did and feel comfortable, or even correct, in doing so?  To Peter Jesus said “get thee behind me, Satan” (Matt 16:23).  Contrasting this example is Jesus appearance before Pilate in which He kept silent, as a lamb being led to slaughter (Matt 26:63).
 

      We can easily see that Jesus was not concerned about political correctness, but about pleasing the Father.   As we examine Jesus’ life more earnestly we see that He gave Himself fully to the purposes of God with the motive of completing the Father’s will in making peace between God and man.  Jesus destiny was to break the yoke of sin and reconcile man to God.  His entire being was intent on fulfilling God’s purposes and to this end every thought, word and deed he released on this earth was in God’s perfect will.  Reconciling Jesus method of peacemaking to today’s modern thinking can be difficult, but Jesus said in John 14:27 “ [My] peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you...”  Jesus great purpose was to make peace between God and man: to this end He is called “The Prince of Peace.” 

The word “make” is highlighted in the above paragraph because it is the word on which this entire study hinges.  Had Jesus come to earth to keep peace, the outcome would have been greatly different.   True peace comes out of resolving differences with the motive of restoration to the Father :  this is Jesus example and it should be ours.

 Peacemaking requires breaking through social norms with the love of God.  It requires putting self protection and preservation and justification aside and advancing the Kingdom of God in righteousness-not our own, but His!  Because the Kingdom of God is within us, we cannot have inner turmoil and live in peace with God and others.  This is where we come to a crossroads in every relationship and situation in life and we must make a decision in Christ that we will either make peace through God or keep peace through fear. 

Peace keeping involves guarding situations and relationships passively, sidestepping  the resolution of concerns to preserve the status quo and avoid what might be perceived as turmoil or upheaval.  Peace making involves bringing God’s love, truth, purpose and reconciliation into situations and relationships, thereby closing doors to misunderstanding and distrust.  The word “peacekeeper” in Matthew 5:9 is defined in Vincent Word Studies as “those who seek to bring men into harmony with each other.”  I would revise the definition to say “those who seek to bring men into harmony with God and each other.” 

Some aspects of making peace require God’s love to come in forthrightness, boldness and blatancy, while others require a gentle, guiding answer.  There is no possible way to compose a formula for making peace because this would remove the need for the Holy Spirit’s guidance from life.  Our dependency on God for regulating relationships is part of what separates us from a world that is lost.  God has called us to walk in righteousness, His way of doing things, and this can only be done through right relationship with Him.  Life on earth is ultimately about relationship with other people and we are instruments in His hands to bring people to reconciliation with God through relationships.

Do not misunderstand me to say that making peace is an excuse to be rude, unkind, controlling or manipulative.    Perhaps you have known persons who claim to seek peace but in reality want control.  Once again, this is a matter of motive: God’s peace is brought about with the motive of reconciliation to God and each other, so the true peace keeper desires to bring God’s way of doing things, God’s thoughts and ultimately God’s heart into every situation.  These are the people that will be called “children of God”, His offspring, following His example.  

As lengthy as this “introduction” may seem, it is the platform from which we must view peace.  Motives that do not line up with God’s purposes are produced out of self-centeredness.  True peace makers operate in Christ-centeredness - this takes the sting out of peacemaking in that the overriding theme becomes imparting the love and reconciliation of God.