Peacemakers Matthew 5:9: Blessed are the Peacemakers; for they shall be called children of God. Many years ago, I spent a week as camp counselor at one of our Nazarene Teen Summer Camps, where there were two brothers who hated each other. When they were getting into the van to come to the camp, one boy shoved the other boy into a van window and cracked both the window and the brother’s head. Just kidding—that kids head was too hard to crack. Unfortunately, the powers that be decided that he should be in my cabin, so I got to know my boy pretty well. He told of a few of the things that the two had done to each other over the years, and how their parents had to send one of them off to an aunt’s house to keep them apart. We were walking over to the ball field, and the brother’s cabin was coming back from the field. The moment they saw each other, they both ran at each other and started a knock down drag out fight. It took hard work to get the two boys apart. Summer camp is one of the very best places for wayward boys to be, for there was an altar call at campfire every night, and one night, both boys went to the altar and accepted Jesus into their hearts. What a change was brought about in the lives of those two boys. They met each other after the campfire, and believe it or not, they hugged each other. That night at the altar turned a ho-hum camp into a most wonderful experience with Jesus. I would like to share with you that Jesus is the Great Peacemaker. In First Corinthians 14:33 we read, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” When Jesus comes on the scene of our lives, one of the things that He brings is His peace. Jesus tells the story of a couple of lost things; a lost sheep, a lost coin, and what seems to be the story of a lost boy. You will recall that a younger brother was tired of the life he was living at home, so he asked his father to divide up their inheritance and give him the portion that was due him. Back in those days, the first born son would get about 90 to 95 per cent of the inheritance and the younger son would get about five. Any daughters would pretty much be sold off to the highest bidder through the dowry process. Anyway, the younger son took his 5 per cent inheritance and took off for the far country. While there, he wasted his money and soon was without. It kind of reminds me of that parable: “a fool and his money are soon parted.” So he had nothing to eat. This seems odd to me, because it was a father’s responsibility to teach his sons a trade so that they could make a living for themselves. But whatever, this boy was without and wanted to go home to his father’s house and even be a servant just in order to live. So he went home, and the father saw him coming and called for rings for his fingers and robes for him to wear, and ordered that the fatted calf be killed and a huge party be started, for the son who was lost had been found and returned to the family fold. The father noticed during the festivities that his oldest son was not at the party, and so he went out and looked for him. He found him out in the west 40 sulking like a little child. The father asks his son why he is missing all the fun, and the son whines and says, “You never gave me a calf to have a party with my friends, but you do it for this son of yours who gave you so much grief.” So, let’s understand what’s going on here. This son, who is getting 95% of his father’s inheritance, is jealous because his younger brother gets a party. Talk about selfish. The father says, “Everything I have is yours, but you just didn’t ask.” The father has to play the peacemaker between his two sons in order to bring them together, or the boy’s thoughts of being a servant in his father’s house will surely come true when the father is gone. I hope this has a happy ending, but there was more than one son who was lost and needed to be found. Way back in time, when our first parents were kicked out of the Garden of Eden, and Able and Cain went out to offer their sacrifices, Able offered the very best lamb in his flock of sheep, and Cain offered some of the stuff from his vineyards and gardens. The sacrifice that Able offered was accepted by God, but the sacrifice that Cain offered was rejected by God. Think about this for just a moment. What if there had been a peacemaker there with the men, and he had been able to talk with Cain about his sacrifice: “Cain, I know you’re feeling pretty beat down about your sacrifice, but perhaps if you will give Able some of your grapes and vegetables, he will give you one of his lambs, and you can offer another sacrifice to the Lord that He will accept. Think of all the tragedy and problems of this old world that would have been prevented. What this world needs are peacemakers. Men and Women who would somehow stand in the breach and just say, “Stop, stop for a minute. Let’s think a bit about this a minute. Instead of getting mad at each other, how about you make an effort to work this out. Blessed are the Peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God. That’s pretty cool, isn't it? But what if you turn it around like this: Unhappy are those who do not promote peace, for they will not be called the children of God. That’s probably not a good rendition, for a closer translation of “children of God” would be “Those who resemble God.” Those are the children of God who have the same spirit of peace that God has. God is the great author of Peace, and those who try to promote peace are like him, and are worthy to be called His children. I would like to share with you that being a peacemaker is for everybody. It doesn’t make any difference what kind of people skills you have or how outgoing or introverted you are, if you are in the presence of conflict, you have an opportunity to show the peace of God to try to help end the conflict. It’s our duty as the light of the world, the salt of the earth, to represent Jesus and bring peace into the conflict of others. When the Bible verse ends with: “They shall be called the sons of God,” it means that peacemakers are like God in their love for others in their pain and conflict. They are people who use their influence on others to end strife, conflict, and war. They are people who reconcile other parties and end hostilities in families and neighborhoods. Every person can do something of this sort; and no one is more like God than when he is bring peace into troubled circumstances. I am fairly sure that each and every one of us has an occasional opportunity to reconcile opposing parties and bring about peace the same way that Jesus brings peace into our hearts and lives. There is a lot that people can do if they put their minds to it. Simply being in the right place at the right time can give an opportunity to bring peace out of conflict. Some very long and destructive quarrels can be solved by a little bit of Godly peacemaking at the start. I have a feeling that being a peacemaker starts in our prayer life. We can ask God to give us both an opportunity to do this peacemaking part of His will and to also give us a spirit of love and concern so that we not only don’t take sides in a conflict, but we bring about a prayerful solution to the problems that are being faced in the conflict. Jesus said that if we ask “anything in my name, God will do it.” Asking to be a peacemaker would be in the very best traditions of God’s will, and He will grant your request and give you the grace and the wisdom to make a difference in the lives of those about you. What about in a larger realm, such as city, or state, or country. How does a Christian promote peace between entities over which he has no control? How could it be possible for me as a Christian to influence such things as enmity, say between Russia and the US? What can one person do to affect the great events of our time? This also must start at our time of prayer. We live in a representative democracy, and it is our obligation as citizens here for a while to make sure we send representatives to Washington who are as Godly as we can. We owe a debt to those who come after us to leave this world a better place for them than when we found it. Seek wisdom from God to do what is right for our city, state, and country. There is an old proverb that goes, “A journey of 1000 miles begins with one step.” How do you change the world? It is one step at a time. It is one prayer at a time, one friend at a time. If each person here brought peace to one other person, and then each of you and each of them brought peace to another person, and so on, and so on, it wouldn’t be long before peace would be breaking out all over the place. Troubled marriages could be healed and divorce prevented. Angry parents and children could find peacefulness in their relationship with each other. Hurt spirits could find peace and find happiness that they may have never before known. There is no end to the changes in the lives that Christians touch when we bring them the knowledge of God’s great peace. What do you think could possibly make God happier than to have his people bringing about peace wherever they go? The Bible talks about a peace that passes all understanding. We don’t have to understand all there is to know about God’s peace in order to have it. We don’t need to be theologians to share that peace with others. One last thought here, this verse does not refer to peaceful people. It’s not just peace within our own lives but it is peace we share with others that fulfills this verse. Jesus said, “My peace I leave with you.” Do the same with the people you come in contact with.

I have discovered two things that I now believe without a doubt. The first is that through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, all men have the opportunity to find Him as their savior, and become children of God, adopted into son-ship with Jesus, and be made part of the Vine that brings life. Jesus provided everything necessary for the salvation of man, but He didn’t save a single one. There is that rather pesky thing called ‘free will’ that keeps getting in the way of man’s salvation. Only those who hear the Word and through the grace of God CHOOSE to accept Jesus’ atoning grace can be saved. Once a person is saved, all of the promises of God are filled in him. He is Justified, Adopted, Cleansed of all sin, and become a child of God. The second thing I believe without a doubt is that there is more to the Christian life than just being saved. The bible says that without Holiness, no man shall see God. So how do we get this holiness that allows us to get to heaven when we so often are unholy? Through Jesus death and resurrection, when we accept Him as Savior, we are IMPUTED to be Holy. This means that we have Holiness, and the Holy Spirit is our comforter, our advocate, or friend closer than a brother. But this holiness seems to only be skin deep. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, we are considered to be holy. We are cleansed, we are purified, and we are truly made whole. When Adam and Eve were in the Garden, they were IMBUED with holiness. God placed part of His holiness within them, and they were truly holy. Every Old Testament promise, every work of Jesus had the purpose of making it possible for people to return to the type of Holiness that Adam and Eve had.

That was then, This is now.

I thought it would be prudent to show what the Scriptures tell us about Sanctification as the basis for our discussion. Here are listed the main Scriptural references to Sanctification:

1. Acts 2:1-4
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

Acts 4:26-31
2. “The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the Lord
and against his Anointed One. Indeed, Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”

Acts 8:16-17
3. “When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into[c] the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 9:16-18
4. “Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized.”

Acts 10:43-45
“All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.”

Acts 19:1-7
5 “While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when[a] you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?"

"John's baptism," they replied.

Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.”

What this Blog is about.

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, the Scriptures tell us that his face shown so brightly that he was forced to put a covering over his face because the Glory of God was reflected so brightly from his face that people were not able to look at him. I believe that Holiness is such an experience. It is so radiant that people who look upon the countenance of someone who truly has God's gracious gift of Holiness see such a shiningly lit face that it is somehow impossible to look upon them without fear and trembling and the God-given desire to be like that person.

I am not sure how much interest others might take in this subject, but it is truly scriptural, even demanded by God: "Without holiness, no man shall see God." This is a doctrine that has interested me for some years, and I have both deeply desired the experience, and studied it both in the Scriptures and in my studies. I am primarily writing this blog for my own information, and as a way to "work out my own" relationship with God and His Holiness. If you are here and reading any of these writings that follow, I would pray that God's blessings would be upon you as you share this journey with me.

I intend to take advantage of every good gift that God has available for his people. Both to help me live this life, and also to share this great doctrine with others.

Tim