Blessed Are The Peacemakers

Human nature is contentious and proud,
An enemy always at war with God;
It must be restrained and never allowed
By believers to influence paths they trod!
Such control is step one for the peacemaker,
And it must continue throughout his life;
Next, win men from Satan the soul-taker,
To reduce God's troops lost in warring strife!
Winning the lost for God is making peace,
Not ending conflicts between the nations;
War between God and carnal men won't cease,
Till the whole Book of Life has salvation!
Not just peacemakers, but brothers, co-heirs,
And God's Sons, are those for whom Jesus cares*!

*Romans 7:13-17

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God." (Matthew 5:9)

Bloody wars between nations have erupted continually throughout the sordid history of man, and Jesus said in Matthew 24:6 they will continue until the end of time. The "peacemakers" that Jesus asks us to be in the Beatitudes are not diplomats that shuttle to and fro between warring nations, for God knows that permanent peace between nations of sinful men is not possible of achieving. The "war" that concerns God is that between human nature and Him; man is born with a truculent disposition containing stubborn pride, contentiousness, competitiveness, and aggression that induces conflict, not only between men, but against all the precepts of holiness. The "peace" that concerns God is only possible when the human nature of man after man is conquered and controlled, so that men's actions are those taught by Jesus---love, mercy, purity, meekness, humility, etc. One by one, as men are won to Jesus and each begins to restrain the sinful tendencies of his inherent nature, peace between God and man comes to pass, and the war will continue so long as any man follows his natural inclinations.

When a person accepts Jesus Christ as Lord, he receives salvation, but the war between him and his sinful nature is just beginning. Jesus said if anyone loves Him, he will follow His teachings. The moment you try to apply the first teaching, such as to turn the other cheek, your innate, stubborn pride flares up in anger against your offender---instead of forgiving him and turning the other cheek, you want to fight back---but that is what you must not do. It is continual war from that moment on, until you turn your rebellious nature completely around; keeping it there lasts your whole lifetime.

The battle between your will and your uncooperative sinful nature continues, but in Matthew 28:20 Jesus gives you His great commission, to go into all the world, teaching the gospel, winning souls, each one a bit of the peace that God has commanded you to make. Is it any wonder why the lost look at the saver with gimlet eyes, like, What makes you better than me? After all, the believer never completely gains control over sin---he is in continual battle (Read Romans 7 for Paul's account of his own battle with sin internally)---and he cannot say to the lost, Look at me. for all he is is a striggling sinner! However, each time a lurid daydream is eliminated from the believer's mind, a small bit of peace is achieved in the war between God and human nature; bit by bit, he conquers his enemy, until he becomes a real peacemaker and a son of God. Every soul won and admitted to heaven is a peacemaker and will be called a son of God.