In a world rife with conflict and animosities, the call to peacemaking stands as a profound challenge and a blessed endeavor. Jesus declares in Matthew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God," highlighting the divine value placed on those who strive for reconciliation. Peacemaking aims to reconcile groups or individuals at odds, requiring a wisdom that is pure and uncontaminated by carnal, self-centered human nature. This wisdom is peaceable, willing to yield, calming, gentle, and tranquil, reflecting the nature of God in the conduct of His children. The vocation of every Christian is to make peace primarily through personal character and conduct. As Paul advises in Romans 14:19, we must pursue the things that make for peace and edify one another, laying aside causes of contention to live in harmony. This involves turning our focus to major matters of salvation rather than minor irritations that disrupt unity. Peacemaking is not merely about mediating disputes but encompasses the entirety of how we live, ensuring our conduct produces no just cause for complaint, as urged in Romans 12:18 to live peaceably with all men as much as depends on us. Jesus, titled the Prince of Peace in Isaiah 9:6, exemplifies this broader understanding of peacemaking through His life, attitude, and character, not just through mediation. His model shows that peacemaking involves the godliness of the person, a package of attributes that passively avoids disruption and actively creates peace by drawing others to emulate such tranquility. Paul further instructs in Galatians 6:1 to restore others in a spirit of gentleness, considering our own vulnerabilities, thus fostering peace through humility and love. Peacemaking also extends to invoking God's mercy through prayer for the world, the church, and individuals in distress, as seen in biblical examples like Abraham praying for Sodom and Gomorrah, and Moses interceding for Israel. This sacrificial act of righteousness contributes to peace, even if the full impact of our prayers remains unseen in this life. The reward for such efforts is significant; peacemakers shall be called sons of God, reflecting His image and likeness, united in the spiritual body of Christ, manifesting His peaceable disposition to the church and the world. This high standard of peacemaking prepares us for a future role as active and authoritative peacemakers in the World Tomorrow when Christ returns. It is a worthy vocation, demanding our utmost effort to submit to God and seek His glorification through the way we live all of life.

Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God. The Greek term for peacemakers is a rare word that combines the idea of peace with making forming constructing or creating. Peacemakers disinterestedly come between contending parties to make peace and God calls them His sons because they are like Him. Jesus Christ is the Great Peacemaker and the Great Reconciler because He made peace through His sacrificial death and the shedding of His blood on the cross. He reconciled all things to Himself by this means and thereby produced peace with God that should produce peace with man. This reconciliation is so radical that it changes a person from one state to another profoundly different state at conversion. Jesus Christ is the focus and means of every called member's relationship with God and with each other so that peace with God produces peace with those who are also at peace with God. Members must put on His character to maintain harmony and peace with Him and with each other by following and growing in His trait of being a peacemaker. When members express this facet of divine character they identify themselves as His children because the divine family is a peacemaking family. God opposes separation and divorce because they create war and division rather than peace and unity. Members have been called to peace so they must strive to make and maintain peace especially in marriage even if the other spouse is an unbeliever. The wisdom from above is peaceable without ulterior motives sacrificial and outgoing and it produces harmony and mutual love that binds people together. Members must resist retaliation leave vengeance in God's hands do good to enemies and seek to build them up rather than tear them down. They must pursue peace with all people and holiness without which no one will see God. The Kingdom of God involves doing righteousness making peace with one another and bringing joy through the strength God gives by His Holy Spirit. Members must avoid quarreling over doubtful things and instead pursue peace and create reconciliation and unity. If members love their enemies and do good they make peace and reveal themselves to be sons and daughters of God.

Christians are to live differently from the world's ways, being ethical, humble, gentle, and loving toward all people, including those who despise God's laws. The apostle Paul admonishes living peaceably with all men, as much as depends on oneself. Contention produces disunity, and sin cannot yield godly peace or harmony. Relationships with people are linked to one's relationship with God; hating a brother while claiming to love God makes one a liar. Christians must avoid absorbing society's frantic, stressed characteristics and instead forbear with each other in love, enduring contention patiently while interacting humbly and righteously. Humility soothes and unifies, countering pride that breeds contention. A meek manner cultivates peace, such as using a soft answer to turn away wrath rather than harsh words that stir anger. Pursue things that make for peace and edify others, changing attitudes to exercise a spirit of peace. Depart from evil, do good, seek peace, and pursue it as a fixed goal. Christians should agree on major doctrines leading to salvation and goodheartedly disagree on minor matters while demonstrating love. Be longsuffering and encouraging, as God is patient with His people. Godly wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality or hypocrisy. The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. God aims to remove contention from His children during their preparation for the Kingdom. Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy, imitating Christ's peacemaking example. Christ came to guide feet into the way of peace.

Peacemaking arises as a response to the peace given by God and Jesus Christ. Though God supplies peace the believer must actively make peace rather than merely remain a good person. This active making of peace constitutes the righteous response to the divine gift and fulfills the instruction that the fruit of righteousness is sown in a state of peace by those who make peace. Jesus Christ determined to give peace and expected His people to become peacemakers once they received it. The beatitude on peace therefore highlights the peacemaker because only the dual effort of receiving peace and extending it both within oneself and toward others leads to becoming sons of God. Without peacemaking that outcome does not occur. God is a God of peace who maintains peace with Himself and works for peace in every relationship. As firstfruits the called must therefore grow into this same trait and become active peacemakers rather than mere recipients. All attributes from God including peace flow through the believer outward to others. God will not perform the entire work alone. The believer must reciprocate the gift of peace by making peace. When this environment exists with peace flowing from God through the believer to others God works more productively and growth toward the image of Jesus Christ advances rapidly. Jesus Christ Himself remained at peace with all including His enemies and responded to opposition with wisdom rather than anger or violent argument. The believer who has received the great gift of peace from Jesus Christ therefore bears responsibility to transmit that peace to others.