Introduction: A Question of Fate
There is a wonderful song in the Christian repertoire1 describing a deep and very uncomfortable dialogue between the risen Jesus and the Apostle Peter. Jesus, who was abandoned by all the disciples in the darkest hour, and Peter had even denied Him three times, asks: “Peter, do you love Me?”.
It was incredibly difficult for Peter to answer. He had learned from his own experience how easily words diverge from deeds. In warmth and safety, he promised to follow the Teacher to death, but in the face of a real threat, he chose his own life. And yet, Peter answers: “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
Jesus asks this question today to each of us. But how can we prove our love for God, whom we do not see? The Apostle John gives a direct and harsh answer: “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar” (1 John 4:20).
Love for God is inextricably linked with how we treat people. And the seventh beatitude speaks precisely about this: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:9).
Constitution and Family Resemblance
We have already said that the Sermon on the Mount is the Constitution of the Kingdom of God. The Beatitudes describe the path of a Christian: from the recognition of spiritual poverty and mourning over sin to meekness, hunger for righteousness, mercy, and purity of heart. And now this internal process reaches its culmination in active action—peacemaking.
It is important to notice the second part of the commandment: “they shall be called sons of God.” Jesus is not talking here about how to become a son of God. We become children of God by faith, through adoption. He says that the sons of God are, by definition, peacemakers.
Children are often the “business card” of their family. By their behavior, manners, and words, people judge the parents. If we are children of the Heavenly Father, we must reflect His character. And our God is a God of peace. He performed the greatest peacemaking mission in the Universe, reconciling fallen humanity with Himself through the “blood of his cross” (Col. 1:20). To be a peacemaker is to show a family resemblance to the Creator.
Peacemaking vs. “Enforcement of Peace”
The word “peacemakers” today is often associated with military contingents in blue helmets. In a worldly context, peacemaking is the enforcement of peace by force, the de-escalation of conflict with the help of weapons and checkpoints. But biblical peacemaking is something completely different.
It is impossible to establish true peace by force. One can only temporarily “freeze” a conflict. The reason for wars and discords is not in politics or economics, but in the human heart. As G.K. Chesterton correctly answered the Times’ question about what is wrong with this world: “I am.” As long as the heart is affected by sin, hatred and selfishness will give birth to new conflicts under any pretexts.
Jesus was not a political reformer. He knew about the atrocities of Pilate, about the Roman occupation, about unfair taxes. But He almost did not comment on these “pressing issues.” Instead, He shifted the topic to personal repentance: “unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). Jesus came to fight not against Rome, but against sin in the human soul.
Biblical peacemaking is not pacifism or avoiding conflict at any cost. It is an active process of healing relationships through the Gospel.
Two Types of People
In our environment, two extreme types of people are often found. There are “conflict-prone” people. Wherever they appear, the level of tension instantly rises. They are always dissatisfied with something, everyone owes them something, they are masters at creating discords out of thin air. From such people comes the “smell” of quarrelsome behavior and selfishness.
But there is also another type—peacemakers. Near them, anger subsides, disputes end, and the soul becomes calm. One wants to be in their presence. They “smell” of God. From them emanates, in the words of the Apostle Paul, the “fragrance of the knowledge of Christ” (2 Cor. 2:14).
Which of them do we represent in our families, in church, in social networks? What fragrance do we spread?
The Practice of Peacemaking: The 4 G’s of Ken Sande
How can we practically fulfill this commandment in a world where conflicts are inevitable? After all, even in the church, according to Paul, “there must be factions.” Ken Sande, in his book “The Peacemaker,” offers four simple steps based on Scripture:
1. Glorify God
At the center of any conflict should be the question: “Which of my actions will best glorify God?”. We act as representatives of His family. Sometimes glorifying God means “overlooking an offense” and not noticing a small transgression. Sometimes it means “suffering loss” if the price of being right is too high for the church’s reputation. And sometimes it means going for a serious conversation for the sake of the brother’s soul.
2. Get the Beam Out of Your Own Eye
Jesus warned: “First take the log out of your own eye” (Matt. 7:5). Before accusing another, ask yourself: “What did I bring to this conflict? Where was I wrong?”. A peacemaker takes an active position in searching for his own fault, not someone else’s. Even if you are wrong only by 10%, start by admitting those ten percent.
3. Gently Restore
Peacemaking is not tolerance of sin. If a brother has sinned, it needs to be said. But the goal of the conversation is not to win the argument, not to punish or shame, but to restore the person.
A striking example is Abigail (1 Sam. 25). When David in a rage was going to kill her husband Nabal for the insult, Abigail went to meet him. She did not justify her husband’s folly, but she appealed to the best in David. She pointed out to him that the spilled blood would become a stain on his conscience when he became king. Her words, full of love and wisdom, stopped the bloodshed. This is peacemaking in action.
4. Go and Be Reconciled
Forgiveness is not amnesia. God, when He forgives us, does not “forget” our sins—He promises not to remember them against us anymore (Isa. 43:25). Reconciliation is an active refusal to use a past transgression as a weapon in the future. It is a full restoration of relationships.
Conclusion: A Difficult but Blessed Mission
Peacemaking is hard work. It often requires giving up one’s pride, rights, and comfort. A peacemaker sometimes has to “pay someone else’s bills” to maintain peace. This is unnatural for our fallen nature.
But that is precisely why peacemakers are called sons of God. They do what only God can do—overcome division with love.
God was reconciled with us when we were His enemies. He did not wait for us to ask for forgiveness—He took the first step forward, giving His Son. Today He calls us to go and do the same:
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)