Blessed are...

Peace, or a Sword?

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9

Jesus once said that He had not come to bring peace, but a sword.[1] He went on to add that His coming would turn “a man against his father, a daughter against her mother… a man’s enemies will be members of his own household.”[2] Christ, the bringer of unity and peace, would be known as ‘the divider.’[3] How can this be? Should we follow His call to live as peacemakers, and so be blessed, or are we to expect division?

The answer is ‘both.’ As those who have been entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation,[4] we have a responsibility to seek to bind up that which is broken, to bring peace where there has only been enmity, suspicion, and division. However, nowhere do the Scriptures say that everyone will automatically react positively to this message. Some people enjoy their divisions, they are not really interested in peace. Others are so blinded by sin that they do not recognize the hand of God, or if they do they are so enamored of darkness that they continue to struggle against the light. In and of itself, the Gospel is a powerful force for peace, breaking down the barriers that divide us, giving us true unity in Christ. However, the coming of the Gospel can bring division. Just ask those who have made a conscious decision to convert to Christianity. They may know tremendous peace, internally, and may take very seriously the Christian’s need to participate in the divine work of peacemaking. But they may be hated by members of their family, rejected by their community. Despite their best intentions, their decision may have led, quite literally, not to peace but to a sword. Though they may be tempted, they should never exchange the peace of Christ for an end to their oppression. And neither should we. Without ever seeking conflict, it is our responsibility to pursue peace as we have come to know it in Christ, no matter how much it costs.


Sovereign God,
Keep me faithful to the truth that has captured my heart.
Set me free, by the blood of the Cross, from the enmity that divides.
Give me grace to speak Your reconciling word;
then give me strength to endure.
Through Christ my Lord.
Amen.

[1] Matthew 10:34
[2] Matthew 10:35-36
[3] Luke 21:51
[4] II Corinthians 5:18