Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
I say this often, but since it relates to this passage, I feel the need to say this again. The word ‘sons’ in this passage relates to position and not to gender. This passage uses similar language as Romans 8:14, which says that we are all adopted as sons and heirs of Christ. When the Bible speaks of heirs or our position in Christ, the word man (mankind) or son (heir) is used, but as Galatians 3:28 explains, there are no genders, social hierarchies, races, or any other divisions, but we are all one in Christ. Indeed, the Bible does have varying roles given to genders, but when it comes to our position in Christ, or our inheritance in Christ, we are all called sons because we are all part of the inheritance. In the culture of that time, sons inherited their father’s possessions. So, the Bible calls us all sons to indicate that we all are inheritors of God’s kingdom – regardless of gender.
In this passage in Matthew, those who are peacemakers are recognized as the children of God. When someone has a peaceful reaction in the face of hostility, it causes others to pause and wonder how. Someone who shows that kind of peace clearly is walking as a child of God. Our reaction during conflict reveals whether we are drawing from the Spirit, or from human nature. Anyone can react according to selfish human nature, but only a child of God can respond with grace when retaliation is justified.
The Bible says, “A soft answer turns away wrath,” but this is not our natural reaction. Look at Romans 12:14, 17–21
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
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17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
20 Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
There is a lot of instruction here, but it all fits into an overarching theme. A child of God lives from a different perspective as the world. Because we are standing by faith, we view everything through the lens of God working through us and for us. If I am wronged, I don’t have to fight for my way, for God restores above and beyond what anyone can take from me. This passage is quoting from Proverbs, which says the same thing, but with a promise that the Lord will reward those who obey this instruction.
The natural human way of thinking is to retaliate. My will says, “I’m not letting them get away with this,” and so we step in to avenge ourselves. There is an important instruction above – give place for wrath. In its context, this is clearly speaking of God’s wrath. We have a choice. We can block God out and give room for our own wrath, based on our flawed sense of justice, or we can step back and give God room to work.
How many news stories have you seen where someone overreacted to a wrong and ruined their lives? The most absurd example I have ever heard is that two friends got into an argument over a sewing needle. It escalated to the point of murder. How many lives were ruined because someone gave their human nature control over their anger? We see varying degrees of this in road rage, family fights, disagreements in stores, and any number of other examples. When two people can’t let go of their egos, conflicts continue to escalate. Human nature will destroy anything (including ourselves) to get back at a wrong, without any regard for consequences.
The other option is to step back and say, “This is God’s role. He will handle this according to His will.” We then can let go of a wrong knowing that God will deal with the person AND God will reward us when we trust Him. We also have to be willing to allow God to first show grace to them, just as He has shown grace to us. God will allow consequences to judge a wrongdoer, but He also wants to lead them into the same blessed life that we have, yet don’t deserve. We must not take it out of God’s hands. If we are avenging, we have pushed God aside, and we are in danger of our own consequences.
The child of God is commanded to take it a step further. Not only do we step back, but we also pursue peace and do good to those who wrong us. We are called to overcome evil with good. When someone wrongs us, that is evil working in them through selfish human nature. We overcome by letting go of our own self-willed ego, and allowing God to love them through us. That is when someone realizes that something is different about us. Doing good to an enemy is the opposite of human nature. The only conclusion is that we must be a child of God.
Even in the church, this is a constant struggle. Anyone who is walking in a way that lives for themselves will act selfishly and demanding. When someone willing to fight for selfishness meets someone who reacts from that same selfish nature, conflict is fed by both parties. This happens in church more than we’d like to admit.
Another part of being a peacemaker is to not only follow these principles when it affects us, but teaching others to shift their mindset from ‘not letting them get away with it,’ to “You need to shift your perspective, and put your trust in the Lord. Pursue peace and let God resolve what is wrong in their heart.”
This is a simple answer, but difficult to follow. It can only be applied through faith. If we are trusting in the Lord and looking to Him as our provider, then personal loss is not such a big threat. When the early church was being persecuted, the Bible says “They joyfully endured the plundering of their goods.” They endured with joy being mistreated, persecuted, and stolen from because they looked to the Lord as the true blessing. When they got through those hard times, they had a strong faith and a generous spirit.
As is often the case in the way of faith, we have two choices. We can do things our own way and grasp what little we can (even though it robs us of God’s best for us), or we can release ourselves in God’s hands, trusting in this promise: Blessed are the peacemakers. The blessed life is far better than grasping and fighting for things that have no true significance. Either I will react, or I can give God room to act. The one who trusts is the one who is blessed. They are walking as a child of God.
Eddie Snipes
August 2025