REAL PEACEMAKERS

WEDNESDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2022

True peacemakers are those in Christ that can regulate their relations to the things and people around them, and bring others to the knowledge of Christ with the consciousness of their eternal good. If we are to be at rest, and live according to God's purpose for our lives, we will sincerely desire other people's relationship with God to be restored and made eternal.

Reference: James 3:18 New Living Translation (NLT) "And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness."

Deep in every peacemaker's heart is their craving for peace because peace is a great gain. Even furthermore, the effects of seed of peace are a harvest of righteousness. Isaiah 32:17 reads, "The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever" (NIV).

Jesus Christ Himself is known as the Prince of peace (see Isaiah 9:6 NIV). Because of the man's broken communion and relationship with the Father, Jesus came to pay the ultimate price, thereby resulting in man's peace with God, which involves the inward peace of soul in this present world, and eternal peace hereafter. To this effect, Romans 5:1-2 reads, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ..."(NIV). The atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross removed the barrier of sin from the way, because being a "perfect sacrifice", it justifies man from all sins by faith, which ensures that as anyone believes in Christ, they are made right with God, and by His righteousness, they obtain everlasting peace with God.

Just as the referenced verse says that those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness, Christ becomes for us, the ultimate and perfect example of a peacemaker, because no one can be in the most precious and important relationship in heaven and on earth, who is not perfectly justified by Christ's righteousness that yields eternal peace with God. Ephesians 2:14 says, "For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us" (NLT). In the same manner, we are expected to reconcile men to God according to 2 Corinthians 5:20 which reads: So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, "Come back to God!" (2 Corinthians 5:20 NLT).

Did you now get what it means for peacemakers to plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness? The real peacemakers are soul winners. As they plant seeds of peace by sharing the glorious gospel of Christ with the lost souls, they reap a harvest of righteousness, in the sense that when an unbelieving soul receives Christ, he is made righteous before God, denoting a vital union with God through faith in Christ. That way, the soul winner reaps a harvest of righteousness, because a new birth has taken place, and therefore, they will not only get the benefit of Christ's atonement, but also share in a lasting influence of men's peace, by their living faith in the Son of God.

To the same blessed effects, I urge you, my fellow born again Christian, to continue to believe in Christ, keep professing your faith and holding fast the profession of the Lord in your world. This is because, people who are both far and near, will surely embrace the Gospel truth as they hear your faith proclamations, and also believe in Jesus' name for their salvation, righteousness, everlasting peace and eternal life. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Isaiah 27:5; Job 22:21; 2 Corinthians 5:18; Ephesians 2:15-16; Colossians 1:19-20.

Exuberant Declaration: I have a great delight in peace-making because it heals, quickens, and comforts the souls of men. By sharing the Gospel of divine peace with others, they are delivered from the bondage of sin, the evil influences of this world, and wicked powers, thereby finding strength from faith to faith in Christ. Through the assurance of faith in the gospel, I have a witness within my spirit that as I plant the seeds of peace, I will continually reap a harvest of righteousness as men believe in the leading truths of the gospel. Hallelujah!