(Part 7 of a series of 9 articles on the Beatitudes)
by Pastor Paul Wolff
Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9)
Chapters
What is Peace?
What is not peace?
God Loves Peace
Does God always want peace?
Who are Not Peacemakers?
Who are Sons of God?
The Benefits of being “Sons of God”
Who are not Sons of God?
Jesus is the Only Begotten Son of God who Adopts us into God’s family
Blessed are the Peacemakers
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| Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9 |
When the inventor of dynamite, Alfred Nobel, died in 1896, his will stipulated that his estate would be held in trust and that every year a portion would be given in five areas of intellectual achievement. The prize which usually receives the most attention is the Peace Prize, which was thought to be the most prestigious of the Nobel prizes for about a hundred years. Though, in recent years the blatantly political nature of the awarding of the Peace Prize (even without the recipient having done anything to encourage, or promote peace) has greatly diminished the prestige of the Prize (to the point of ridicule and disdain), yet the idea of rewarding people for promoting peace is a positive goal, and should be encouraged – wherever peacemaking is actually happening.
I have come to cherish real-life stories of peacemaking, cooperation, reconciliation and the like, because such events are a beautiful thing, and because they are so rare in the world. So much of the world seeks only to destroy, corrupt, tear down and otherwise cause chaos, that making peace is such a rare and beautiful thing. It is much easier to destroy than to build, and our sinful nature prefers chaos and destruction over peace. Also, as a Christian, I treasure peace over conflict because the Holy Scriptures show that God, Himself, greatly favors peace over conflict.
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| Isaiah proclaimed, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’”- Isaiah 52:7 |
This seventh Beatitude is somewhat different than the ones which preceded it because being a peacemaker does not always have a negative connotation. Yet, the world says that if you choose one side in a conflict then you will have one enemy (the opposite party in the conflict), but if you try to be a peacemaker, and seek to reconcile both sides, then you will have two enemies! Though, peacemakers are not despised by all people. Most people appreciate peace, and those who are able to resolve conflict and make peace are admired and blessed by those who benefit from peace.
We can see that God loves peace when we observe that the word “peace” is one of the most common words in the Bible, and it is always spoken of in a positive way, and its opposites are disparaged forbidden, or condemned. The name of the city that King David chose for his capital city, Jerusalem, has something to do with peace. The “-salem” in the name comes from the same root as the Hebrew word, “shalom,” meaning “peace.” The Biblical writers in ancient times pointed out the irony of this when Jerusalem was in conflict, or when conflict was foretold for the wicked inhabitants of Jerusalem.
In this Beatitude, Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God.” Here Jesus is emphasizing just what the prophet Isaiah proclaimed when he prophesied in Isaiah 52:7 “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” The peacemakers here are those who proclaim God’s Word to His people (like pastors and teachers). The ultimate good news is that we have peace with God through the forgiveness of our sins, which the Messiah would later win through the sacrifice of His life on the cross. Yet, for the Old Testament believers, they only had the foreshadowing of this in the Passover sacrifice of the lamb, and in the Atonement sacrifices which showed them that God would not punish them for their sins, but as Abraham told Isaac, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” (Genesis 22:8) This was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The Messiah is the substitute sacrifice for the sins of the people – the innocent who takes the place of the guilty so that they may be forgiven and live.
God, for His part, did not have to rescue us from our rebellion and sin. He set down a good law, and we, instead, all chose to break it and fall under God’s righteous condemnation. It was only out of God’s infinite mercy and love that He decided to rescue us from the punishment we deserved, by becoming incarnate as a man, and offering His innocent life in return for our guilty lives. That is how much God loves peace. Jesus Christ is the ultimate peacemaker because He came to reconcile mankind with God the Father. Sin makes us enemies of God so when Jesus took away the guilt of our sin we once again could be brought back into the family as God’s children through faith in Christ.
What is Peace?
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| The loving father forgave the prodigal son and welcomed him back into the family with great celebration. |
The Bible doesn’t usually define “peace”. It is most often assumed that the reader (or hearer) of the Bible knows what peace is. One place where peace may be defined is in Deuteronomy 11:13-15 where God tells the people, “If you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil. And he will give grass in your fields for your livestock, and you shall eat and be full.” God’s commands are, of course, the recipe for peace, though rebellious sinners fight against this idea – thereby causing conflict. The peaceful result of living by God’s commands are a prosperous and successful life and labor.
More often in the Scriptures peace is described by its opposite. “Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war!” (Psalm 120:6-7) Here the Psalmist describes war as the opposite of peace. He favors peace, but his neighbors prefer war. This is a common understanding of peace and its opposite throughout history, though peace is much more than simply a lack of war.
In the New Testament, St. Paul tells us “For (Christ) himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.” (Ephesians 2:14) The “hostility” which destroys our peace with God is our rebellious sinfulness. We cannot make peace ourselves, because once we are guilty of sin, then we are subject to punishment – and God, who is holy and righteous, must punish sin. However, Christ has reconciled us with God by being the obedient Son, thus fulfilling God’s commands, and by willingly taking the punishment (by suffering God’s wrath unto death) for our sins, thus fulfilling God’s justice. Because of Jesus, we are at peace with God through our faith and trust in Jesus for our forgiveness.
Another example can be found in the Psalms. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! ‘May they be secure who love you! Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!’ For my brothers and companions’ sake I will say, “Peace be within you!” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.” (Psalm 122:6-9) Here peace is related to security and safety within the walled city of Jerusalem. The peace here is not for the sake of the city as an abstract concept, but for those who live in Jerusalem because there is where God dwells in the tabernacle or temple (“the house of the Lord our God”) to bring forgiveness to His people. This Psalm begins by saying, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’” (v. 1) During the days of Jeremiah the residents of Jerusalem thought that God would never destroy Jerusalem because His temple was there. They thought they could do whatever they wanted because God lived there and would never allow His house to be destroyed. But God would not allow them to have peace when they disobeyed His commands and sought false gods which could not save them as He could (and did).
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| We have peace with God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. He gives us the blessings of His sacrifice in the Lord’s Supper. (“Mandatum” means “command” and “PAX” means “peace” in Latin) |
St. Paul wrote to the Roman Christians, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (Romans 12:18) Here is another example where the definition of peace is assumed, and living peaceably with all is encouraged among God’s people. This also notes, “so far as (peace) depends on you.” Sometimes peacefulness is beyond our control when others seek conflict, or desire to do things which necessarily destroy peaceful coexistence. St. Paul also encourages peacefulness as he closes his second letter to the Corinthians by saying, “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Corinthians 13:11) This also emphasizes that peace is favored by God, who is called “the God of love and peace.” This is something that is shown in Paul’s letter to the Galatians, where he writes, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22) Here peace and love are among the gifts that God the Holy Spirit gives to His people.
St. Paul further gives a recipe for peaceful living when he wrote, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:12-15) Forgiveness is at the heart of living at peace with God and with our neighbors on earth. With forgiveness comes the other things such as compassion, kindness, and the other things which contribute to peaceful living with others. The “peace of Christ” is the forgiveness which He won for us by His obedient life and His innocent suffering and death for our benefit. Because Jesus took the punishment for our sins (death), God’s wrath over our sins has been poured out on Jesus so that none remains, and we can be at peace with God through faith in Christ Jesus. If we are at peace with God, then we can truly be at peace, even if the whole world stands against us.
We also see encouragement of peace in the New Testament letter to the Hebrews which says, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14) Here peace and holiness are connected, though we must remember that true holiness cannot be achieved by sinners, but though we may strive to be holy, we can only achieve it if God sanctifies us and remakes us as holy people. He promises to do this, but until it is fulfilled, we must live by faith, trusting in Jesus for forgiveness and salvation.
There is so much more about peace in the Bible that I cannot relate here without writing a hundred page book, and this article is already long enough as it is. If you want more information then look for “peace” in a concordance or use a computer Bible program (or application) and use the “search” function to see all the ways that the Bible speaks of peace.
What is not peace?
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| There is a time for peace and a time for war. We should defend our neighbors from murderers and thieves, and God gives the rulers the power of the sword for peace and order, though ultimate vengeance belongs to God. |
Because we are sinful people living in a sinful world, and sinners recognize that peace is desired by all, scoundrels who want something other than peace often pretend to want peace, and they offer a counterfeit peace. Cessation of hostilities at the point of the sword may seem like peace, but that is superficial, and there may still be conflict just below the surface which can spring forth at any moment. In the same way, compromise with evil may seem like wisdom, but it just encourages evil, so, while there may be a temporary peace, it does not last, and evil destroys any hope of true peace.
St. James emphasizes this when he wrote, “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4) Again, we should remember that peace with God is found by living according to the Ten Commandments. Any transgression of God’s commandments will result in conflict with God and with others here on earth. People think they can outsmart God, but that is just the arrogance of ignorance. God’s ways are best for us in all things, and at all times.
There is a great example of this in a story found in 2 Kings 18-19 (and also in 2 Chronicles 32 and Isaiah 37). Soon after the Assyrians conquered the relentlessly idolatrous Kingdom of Israel in the North, they set their sights on the Kingdom of Judah and Jerusalem. After they besieged Jerusalem the spokesman (called the “Rabshakeh”) for the Assyrian King offered a solution which would not result in the death of many those who were besieged. He promised to take them to a land where they would have “peace” and plenty of food. Though he did not say it plainly, it was understood clearly that they would be taken there in bondage and live there as slaves, but it was otherwise a good faith offer of life instead of death in a besieged city or in a bloody battle against the most powerful nation in the world at the time. The spokesman for the Assyrian king was trying to tempt the people of Judah to make peace with him, rather than trusting in God to save them. He even boldly stated that their God could not save them. This was a great temptation because the Assyrians had already conquered many kingdoms including Israel, and was quite confident that Judah would be no great obstacle to him, too. Yet, God sent His prophet to the King of Judah telling him not to seek the worldly peace offered by the King of Assyria, but to trust in God to protect them and deliver them. God said He would protect Judah from the Assyrians, and the faithful people of Judah trusted in God (where Israel had not), and God delivered them from the might of the Assyrian army. God rescued Jerusalem and Judah by sending an angel into the camp of the Assyrian army at night who struck down 185,000 soldiers. Then the King of Assyria went back to Nineveh where two of his sons attacked him and killed him. This story shows that compromise with the world is not the way of true peace, but faithfulness to God is where true peace (and rescue from our enemies) may be found.
God does not make peace with sinners in the way that the world wants to make peace. God cannot ignore sin and evil. God cannot just turn a blind eye to sin and accept it as if it were not something deserving condemnation. God has to punish sin, and there is no peace with God as long as sin gets in the way. Our problem is that God has to punish us for our sin, and that punishment would destroy us. However, in His great wisdom and mercy, God found a way to satisfy His justice and make peace with us without destroying every last one of us.
God’s solution was to become incarnate as one of us. He was miraculously conceived and born of a sinful woman, yet without the inherited sin which plagues us all. He then lived a perfect life of obedience to God, the Father, and perfect love and service to His neighbors. In doing this, Jesus fulfilled God’s Law perfectly in our place, then He offered His life as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Jesus gave His life in exchange for your life, and He took the punishment which you deserved for your sins. God, the Father, accepted Jesus as a substitute for your life, and you were set free from your sins, and from all punishment. Your salvation became a gift through faith.
God Loves Peace
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| The dove with the olive branch returning to Noah is a sign of peace, and the rainbow is a sign of God’s mercy for sinners. |
If you are familiar with the story of Noah in Genesis 6-9, you might not think that God sending the worldwide flood to kill nearly all people on earth would show that God is a God of peace, but He uses this as an example much later in history when He tells the prophet, Isaiah, “‘This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, and will not rebuke you. For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” (Isaiah 54:9-10) God’s covenant with Noah was a “covenant of peace” that He would not again destroy all people on earth as He did in the flood, despite mankind’s continual wickedness. This does not mean that God approves of sin, or doesn’t care about it. It only means that He will withhold punishment for sin until the proper time, which gives sinners time to repent and turn to Jesus in faith for the forgiveness of their sins, so that they may be spared from the punishment. Isaiah was to call Judah to repentance so that they would not incur God’s wrath and have to endure His discipline.
Jesus not only lived a peaceful life (for His part), but He was very concerned about peace for the sake of the people He loved. St. Luke tells us, “And when (Jesus) drew near and saw the city (Jerusalem), he wept over it, saying, ‘Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.’” (Luke 19:41-44) Jesus wept over Jerusalem because they had chosen the way of the world instead God’s way. He was not weeping for Himself, because He knew that one way or another He would have to die to pay for the sins of the world so that all who believe in Him will be saved. Jesus was weeping here because He could foresee that many would reject Him and His salvation, and be lost in the judgment – first, the unbelieving Jews in the destruction of Jerusalem forty years later, and ultimately, all unbelievers in the final judgment on the last day. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross was to bring reconciliation and peace between God and men, and all who believe in Jesus as their savior receive full forgiveness and peace with God, but all who reject Jesus have rejected God, and His salvation.
Does God always want peace?
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| Jesus lived at peace with all people, young or old, rich or poor, powerful or weak, friends or enemies. And He died to save all, if they would have His salvation. |
There are the rare cases when God’s great patience has reached its end, and the time for peace is past. The prophet Jeremiah tells us what God told Him concerning the people of Judah in the days preceding the Babylonian conquest and captivity, “For thus says the Lord: Do not enter the house of mourning, or go to lament or grieve for them, for I have taken away my peace from this people, my steadfast love and mercy, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 16:5) In this case, God resolved to take peace away from those who should be God’s people, but have turned away from Him to do evil. God had sent several prophets to call His people to repent of their sins, but time after time the people rejected them and continued in their sin and idol worship. God was patient for a long time, but the time came when God’s patience ran out, and He disciplined His people harshly for their disobedience. God can let conflict and violence reign for a time to show disobedient people the consequences of their sin. The purpose of this is always that they would repent and return to God so that He may bless them and heal their wounds. Although, those whose hearts are set on evil will despise God for this, blaming Him for what they have brought on themselves.
Some critics of Christianity have claimed that Jesus advocated violence when He taught: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34) Yet, here Jesus was speaking of Spiritual strife which would come from unbelievers (see my next article on the eighth Beatitude where Jesus blesses those who are persecuted). Jesus explains this when He tells how members of a Christian’s family will become their enemies (Matthew 10:35-36). You should note that the Christian doesn’t become the enemy of his family members, but the family members become our enemies. We also see that Jesus discourages violence on the night when He is arrested when Peter draws a sword and cuts off the ear of the High Priest’s servant. Jesus rebukes Peter saying, “Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52) Then Jesus restores the wounded man’s ear and heals him completely (see Luke 22:51).
Who are Not Peacemakers?
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| Christ’s disciple Judas turned away from Jesus when his salvation was nearly accomplished, but he despaired and lost his forgiveness, peace, and salvation. |
Although the concept of peace is often defined by its opposite in the Bible, peacemakers are not so much defined by their opposite, but they are strongly contrasted. God has the prophet Isaiah proclaim, “‘There is no peace for the wicked,’ says the Lord.” (Isaiah 48:22) This follows from what we saw above where peace is defined by God’s commandments. Those who break God’s commandments are wicked, and their sin results in conflict and violence instead of peace.
Solomon observed, “A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech, winks with his eyes, signals with his feet, points with his finger, with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord; therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.” (Proverbs 6:12-15) Though King Solomon lived about three thousand years ago, His wisdom remains true for all to see it today. Those who are wicked destroy peace by their plots to do evil, and end up “sowing discord” rather than making peace.
King Solomon also gives many proverbs warning against those who promote wickedness instead of peace. Here are a few examples (a quick search will find many more). “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.” (Proverbs 10:11) “The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the mouth of the upright delivers them.” (Proverbs 12:6) “Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.” (Proverbs 4:14-17) “The violence of the wicked will sweep them away, because they refuse to do what is just.” (Proverbs 21:7) “The soul of the wicked desires evil; his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.” (Proverbs 21:10)
Solomon also observes, “The wicked accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the ways of justice.” (Proverbs 17:23) The result of this is discord and strife because it is not right. Where there is justice people can live in peace, but where there is injustice, then no one can feel safe. This is likely why in recent years there has been much talk about injustice, but there is much confusion, because what is called “justice” is, in truth, “injustice” and what is falsely called “injustice” is often exactly what is good, right, and just. Equality of opportunity is just and right because everyone has a fair chance to succeed and thrive – even when some may fail in their attempts, but an enforced equality of outcome is unjust because not everyone can succeed at the same thing equally well because of different talents, interests, skills, knowledge, etc. Some endeavors take experience to be mastered, and that takes work. No one should expect equality of outcome for such endeavors. Some will fail, but that is a part of life. Some who fail today will succeed and thrive tomorrow. Others will seek other endeavors which better suit their talents, and they may thrive at those.
The Psalmist in Psalm 27 (possibly David) prays that God would not only protect him from his enemies, but also to teach him God’s way so that he does not become like one of them. He prays, “Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence.” (Psalm 27:11-12) Here the false witnesses “breathe out violence.” This is not to say that words are the same as violence (as some say in these wicked days in the 21st century), but if false witnesses are believed then it could result in the death of innocent men. A good example of this is the story of King Ahab and Naboth in 1 Kings 21. Queen Jezebel hired false witnesses to speak against Naboth, and he was killed because of their testimony, and Ahab took possession of Naboth’s family vineyard, which Naboth would not sell to the King. Naboth was not a violent man, nor was he a threat to the King in any way, nor did he do anything wrong against the King, but the false testimony led to the killing of an innocent man.
Likewise, again, in the days of Jeremiah, the prophet proclaims God’s anger over false preachers. God says, “‘For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely. They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown,’ says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 6:13-15) Here, God is lamenting the fact that the false prophets are proclaiming peace, when God has called for repentance and, not seeing repentance, has decreed punishment and destruction. The false teaching has made the people secure in their sins, and has angered God to the point that He has His mind set on destruction instead of peace. God is patient, but there comes a time when He uses the Law to discipline sinners who mistake His patience for approval of their wicked deeds. What God means when He says, “They have healed the wound of my people lightly” is that the false prophets have not gotten to the cause of the problem (and removed it) so as to bring complete healing. The problem is sin. The treatment is contrition and repentance, and the healing comes through God’s mercy by the forgiveness of sins. The false prophets have given the people the equivalent to a “placebo” which makes them feel better for a short time, while the cancer of sin and idolatry is still eating away at them, and causing God’s anger to burn against them, until He finally has had enough, and sent the Babylonians to conquer Judah, destroy Jerusalem, and take the few thousand survivors as captive slaves to Babylon.
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| Jesus taught Nicodemus how God the Holy Spirit gives us a new birth as God’s children, so that we may live at peace forever with God. |
Who are Sons of God?
The blessing that Jesus promises in the seventh Beatitude is that the peacemakers are blessed to be called “sons of God.” Later in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught, “I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” (Matthew 5:44-46) Those who love their enemies and pray for their persecutors truly are peacemakers. They are not only called “sons of God” but by doing exactly as God would do (and as Jesus did throughout His life) they are truly children of their heavenly Father. We should not make too much of the idea of “sons” over and against “daughters” here. This does not disparage or diminish women in any way. This has to do with the greater share of the inheritance going to the firstborn son. Jesus never said that the heavenly reward was any less for women, and several times praises the faithfulness and good works of some of the women He met. Likewise, the Apostles also praise faithful Christian women throughout the Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistles in the New Testament.
We can consider ourselves God’s children because when Jesus teaches His disciples to pray in Matthew 6:9 He tells them, “Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…’” If Jesus says that we can call upon God as “our father” then we truly are God’s children.
In Christ’s dialog with Nicodemus in John 3:3-8 Jesus teaches how we can be reborn as God’s children by the power of God the Holy Spirit working through Holy Baptism:
Jesus answered [Nicodemus], “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Here, Jesus shows how we come to be God’s beloved children. It is God the Holy Spirit who gives us a new birth through the water of Baptism by the power of His Word. Since we are reborn by the power of God in this way, then we are truly God’s children.
St. Paul explained how we become children of God when he wrote to the Christians in Ephesus “In love (God the Father) predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:4-5) This “adoption” comes through faith in Jesus Christ. We need to be “adopted” because our sin has separated us from God’s family, and we need Christ’s forgiveness to bring us back into the family. You should also note that these verses are yet another example of Holy Scripture noting that God’s “predestination” only works one way. God predestines us for salvation. Never does God predestine anyone for condemnation. If anyone is condemned, then that is because they have rejected God’s salvation in Jesus Christ. This doesn’t satisfy people’s desire for rationalism, but it is consistent throughout the Holy Scriptures. This doctrine also points us to Christ’s work to redeem us and adopt us as God’s children. This, too, is consistent with Christ’s teaching in the Beatitudes in Matthew 5.
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| Jesus Christ is the word of God made flesh for us and for our salvation. |
There is an interesting little passage in Psalm 82 where God gives His people this message, “I said, ‘You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.’” (Psalm 82:6-7) Jesus quotes this Psalm in answer to accusations that He is blaspheming when He said, “I and the Father are one.” The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came – and Scripture cannot be broken – do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?” (John 10:30-36) In this encounter with His rivals, Jesus points out the contradiction in the accusations against Him. He told them He was the Son of God, and they took offense at this, but Jesus pointed out that in Psalm 82 God called all His people “sons of the Most High” and even called them “gods” to their neighbors. This encounter also shows Jesus telling us that “Scripture cannot be broken” and we must receive Holy Scripture as God’s Word, lest we remove ourselves from God’s family.
Jesus also taught, “Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.” (Luke 6:35) Jesus again shows us that we should love our neighbors in a particular way, because God loves our neighbors, and us, and God is “kind to the ungrateful and the evil.” God is kind to the wicked, not because they are not wicked, nor because God is evil, but because God loves us all and sent Jesus to redeem all of us from our sin. As God’s children, then, we ought to reflect God’s love in all we do, as God told His people in the days of Moses, “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2) This is not to say that we can achieve holiness ourselves as sinners, but when we find that we cannot be holy as we ought, then we should repent and trust in God’s mercy through Jesus to forgive our sins and to restore us by His grace. We trust that, although we are not holy, that because God considers us His children, He will make us holy when the time is right (on the day of Resurrection).
In response to a hypothetical question which the Sadducees asked Jesus about how earthly marriage might affect our status in the Resurrection, He said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.” (Luke 20:34-36) In this response, Jesus says that we are “sons of God” because of the resurrection. Since all who believe in Jesus will rise in glory through the forgiveness we have in Christ, then we are “sons of God” who share in Christ’s glory by the gift of His grace (forgiveness). St. Paul also teaches this in Galatians 3:26 “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.” St. Paul also encourages Christians to: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2)
It is true that it isn’t all fun and games as God’s children. The New Testament letter to the Hebrews reminds us of this.
“And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
“It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:5-11)
Though we are God’s children who can expect eternal rewards (see below), yet, God disciplines us and tests us to keep us on the “straight and narrow path” and also to keep us from loving sin too much and falling to our destruction by rejecting Jesus as our Savior.
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| Sin brought judgment on people on the earth but God is merciful and has redeemed us through Jesus Christ and will bring us to His heavenly city. |
All that we have seen in this section also shows the answer to a long debated discussion about the meaning of “sons of God” in Genesis 6. Moses wrote: “When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. Then the Lord said, ‘My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.’ The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown. The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:1-5) There have been some (literally) unbelievable theories about this passage, such as angels or demons impregnating women. However the simple (and best) answer has always been that the “sons of God” are the faithful, believing descendants of Seth, and what happened was that they took wives from Cain’s descendants because they were beautiful, but eventually were led away from faith in God. Their increasing wickedness led to unbelief and violence – as it so often does. When people keep God’s word then they remain as His children, but when they turn away from God’s word then they are no longer considered God’s people. We even see this among the Israelites in the Old Testament. When they refused to repent and turn back to God, He sent Assyria to destroy them, and they are no more. God would have destroyed Judah also for their idolatry and disobedience, but He spared a small remnant to keep His promise to send the Messiah from among their people.
The Benefits of being “Sons of God”
The benefit of being “Sons of God” is the inheritance. Inheritance is given to the sons, and that is what the Holy Scriptures say will come to all who are God’s children through faith in Jesus. Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:34-36) Jesus has set us free from our sin and the punishment which is due to us because of our sin, and He has done this so that we may be reconciled with God and brought back into God’s family and share in the inheritance. In the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, Jesus tells what will happen on Judgment day when He greets His faithful brothers and sisters, and says, “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matthew 25:34)
St. Matthew relates a funny little incident between Jesus and Peter concerning the paying of taxes. “When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, ‘Does your teacher not pay the tax?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, ‘What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?’ And when he said, ‘From others,’ Jesus said to him, ‘Then the sons are free. However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.” (Matthew 17:24-27) Jesus again affirms the “sonship” of believers, but also shows that we ought to be good citizens on earth and pay our taxes “so as not to give offense.” Christians also do this in love to serve our neighbors as Christ has served us.
Jesus also tells us, “Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.” (Luke 6:35) Here we see again that we don’t do good to get the reward, but we do good because God has already promised us His reward and we want to please our gracious God and show His generosity to others, including our enemies – hoping that they will not be our enemies, but will repent and receive Christ’s forgiveness and salvation, and become our brothers and sisters. The assuredness of the reward can be seen in Matthew 20 in Christ’s Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard. There all the workers receive the same reward whether they worked the whole day or whether they only worked one hour. All who work for God are His children and receive their reward as an inheritance, not as payment for services rendered. We don’t work to get a reward. We have the reward because Jesus won it for us through His death on the cross. We work out of gratitude for the gracious generosity of God our Savior.
Who are not Sons of God?
Jesus tells us that not all will enter into God’s Kingdom as His beloved children. Those who reject God’s salvation in Jesus will not receive what God freely offers them. Jesus said to those who refused to believe in Him, “Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.” (Matthew 23:31) The Pharisees thought they were better than Jesus (and thus, better than God), and that was the same thinking that caused the unbelieving Israelites in the Old Testament to persecute and kill God’s prophets who came to set them on the right path of salvation. Even today, it is not enough for self-righteous people to denounce those who call them to true repentance, but they are compelled to violence and murder against those who would do them no greater harm than to show them that they are not as righteous as they would like others to believe.
Another time, Jesus responded to the insults that the Pharisees threw His way, saying, “And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.” (Matthew 12:27) I am unsure exactly how to read this, but there are only a couple of options. Either the Pharisees (likely those who were priests) did cast out demons, as was proper, then they were judging Jesus by a different standard. Or they did not cast out demons, when they should have, and let the people suffer at the control of demons which was worse by far, and they just had the self-righteous nerve to condemn Jesus for rescuing people from demonic torment. Both of these ways of reading this show that the Pharisees were not acting as “sons of God” but were working against God, despite attempts to appear holy and righteous in the sight of the people.
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| Christ has conquered death, and has brought life and salvation to all who believe in Him. |
Jesus is clear that the “Universalists” are false teachers, and not all will be saved. “Someone said to (Jesus), “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ ” (Luke 13:23-25) When John’s Gospel tells us about Jesus as the Good Shepherd, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.” (John 10:14) When Jesus says He does not know the unbelievers, it isn’t because of any lack of knowledge on His part. He doesn’t know them because they have rejected Him and have removed themselves from His family and from any share in His reward. All who belong to God through faith in Jesus are known by Him and will not fail to receive even the least reward of God’s children in His heavenly Kingdom. Matthew’s Gospel relates much the same thing. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (Matthew 7:21-23)
Jesus is the Only Begotten Son of God who Adopts us into God’s family
As I mentioned above, our status as “sons of God” comes through our adoption into God’s family through faith in Jesus. Properly speaking, Jesus is the “Only Begotten Son of God” as He taught Nicodemus in John 3. Yet, because Jesus has paid the price for our sins through His innocent suffering and death on the cross, God the Holy Spirit gives us a new birth as God’s children through the miracle of Holy Baptism and the gift of faith in Jesus. Because God has made us His children, He gives us the inheritance of sons that we may share in His eternal gifts and give Him the praise and glory and thanks which He so richly deserves.
Blessed are the Peacemakers
If you are looking for peace in this world, you will not find it – not lasting peace. Only Jesus can give lasting peace which will endure forever, but none of us will see it completely fulfilled in this life, only in the life to come. However, we can have peace, even here and now, trusting that we have peace with God, the Father, through Jesus Christ His Son, our savior. Even while the world tempts us, derides us, even persecutes us, we have peace through faith in Jesus Christ our savior. Christ Jesus is your peace, and your salvation. Call upon the Lord for forgiveness, healing, comfort, and in all need. He will hear your voice. He has already won the battle, and has promised you the blessings of His victory. We still suffer here for a little while, but the victory has been won. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Other articles in this series:
Blessed are the Poor in Spirit
Blessed are Those who Mourn, For They Will be Comforted
Blessed are the Meek, for They Shall Inherit the Earth
Blessed are those who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness, for They Shall be Satisfied
Blessed are the Merciful, for They Shall Receive Mercy
Blessed are the Pure in Heart, for They Shall See God
Coming soon:
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
