Peace and Unity

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9).

Jesus is telling us that peace is a vital characteristic of kingdom living. Never are we justified in not making peace a priority. In fact, it is as valuable as any other principle or command taught in the New Testament. It is supposed to actually characterize who we are as the Lord’s body (John 13:35; Romans 12:18). Jesus did not say, “strive for peace unless others don’t.” Nor did He say “Do your best to be at peace until someone disagrees with you on a religious matter.” He didn’t say, “Sometimes we have to sacrifice peace for the sake of something higher.” He simply said that the peacemakers are called children of God.

Unfortunately peace does not exist in our world today. This is reality. We live in a society that has been unable to avoid conflicts, war, strife, violence, and even murder. Although it could always be worse, lack of peace and unity is inevitable in ours and many other countries today. This is why it becomes so essential for citizens living in God’s kingdom, those of us who have been called out by the Gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14), to fulfill our role as being the peculiar people God calls us to be (1 Peter 2:9).

There seems to be too many passages that instruct us to get along (despite differences) that just cannot be ignored. To name just a few, Romans is filled with this exhortation. James 4 addresses it. Paul calls for it in 1 Corinthians 1. Ironically, of all the problems the church in Corinth had, Paul still saw fit to acknowledge them as his brethren when he refers to them as “the church of God,” “sanctified,” and “saints.” Of course, I am not suggesting that problems and error are to be ignored, but what I am indicating is that Paul did not write them off and consider them no longer in a relationship with God either. Jesus even prayed for unity among us, adamantly (John 17).

I am not so naïve, as to think that 100% unity is going to exist at all times; even Jesus recognized this reality (Matthew 10:34-39). But could we do better? May peace and unity always prevail over division and dissension!

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore (Psalm 133:1-3).