The church of God is a peacemaker.
Our world always has been and always will be full of violence, injustice, war and conflict. There are forces that turn people and groups against each other, manipulating them and taking advantage of conflicts.
The church has “its feet shod with the readiness of the gospel of peace” Ephesians 6.15. Jesus blesses those who, like him, promote peace: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God” Matthew 5.9.
Peace cannot exist when evil is tolerated. That’s why the proverb says: “People who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof promotes peace” Proverbs 10.10 NLT. The ERV understands clear reprimand as those who speak the truth openly. Acceptance of evil and tolerance of evildoers (including false teachers) do not guarantee peace.
The Lord God promotes peace, Isaiah 45.7; Ephesians 2.15, and that is why his people do the same, since they are his children, Matthew 5.9. Paul wrote: “So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another” Romans 14.19. This objective of not only giving peace a chance, as the Beatles sang, but actively working towards it, through the Word of forgiveness, is characteristic of God’s church.
In our hands is “the Good News of Peace.” It needs to be taken everywhere in the world. We have to lace up our shoes and go out announcing the peace that God offers. This requires readiness, willingness, preparation. “Put on your shoes so that you are ready to spread the Good News that gives peace” Ephesians 6.15 GW. This work is not for a few, but for all of us.
May you and I be the peacemaking church of God.
This article is translated from a series the editor is writing, in Brazilian Portuguese, for the website cristaos.org.
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