Shalom (Peace/Peacemakers)

[st_worm2]

Peace as God sees it is far more than the absence of something, it is the presence of something. And I would hasten to add that in a biblical way, peace is not the absence of conflict as much as it is the presence of righteousness that causes right relationships.

Peace is not just stopping the war; peace is creating the righteousness that brings the two parties together in love. When a Jew says to another Jew, “Shalom,” which is the word for peace, he doesn’t mean “May you have no wars, may you have no conflict,” he means “I desire for you all the righteousness that God can give, all the goodness that God can give.” Shalom means “God’s highest good for you.” It’s a creative force for goodness.

So, if we are to be peacemakers, we do not only stop the war, we replace it with the righteousness of God. We replace it with all the goodness of God. Peacemakers are those who not only call a truce but a real peace where all is forgotten, and they embrace one another. It is an aggressive good. What I’m trying to say is that peace is not creating a vacuum. Peace/Shalom is, again, not creating the absence of something, but the presence of something.

~The complete sermon on Matthew 5:9 , "Happy Are The Peacemakers", by Dr. John MacArthur, can be read and/or listened to for free here.

Thoughts about "Shalom" (peace/peacemakers)

God bless you!!

--David

Psalm 85
10 Lovingkindness and truth have met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
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