The peacemakers shall becalled the sons of God.

[Kolibri]

I'm really confused. I thought Christians believe that all humans are the sons of God!

Some may teach that. The understanding though is that Adam left the family when he sinned. So we need to be adopted back into it.

(Romans 8:15, 23; 9:4; Galatians 4:5) - For Christ's brothers
(Acts 24:15; Revelation 20:5a) - For the rest of obedient mankind.

 

[Thief]

I'm really confused. I thought Christians believe that all humans are the sons of God!

I have said repeatedly, over the past six years I've been here.....
In recital of the Lord's Prayer....you declare yourself a son of God.

Heaven hears it.....so too the devil.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

The "Beatitudes" Give us a general hint about God's path for the universe.
God seems to work through us alone on earth.
we are his Eyes his Hands his Feet and only way of achieving his desires.
The "Beatitudes" and the teachings of Jesus, shows us the sort of people we must become to achieve this.

In every generation there are surprising few of us who fit this bill.
Most of us spend more of our lives helping ourselves, rather than doing God's work.

When you consider the present state of the world against the Ideals of the "Beatitudes" and his teachings, we are doing a very slow and not very good job of it.

Some entire religions and peoples entirely reject the Ideas represented by it.

However time and space is infinite and maybe mankind will never achieve that goal, and it will be left to some other species in the universe to complete his work.

 

[Zulk-Dharma]

I read the verse in that it declares that peacemakers are to be - figuratively - called for sons of God.

"Sons" here is used in the same way as "Servant."

Jesus was a peacemaker, therefore he was a son of God. However, only figuratively speaking; not literally.

 

[ChristineES]

Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons (children) of God"

Guys, I have been wrestling with this scripture for several years now and I would consider input from you all helpful, no matter what that input might be.

What does this scripture mean to you, if anything? And if it does mean something, then "What is the why and how of it?" I am having trouble understanding how anyone could possibly be a peacemaker in today'world. Everything in today's world is just way too fragmented. And if these peacemakers are going to be called the "sons (children) of God," then "What !?" How could that be possible? Debate is welcome and some "topic drift" is also welcome. Anybody?

When I think of peacemakers, the first person who comes to my head is Martin Luther King, Jr. MLK did a lot get the rights to people that did not have them and yet he did it peacefully: Passive resistance, it's called, and MLK learned it from Ghandi.
Of course, it may have meant people who actually make peace, who try to stop violence. A tiny example would be someone leaping in the middle of a schoolyard brawl, breaking up the fight, and then make the two shakes hands and make up with each other. Of course, it would be done on a larger scale.
I think, according to what Jesus said in that verse (from the beatitudes) means much more than that. There are people who spend their entire lives just trying to "get in the middle" of a fight and try to stop it. It's dangerous and fatal. Those kinds of people are heroes.

 

[Thief]

I read the verse in that it declares that peacemakers are to be - figuratively - called for sons of God.

"Sons" here is used in the same way as "Servant."

Jesus was a peacemaker, therefore he was a son of God. However, only figuratively speaking; not literally.

So you drew the line else where.....

Peace making might require the use of a sword.
Are you expecting Someone with a sword to come knocking at your door?
Would you let Him in?

 

[Thief]

There's a verse somewhere.....and from His mouth proceeds a double edged sword....

 

[Kolibri]

There's a verse somewhere.....and from His mouth proceeds a double edged sword....

Re 1:16; this however points to the time when he is no longer human. Re 19:15 ties the purpose of the sword to shepherding the nations with an iron rod as foretold in the second psalm. He is a Warrior King, as required, to buy peace for the righteous. He though left a model for us to follow in how he lived as a human - not with his responsibilities as a spirit.

 

[Thief]

Re 1:16; this however points to the time when he is no longer human. Re 19:15 ties the purpose of the sword to shepherding the nations with an iron rod as foretold in the second psalm. He is a Warrior King, as required, to buy peace for the righteous. He though left a model for us to follow in how he lived as a human - not with his responsibilities as a spirit.

Swords sever the living from the dead.
I got words for that iron rod.....

 

[mystic64]

Swords sever the living from the dead.
I got words for that iron rod.....

Maybe a mouth that is a double edged sword praises with one side and bites with the other? Most of true peacemaking is a psychological game. And the truly gifted troublemakers are also playing that same game . And truely gifted troublemakers never actually seem give you an reason to use a physical sword on them. Magogs and Gogs (gagas). A "magog" is a maker of "gogs". You are always up to your tush in "gogs" and good luck trying to find the "magog" that created them . But at the sametime it is all psychological programming. So, a good psychological programming virus can be the unmaking of a "gog". Solving terrorism is actually a hunt for the "magogs" and understanding the psychological program that they are using to create their "gog"s with. Because just physically fighting the "gogs" becomes an unending battle. Ah yes , the rider of the "pale" horse, is now in play!

 

[mystic64]

First I must say that your understanding of Torah is amiss. The Law always had and still has room for error. Yes, Torah is absolute in that it is the instructions HaShem gave for our lives- but HaShem built into Torah a way to return after we error. That is really what the "sin offering" was all about. It is not a sacrifice to placate HaShem, or pay for our sins and errors, it is part of the process of returning and repenting-teshuvah. And as no temple or priesthood is functioning now it is a part we can not follow completely but teshuvah is possible without sacrifice and offerings and always was.

Jer 7:22 For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:

But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. Hos 6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowing of God more than burnt offerings.
1Sa 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

No, Torah is not a guideline it is a plumb line, it is the ideal to which we work to attain just as Yeshua did. HaShem knew we would not always choose His way or even be certain what the right way was at times. But He has given us instructions on how to return when we have stepped off His path. Mercy and grace are not new to the NT HaShem is not concerned with us being perfect all the time but that we admit and learn from our errors, sins, transgressions, etc.. He wants us grow in obedience, and train ourselves so that our normative desire is to stop rebelling against Him (which is really what intentional sin is). HaShem recognizes that we can also unintentionally miss the mark and really is only asking that we admit it when we become aware of it and repent. Yes, He has given a system of making restitution when our intentional or unintentional sins harm others but He does not require recompense for Himself when we sin against Him- He requires repentance and return.

So if the spirit of the law is about "Forgive them Father for they know not what they do." then Torah also contains the spirit of the law as it always gave us the means to be forgiven.

You seem to be a moral, caring and compassionate person or at least you seem to desire to be. If this is true you are keeping Torah in ways that you do not recognize. You do not need a loophole unless you are unwilling to admit that you have ever missed the mark. I do not get that from you writing.

You do not need to be Jewish or even follow all the teachings of Judaism to be called a child of HaShem. But not everyone who enters the Kingdom of HaShem bears that particular title although I do believe all who do enter His Kingdom will at some time. It is according to what you do not who you are that makes one HaShem's child.

It is really a matter of choice--Deu 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

This post feels a little disjointed so I hope you can understand what I have tried to express.

Eileen, thank you for this information, it was very helpful.

 

[Kolibri]

I heard the statement yesterday that "corpses are peaceful." But they do not make peace. It is true. Passive inaction is a form of peace, but "being a peacemaker" requires forethought and action.

 

[Thief]

I heard the statement yesterday that "corpses are peaceful." But they do not make peace. It is true. Passive inaction is a form of peace, but "being a peacemaker" requires forethought and action.

What if the action dealt was simply obedience to Something Greater?

See yourself as an angel sent to perform a destruction.................

 

[JoStories]

Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons (children) of God"

Guys, I have been wrestling with this scripture for several years now and I would consider input from you all helpful, no matter what that input might be.

What does this scripture mean to you, if anything? And if it does mean something, then "What is the why and how of it?" I am having trouble understanding how anyone could possibly be a peacemaker in today'world. Everything in today's world is just way too fragmented. And if these peacemakers are going to be called the "sons (children) of God," then "What !?" How could that be possible? Debate is welcome and some "topic drift" is also welcome. Anybody?

First of all, I don't agree that one cannot be a peacemaker in today's world. Why can they not? Being against war is acting as a peacemaker. As for the verse, I see it as an allegory that we should embrace peace as that will bring us closer to God, however one names that concept. Rather than being considered a warmonger, one can act in the manner of trying to bring about peace. By their words, by their actions, by their very lives. I went overseas in the Viet Nam conflict to help save lived but I was totally against that war, and strongly so. That did not stop me, however, from wanting to take care of those who fought there. To me, that was trying to bring about peace.

 

[JoStories]

I heard the statement yesterday that "corpses are peaceful." But they do not make peace. It is true. Passive inaction is a form of peace, but "being a peacemaker" requires forethought and action.

Agreed. IMO, I act as a peacemaker every time I take action to stop or prevent elder abuse. Or any type of abuse. Or when I vote against those who wish us to continue in inane wars and such. That, IMO, is some ways to be a peacemaker.

 

[Thief]

On a spiritual level.....
I suspect the peace of heaven is guarded.

What of those who live to antagonize?
What of those who won't leave well enough alone?

If heaven is a place of peace.....I then suspect that peace is enforced.

This world?.....peace makers strain to gain a foothold.
You can do good things unto anyone.
Having spared them....do they then live in peace?

Seems in this life, you now sooner lay foundation, another crisis arises and the strife takes hold again.

 

[JoStories]

On a spiritual level.....
I suspect the peace of heaven is guarded.

What of those who live to antagonize?
What of those who won't leave well enough alone?

If heaven is a place of peace.....I then suspect that peace is enforced.

This world?.....peace makers strain to gain a foothold.
You can do good things unto anyone.
Having spared them....do they then live in peace?

Seems in this life, you now sooner lay foundation, another crisis arises and the strife takes hold again.

What you say is, unfortunately, all too true. I wish it were otherwise but alas, most of today's and even all of the worlds history is focused around violence. However, that, IMO, does not mean we stop trying to be peacemakers. One voice, added to another and so on, can make a difference. I hope for the day of world peace but I am also not naive enough to think it will happen within this life. Maybe the next....

 

[mystic64]

On a spiritual level.....
I suspect the peace of heaven is guarded.

What of those who live to antagonize?
What of those who won't leave well enough alone?

If heaven is a place of peace.....I then suspect that peace is enforced.

This world?.....peace makers strain to gain a foothold.
You can do good things unto anyone.
Having spared them....do they then live in peace?

Seems in this life, you now sooner lay foundation, another crisis arises and the strife takes hold again.

The wisdom of your post Thief is so awesome! If of course someone has actually experience some life !