The Priority of Being a Peacemaker

Introduction: The Need for Sane Biblical Religion and the Elders' Retreat

0:01 The following message was delivered on Sunday morning, March 19, 1995, at the Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey. Now let us again bow in prayer and ask for God's special help illuminating our minds and by the Holy Spirit enabling me to accurately open up the Word of God. If any of you saw the report on Channel 7 this past week, I got only a little bit of it on some of the religious goings-on in America in our day. I trust you've come this morning with a fresh appreciation for sane biblical religion.

0:52 And for those who did not see the report, it was an account of some of the things going on in the name of evangelicalism and evangelical religion and even, even nonsense attributed to the Holy Spirit that has no relationship to the Spirit of Truth, who always works in human hearts by means of the truth, and who brings us not into irrational, unfounded gales of laughter, but who brings us into heart and life conformity to the truths and the norms of the Word of God. Written. And though it grieves us to see this nonsense, the one, to me, bright light is, it gives us all the more opportunity to manifest the difference between man-made religion and true, saving, biblical religion. Well, let us pray that God will then help us by the Spirit to understand and to receive in faith and obedience His own...

2:01 holy work, let us pray. Our Father, we thank you for all of the truths bound up in the hymn that we have just sung. And we thank you that our Lord Jesus said, though heaven and earth pass away, my word shall never pass away. And we remember that He constantly prays that we may be sanctified, not by gales of irrational laughter, not by someone waving a hand before us and knocking us to the floor but that we might be sanctified in the truth your word is truth and we therefore plead that by the Holy Spirit who gave this word you would now come and attend that word with power in its preaching and in its reception that all of us together may know the fresh impress of your holy truth upon the deepest recesses of our hearts may your word run and have free course and be glorified in this place this morning we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen

3:24 at our prayer meeting this past Wednesday it was my privilege to report to you the Lord's people some of the ways in which your elders were conscious of God's help in our recent elders retreat last weekend and one of the most important areas that we addressed in that retreat was the subject of the public preaching and teaching of the word of God though a text such as 1st Timothy 5 17 makes sense it is clear that in most instances there will be a division of labor among the elders with some of them in the midst of their rule laboring also in the word and in teaching those who thus labor in the word and in teaching are not to assume that they are to make unilateral decisions with respect to the direction of the public ministry of the word of God and it has been our practice from the very beginning beginning some 33 years ago to consult with the elders and those of us who have had a higher profile in public teaching and preaching, though at liberty from time to time, a sermon here or

4:50 there or a briefer series, to use our own sanctified discretion, those commitments to lengthy series of sermons which greatly influence the dynamics of the spiritual input to the life of this congregation, have always been series that, to one degree or another, have been launched with the conviction of the entire eldership that such a series would be in the best interest of the edification of God's people and also would constitute a framework within which the gospel could continually be freely preached to those whom the Lord might bring among us. And in our deliberations last weekend, there was a general consensus among the brethren, much of it coming out of the recent round of pastoral oversight visits, that there has been a grassroots yearning on the part of many of you to launch into the long process of the gospel. And I think that is a very important point. And I think that is a very important point. And I think that is a very important point. And I think that is a very important

5:58 point. And I think that is a very important point. And I think that is a very important point. And I think it's extremely performative and that I are very fortunate to be speaking in the long-awaited expositions of 1 Peter, and concurrent with that series of expositions, most likely the Old Testament character studies perhaps interspersed with a series of sermons on the Ten Commandments. Meanwhile, as I seek to do the kind of preparation necessary to launch into those two more lengthy series, there are several vital areas of pastoral and practical concern which were also raised at the elders' retreat and were judged to be matters that were worthy of our corporate consideration. And today, your attention will be directed to the subject

The Pervasive Spirit of Animosity in Society and the Church's Call to Peace

7:15 of being and seeking to be a promoter of peace, within the household of God. Being a maker and a promoter of peace, within the household of God. In a society increasingly marked by those attitudes, words, and actions which put men at one another's throats, a society in which men increasingly foment hatred among themselves, animosity, suspicion, and ill-will, and a general climate of in-your-face-ism is all I know to call it, from the shocking outcropping of constant fighting on basketball courts and on baseball fields when baseball was being played, to the disposition of the most popular rappers, to the kind of literature that is being written, and to the plethora, to the plethora of talk shows in which ugly, ill-willed,

8:32 mean-spirited confrontation is the very stuff on which millions feed day by day. Now, what I've said, dear people, is not the words of an alarmist. This is the reality of the climate of our society. And every day, every day, every day, every day, every day, every day, every day, every day, every day, everything that is antithetical and opposite to being a peacemaker is that which marks our own generation. And it is God's purpose that his people, called the city set on the hill, his people who are to constitute the new humanity in Christ, are to be, among many other things, an oasis of peace and concord and amity in a world that is marked by hatred, bitterness, and by discord. And so, for several messages, we're going to address together from the word of God this crucial subject, crucial because, as I say, we, as the new humanity in Christ,

The Prominence of Peacemaking: A Weightier Matter of Christ's Law

9:50 will increasingly be marked as those who are set apart and different as our society degenerates more and more into this pervasive spirit of animosity, suspicion, and ill will. We do well, then, to take up our Bibles and consider together the responsibility we have to be a maker and a promoter of peace. Particularly within the household of God. And this morning, it is my purpose to set before you just the first heading of our subject, and it is this. The prominence given to the duty of being a peacemaker within the Church of Christ. The prominence given to the duty of being a peacemaker within the Church of Christ. Now while the heart of every true child of God is inclined by grace to render obedience to the least of Christ's commandments, our Lord himself does speak of the relative importance of his precepts.

11:13 With the psalmist every believer says, I esteem all of thy precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate every false way. Yet within those precepts there is, according to the Lord Jesus, a relative importance. They are all important because they are his precepts. But we would not be reflecting the mind of Christ.

11:43 If we regarded them as all having equal weight in the estimation of God. For example, in Matthew 5 and verse 19. Matthew 5 and verse 19. At the outset of what we commonly identify as the Sermon on the Mount.

12:04 Jesus uses these words. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least. Commandments. And shall teach men so shall be called least in the kingdom of God.

12:22 But whosoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Here our Lord designates certain commandments as the least of his commandments. And he promises a peculiar blessing of standing in the kingdom of God. A person who has a conscience about the least of his commandments for himself.

12:48 He does them and for others he teaches them. But he does speak of the least of his commandments. And in Matthew chapter 23. In that scathing indictment of the Pharisees.

13:02 The Lord Jesus says in Matthew 23 and verse 23. Woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites. For you tithe mint and anise and cumin. And have left undone notice the weightier matters of the law.

13:24 It was God's law that they should tithe of the first fruits of all of their increase. Yes. But there was an even weightier or set of weightier commands. Which they were overlooking.

13:40 You have left undone. The weightier matters of the law. Justice and mercy and faith. But these you ought to have done.

13:51 And not to have left the other undone. But the point of the passage you see. Is that Jesus speaks of relative weight among his commandments. Some being weightier than others.

14:07 And then in Matthew 22 and verse 36. And one of them a lawyer asked him a question. Trying him teacher. Which is the great commandment in the law.

14:22 And he said unto him. You fool. All of God's commandments are God's commandments. And are equally important.

14:31 The question is illegitimate. No. The Lord takes the question at face value. When he asks.

14:39 Which is the great commandment. In the law. Standing head and shoulders above all others. Jesus answered.

14:49 You shall love the Lord your God. With all your heart. And with all your soul. And with all your mind.

14:56 This is the great and first commandment. Now I don't want to labor the point. I've given you the two or three necessary biblical witnesses. As we were reminded in the previous hour.

15:10 Scripture is its own infallible interpreter. And from the scriptures. We learn that there are. Precepts of God.

15:20 To which God assigns. Greater weight. Than to others. Now with that background.

15:28 Opening our new testaments. We ask this question. Is the matter of being a maker. And a promoter of peace.

15:38 A weighty. Matter of the law of Christ. Or is it a lesser. Or one of the least.

15:46 Of the commandments. Of Jesus Christ. Well I want to demonstrate. From the word of God.

15:54 That the prominence given to this duty. Puts it into the category. Of the weightier matters. Of the law of Christ.

16:03 For his people. So that as surely as it is Christ. Who through. The inspired writer says.

16:11 Forsake not the assembling. Of yourselves together. As the manner of some is. And it is that gracious command.

16:19 That lies behind your gathering. Here on the Lord's day. As surely as the scripture says. Let the word of Christ dwell in you.

16:27 Richly speaking one to another. In psalms and hymns. And spiritual songs. Singing and making melody in your heart.

16:35 To the Lord. And we have done that. Out of loving obedience to Christ. That among the many commandments.

16:42 Which are being expressed. By your being here this morning. The things in which you've engaged. That this.

16:50 Set of precepts. Regarding. Our being makers. And promoters of peace.

16:58 I want to demonstrate. Is among the weightier matters. Of the law of Christ. And we'll look together at six.

Pivotal Text 1: Matthew 5:9 – Blessed are the Peacemakers

17:06 Pivotal texts. In the New Testament. Staying in the book of Matthew. Going back to chapter five.

17:14 We begin with the place. Of being a peacemaker. In this opening section. That we commonly designate.

17:22 The Beatitudes. These statements of our Lord. That begin with the word. Blessed.

17:34 And they are not. A road map as to how. A person enters. The kingdom of God.

17:42 Or anyone who uses the Beatitudes. As a road map. Is going to end up. In spiritual disaster.

17:50 The Beatitudes do not. Answer the question. What must I do to be saved. Rather.

17:58 They are a composite picture. Of the spiritual. Character of all. Who have entered.

18:06 The kingdom. They do not answer directly. What must I do to be saved. Rather they answer the question.

18:14 What will I be like. If I am saved. You see the difference. Not what must I do to be saved.

18:22 The answer to that question is. Go out of yourself. And believe upon. The Lord Jesus Christ.

18:30 And thou shalt be saved. But if I ask the question. What will I be like. If I am indeed saved.

18:38 By faith in Jesus Christ. With a faith. That is not merely notional. Or emotional.

18:46 But is that faith of God's elect. Which has united me. To the son of God. In vital bonds of spiritual life.

18:54 What will I be like. Well the Beatitudes. Are an answer to that question. You will be poor in spirit.

19:02 You will be one who mourns. You will be meek. You will hunger and thirst for righteousness. You will be merciful.

19:10 You will be humble. And you will be in the midst of the world. But I am not the only one. Who will be one who will be meek.

19:19 Who will be meek and again. One who is not together with people. And will be opposed to God. For the grace and the love.

19:27 That God has bestowed upon you. It is one who will bring. The true peace. It is one who will bring.

19:35 Spoils to the world. And will bring. The good of the world. he highlights this feature.

19:45 They are peacemakers. Blessed are the peacemakers for they,

19:54 for they and they only, for they exclusively shall be called sons of God. And while there are multitudes who take upon themselves the name son of God, daughter of God, multitudes whom others may designate to be the sons and daughters of God, none shall own as his sons, but those who reflect his own gracious character and actings towards men as the great maker of peace, the one who through the work of his son, in the language of Colossians 1.20, has made peace through the blood of his cross, it is only those who reflect something of the disposition and character of their heavenly father who will indeed be designated and owned by God as his true sons. Blessed are the peacemakers. Now notice, just prior to that, the feature highlighted is heart purity. Those who have a single heart to please, then serve God.

21:12 The next beatitude describes all of the true sons and daughters of the kingdom as those whose lifestyle will so expose and provoke a wicked society that they will be persecuted for righteousness' sake, and to such is the kingdom in possession. So this peacemaking does not mean peace at any cost. Peace at the price of single-hearted devotion, to God, that's what purity of heart is. Peace at the price of compromising with a sinful society and its language and its mores and its goals and standards.

21:52 Oh no, no, no. You see, in the context, it is not a peacemaker at the expense of single-hearted devotion to God and unashamed commitment to a life of righteousness in a wicked society, which will even provoke the opposition of people within that society. But nonetheless, sandwiched in between those two other character traits is this indispensable character trait of every true son or daughter of the kingdom, he or she is a peacemaker. As one has so succinctly stated the sense of this beatitude, listen to these words, he who sent his son to make peace between God and man will acknowledge as his sons those who in the spirit of his son also make peace. If our Lord chose among the many character traits which are present in all of his two true children to highlight this one, then surely, a place of prominence has been given by our Lord to this duty of being a peacemaker

Pivotal Text 2: Mark 9:50 – Be at Peace with One Another

23:21 within the church of Christ. Now turn please to Mark chapter 9, to our second text, Mark chapter 9. Now the general setting of this text, Mark 9, 50, B or C, the last part of it, the last part of the verse, salt is good, but if the salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will you season it? Have salt within yourselves and be at peace with one another.

24:01 Be at peace with one another. And had we the time, but we don't, and at your leisure I would urge you to do so, the setting of that injunction is very significant. For there had first of all, in verse 33, been a disruption within the inner circle of the Lord's followers because they were disputing about who was going to be the chief honcho among them. We read in verse 34, they held their peace for they had disputed one with another on the way who was the greatest.

24:38 So the disciples had been disputing with one another about who would be the chief honcho, who would be the greatest. And then in the next incident that is brought before us, we find them with a narrow spirit with respect to someone who doesn't belong to their group but who is obviously doing the work of Christ. Verse 38, John said unto him, Teacher, we saw one casting out demons in your name and we forbade him because he followed not with us. And the Lord addresses that issue.

25:13 So in a setting in which we have disruption within the inner circle over a mortified ambition which is disturbing the peace of that inner circle of the Lord's followers, and then we have a disruption in a wider circle because of this sectarian bigoted spirit on the part of the disciples towards someone who was really of their fellowship in sympathy to Christ and in doing the work of Christ, our Lord gives this command at the end of his dealing with these two situations, be at peace among yourselves. Whatever would crop out in your relationship under the impulse of unmortified, unsanctified ambition, deal with it because it will be disruptive of your peace. And whatever would cause you in a narrow sectarian bigoted spirit not to recognize those who are truly doing my work out of love to me, though they may not be of your particular inner circle, deal with that narrow spirit that would be disruptive of the peace that ought to mark

26:37 not only the inner circle of the followers of Christ, but all of the followers of Christ. So our Lord here, in the use of a present imperative, is telling his disciples then and telling us now to continually be or live at peace one with another. It is a solemn duty which the Lord Jesus lays upon all of his followers. And then the third text, we move now into the epistles, into Romans chapter 12.

Pivotal Text 3: Romans 12:18 – Be at Peace with All Men

27:15 Those of you familiar with the basic structure of Romans will remember that in the first 12 chapters, though there is much that is practical and applicatory to life, it is densely doctrinal, it is an unfolding of the glorious gospel of the grace of God, man's need for that gospel, God's provision in Christ, a gospel that not only brings free justification by faith, but breaks the dominion of sin, brings us into the realm of the spirit, a gospel which God has mediated to the nations throughout history in his sovereign control of the nations, Romans 9 through 11. Then in chapter 12, there comes the section often called the practical or the applicatory section, and it too has many strands of rich doctrine, but it is dense in its concentration upon pastoral practical applications of the glorious doctrines expounded in the first 12 chapters. And so long as you understand that all of the doctrines of God are practical, and all of the practical issues have doctrinal feet and substance to them, and don't put these things in airtight, hermetically sealed categories,

28:43 it is right as you think your way through the book of Romans to think in that overall structure. Well, here in chapter 12, after the initial summons to a life of utter consecration to God as one who has been placed upon the altar in self-sacrifice to God, motivated by gratitude for his abundant mercy in Christ, the apostle does not assume that that disposition of utter joyful resignation of ourselves to God as a living sacrifice will automatically help us to know how we can please God in the nitty-gritty of all of our relationships towards the world and towards the people of God. And so several chapters follow in which one after another of very specific and practical issues are addressed by way of precepts. And here in Romans 12 and verse 18, in the midst of a list of duties which are primarily dealing, not exclusively, but primarily dealing with horizontal relationships, that is, how we get along with our kid brother and our older sister, how we get along with mom and dad, how we get along with our work associates, how we get along with one another in the household of God,

30:13 not exclusively, but it's a paragraph primarily focusing upon our horizontal relationships both within the family of God and toward the end of the chapter, toward those that are without. In the midst of that, we have verse 18. If it be possible as much as in you lies, be at peace with all men. Now here the apostle is a great realist.

30:47 He knows that there will be both in the world and alas at times in the church some who in the old English version are called implacable. You know what implacable means? You can't placate them. People so determined to be nasty, and so determined to be at odds with you, that the Archangel Michael attended by all of his entourage could come down out of heaven and lay out a case as to why you ought to change your disposition and your perspective on a given situation, and they couldn't persuade you.

31:26 You are determined to be at odds with someone. That's to be implacable. And there are such people and Paul recognizes that. He also recognizes that there are only certain boundaries which the interest of truth and righteousness will allow in a child of God.

31:46 So when he says as much as in you lies, he recognizes that out there there are some for whom nothing can be done to be at peace with them. And he also recognizes that within the true child of God it lies within him not to have peace if it means fellowship with error, not to have peace if it means dishonoring Christ. He knows enough of his Lord's words such as Matthew 10, 34 and following. Think not that I came to send peace on the earth.

32:20 I came not to send peace but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, the daughter against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man's foe shall be they of his own household. He that loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me. He that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

32:38 What is he saying? He is saying if attachment to me results in irreconcilable fissures and divisions even in the deepest human ties, so be it. I take all the responsibility on my back. I came not to send peace but a sword.

32:56 Paul knew. Paul understood that. And so he gives the qualifying statement if it be possible as much as in you lies as much as it lies within you you do all you can without sacrificing truth and righteousness be at peace with all men. And in the context while some of the preceding directives obviously apply exclusively to the household of faith it seems at this point he makes a transition into the wider circle of our relationship to those on the outside avenge not yourselves beloved but give place to the wrath of God for it is written vengeance belongs unto me I will recompense saith the Lord if your enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him to drink etc. So if the passage is saying if it be possible as much as in you lies be at peace with all men if I have an obligation within the constraints of the disposition of others and within the constraints of truth and righteousness and fidelity to Christ even to seek to be at peace with a godless hostile world

34:25 how much more within the family of God if with those with whom I have so little in common I am to make conscience of seeking to be an ameliorating influence in a society that I described in the introduction as increasingly marked by hostility and in your facism I am to seek to be at peace with all men when the person standing in line at the bank cuts his way in front of me I can do one of two things as much as in you lies live peaceably with all men he looks at me with a set jaw as if to say alright I've made my move you make yours you can do one of two things as much as in you lies live peaceably Please turn this cassette over to continue the message you can do one of two things as much as in you lies live peaceably Was he rude? Yes Was he uncouth? Yes Was he out of line? Yes What can you do?

35:42 What can you do? You can say hey buddy who do you think you are? Ah you've done just what he wants you given an occasion now to get start cussing at you You can say well sir it's obvious you must be in a real hurry glad to let you in would have been a little easier had you asked I would have gladly stepped back let you go ahead What have you done? You've invaded the injunction You've just missed one place in the line and what have you done?

36:11 You've caused everyone who saw that who felt the tension when this fellow came up brusque uncouth unmannered wrestled his way in and glowered at you the air was electric What did you do? You fulfilled this mandate You were soft You were light The person behind you when he gets away from the teller may say hey buddy I couldn't do what you did You turn around and say well five, ten, twenty, thirty years ago I couldn't have either but you know God did something in me I was buttoning on God all the time I was provoking the God of heaven to anger with my sin but he freely forgave me and Christ, the least I could do was back off and not claim my rights with his character being light being soft Paul sees the alternate lifestyle of the people of God there at Rome as marked by a commitment as much as would be known to be found in them to live at peace with all men Then, text number four All I'm trying to do is persuade your judgment that this duty to be a peacemaker is a dominant duty It is of the weightier matters of the law of God

Pivotal Text 4: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-14 – Be at Peace Among Yourselves

37:38 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 1 Thessalonians and chapter 5 Coming toward the end of this epistle the apostle has this paragraph of miscellaneous directives very pastoral in nature and he begins in verse 12 But we beseech you, brethren to know them that labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them exceeding highly in love for their work's sake and be at peace among yourselves The first exhortation in this paragraph directs the church members there at Thessalonica to cultivate a certain perspective and disposition and action towards their elders to their overseers to those who are described here as over them in the Lord And he says that you are to know them you are to regard them with intelligent love you are to get to know them you are to accurately know them

39:04 as men as Christian men as fathers know them know them but not only know them esteem them exceeding highly in love for their work's sake You may not be able to esteem them highly for this or that natural characteristic or for this or that natural endowment for this or that ability or non-ability but esteem them exceeding highly in love for their work's sake They have taken on the task the awesome solemn task for which they'll give account in the day of judgment of watching over your soul and in pursuit of that task when they see you stepping out of the way they admonish you they lovingly point out your fault and error and call you back into that narrow way which alone leads unto life and therefore rather than ever allow any resentment for their intrusion you are thankful that God has given you true shepherds who are not like those false shepherds in Israel that God called dumb dogs that could not bark the imagery is humorous you go out and pay a lot of money for a watchdog you spend a lot of money to train him first time the burglar comes either lies there asleep

40:32 or licks the burglar's hand he never barks dogs that cannot bark well when God gives you watchmen when God gives you those over you in the Lord they are responsible under God in love and in genuine spiritual discernment to seek to help you to see where you've stepped aside and to admonish you now you're to esteem them very highly and love for their work's sake and then it's interesting he immediately follows with this command be at peace among yourselves now is that placed there randomly I don't believe it is we know it's placed there by the inspiration of the Spirit of God but God works by means and it was the pastoral knowledge and sensitivity of the apostle that brought into the closest conjunction the command for these brethren rightly to relate to their overseers he then says be at peace among yourselves what comfort can your overseers derive from a healthy relationship with you if you are not in a healthy relationship with one another while you'll gladden their hearts that you're seeking to know them and esteeming them highly and love for their work's sake

41:59 if you do not maintain peace among yourselves you'll break their hearts and greatly increase their workload having to sort out the fussing children within the family of God and I believe the exhortation is placed precisely where it is placed as a buttressing exhortation to the question how can I relate to my overseers so as to support them in their task know them esteem them highly and love for their work's sake and be at peace among yourselves now does that mean peace at any cost no look at the next verse and we exhort you brethren admonish the disorderly don't sit back and say well let's wait till the disorderly gets so disorderly that the elders will then hear about it and they can then go deal with it and if necessary implement discipline no he's told them what to do with respect to their overseers and then he doesn't come back and say and if you see someone disorderly go tell the elders no he says you are to be a company living at peace with one another but not peace at any cost you're to be faithful to one another's soul you see a brother who is walking disorderly

43:27 contrary to you contrary to biblical and apostolic norms you are to admonish him yes Galatians 6 1 in the spirit of meekness and in gentleness but you're to admonish him you're to take upon yourself the responsibility to bring admonition when you see the faint hearted you're not to wait until he gets so faint that he falls, scrapes his knees and hollers and an elder has to come and clean up his knee and put the hydrogen peroxide on it and put the antibiotic cream and put a band-aid on it no no you're to encourage the faint hearted you the people of God are to support the weak and belong suffering to all but you see those directives can only be effectively worked out in a congregation where there is a mutual commitment to live at peace one with another and to deal with anything that would be disruptive of the peace for it's only in such a climate that when a brother comes to another to admonish him that it's likely that his admonition will be received in the spirit in which he was given but if there is the current of the absence of peace disruption and disharmony to seek to attempt to do these things outlined in verse 14 will only intensify the disruption

Pivotal Text 5: Hebrews 12:14 – Follow After Peace with All Men

44:55 rather than promote the peace Saint Harvey will say who are you to judge me faint hearted I don't need you to help me and the disorderly will say who are you to talk to me you've got problems in your life as well you see the nexus the thing that holds together the admonition on the one hand to relate rightly to their overseers and to minister effectively one to another in true biblical body life is this injunction be at peace among yourselves another present imperative of that verb that Jesus used to exercise peace or to be at peace this duty is laid upon the church at Thessalonica as it is laid upon us now text number five the book of Hebrews the book of Hebrews you remember that the great burden of the book of Hebrews is to encourage these Hebrew Christians to press on in persevering faith in Christ and in all of the new covenant blessings that have come to the people of God in Christ the better priesthood the better sacrifice with its better altar and its better tabernacle and its better promises

46:24 and its better covenant and they are in persevering faith to remain in union with Christ and all the blessings of the new covenant and here in chapter twelve in verse fourteen a text we often use with emphasis upon the latter part of the text Hebrews twelve in verse fourteen follow after peace with all men and the sanctification or the holiness without which no man shall see the Lord now as I say we often hear this text in conjunction with the necessity of pursuing an ongoing life of separateness unto God as a condition of persevering faith and rightly so we are told to follow after the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord a life of increasing grace without which no man shall see the Lord a life for which no man shall see the Lord a life of a new creation without which no man shall see the Lord a life that will be that which will be

47:40 not of a matter of dying not of a matter of life Follow after peace with all men. The verb to follow after is the standard word for persecution. It means to track down. It means to pursue.

48:17 It means to hunt. It speaks of a conscious, deliberate, concentrated endeavor to lay hold of someone or something. And a clear indication is that peace with all men is not something that will just come riding into your living room, unannounced, uninvited.

48:41 It is not something that will automatically occur. Here's the pastoral realism of the biblical writers. They know that the world being what it is, and remaining sin being what it is within the hearts of believers, and the commentators differ as to whether or not this with all men is as broad, as the Romans 12, 18 passage, or whether it is more limited to the community of God's people. And I don't want to go into the contrary arguments, but this much is clear, that following after peace with all men, at least those who have with us in common, this pursuit after the holiness without which no man shall see the Lord, is a solemn duty which God lays upon every single man. One of us in the household of God. We are to make conscious of actively tracking down, actively pursuing and hunting down peace with all men. That's our duty.

Pivotal Text 6: 2 Corinthians 13:11 – Live in Peace

49:51 And it's our duty in conjunction with persevering faith in all the benefits and provisions of Jesus Christ in the new covenant. And then our final text, is 2nd Corinthians 13 and verse 11.

50:10 2nd Corinthians 13 and verse 11.

50:19 I put this last because it was Paul's final word in his second letter to the Corinthians. Finally, brethren, farewell, or possibly rejoice. The word that is used there can be spoken sometimes as sort of a semi-blessing. Peace be to you, as someone might say, Peace be to you, as someone might say, Peace be to you, as someone might say, Rejoice.

50:43 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfected. Be comforted. Be of the same mind.

50:52 Live in peace. Live in peace. And the God of love and peace shall be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

51:10 Now do you see again how this text is, placed in a very pastorally sensitive setting? Finally, brethren, farewell, be perfected, be comforted. Here's the exhortation. Be of the same mind.

51:26 What was one of the major problems in the Corinthian church? There were divisions amongst them. In this second letter, Paul had to write to them to re-establish the validity of his own apostleship. There were those who were questioning the validity of his own apostleship.

51:45 And he has brought argument after argument. Argument after argument to seek to demonstrate how utterly groundless were the accusations of these super apostles that sought to undermine his place of pastoral influence and apostolic authority over them. And he calls them to be of the same mind, to live in peace. And then he encourages them with this promise.

52:13 And the God of love and peace. And peace shall be with you. Would you have the experiential knowledge of the presence of the God who is? He is the God of love and of peace.

52:29 And that God shall be with you. And if living at peace with one another, in the experiential consciousness of the presence of the God of love and peace, you will, with unfeigned abandonment, be able to go to peace. You will, with unfeigned abandonment, be able to go to peace. You will, with unfeigned abandonment, be able to go to peace.

52:47 And so I ask all of you, in total directorial and called on by everyone, to greet one another with expressions of the internal peace which mits your heart together. Greet one another with not a hypocritical kiss. Greet one another with a holy kiss. A kiss that is not only set apart from anything that would be sensual and like bitterness.

53:12 But set apart from anything that would be hypocritical and sham. To put it bluntly, please check the successes also. Thank you. brethren, if you greet me, any one of your elders, any one of your brothers or sisters in this place with a warm handshake and say, good to see you, and you are not at peace, that's not a holy greeting. It is an unholy and profane sham greeting. It is a lie. It is not bearing true witness, but false. False says no. Be of the same mind. Live in peace. The God of love and peace

Summary and Application: The Disposition of a Peacemaker

53:57 shall be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. Well, in summary and in several lines of application, what do we say from the survey of these six or seven texts? Clearly establishing that it is the duty of every child of God to be an active promoter, a promoter of peace within the church of Christ. Do you see that when Jesus said, make disciples, teach them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you, that fulfillment of that mandate means that sooner or later, those who instruct the congregations of God's people must instruct them in the duty to be at peace one with another, and that this instruction is the duty of every child of God to be at peace with one another. This instruction is the duty of every child of God to be at peace with one another, and that this conjunction to be at peace one with another is not one of the lesser concerns in the all things that Christ has commanded, but is one of the greater concerns. I trust it's also become clear

55:07 that to be devoid, to be a stranger to the spirit and disposition of a peacemaker is to prove oneself to be a stranger to the grace of God. that to be devoid, to be a stranger to the grace of God. If you do not have in the subsoil of your constitution spiritually a disposition to be a peacemaker. Now notice I didn't say if you are not perfectly expressing all of the appropriate channels of being a, no, I did not say that. I'm saying something very distinct, and I hope it's clear. If there is not in the deep down inside of what makes you, you, a disposition to be a peacemaker, you have no biblical grounds to say you're a child of God, for only the peacemakers shall be all sons of God. The Lord Jesus is designated in Isaiah 9, 6 as the Prince of Peace. The heavenly host spoke at his birth

56:16 saying, peace on earth. And Colossians 1, 20 says, having made peace through the blood of the cross, the use of the verb there in the verbal form of the same root word that we have in Matthew 5, 9, an adjective. It's only used there in Matthew 5, 9, blessed the peacemakers, but that same root word in the verbal form in Colossians 1, 20, he made peace through the blood of his cross. How can the Prince of Peace, at whose birth it was chanted, peace on earth, who makes peace through the blood of his cross, how can this Jesus affect the saving work in the people and leave them devoid of the disposition committed to be peacemakers? In the application of his saving work, the Lord Jesus gathers to himself the people who by nature were filled with a disposition and attitude that made them anything other than peacemakers. But now by grace, the Lord Jesus is making peace through the blood of the cross. They desire to be promoters of peace in all of their human relationships, husband and wife,

The Natural Heart's Opposition to Peace and the Need for a New Heart

57:33 parent, child, in the world, but particularly among the family of God, when we are in company with those who likewise have been reconciled to God and have been brought into peace with God through the work of the Lord Jesus. God willing, tonight in our study, we're going to be beginning to consider having looked at the duty to be peacemakers, begin to consider the governing disposition of heart to be sought and cultivated if we are to be peacemakers. Knowing that some of you dads gather your families and others of you like to use the Lord's day for profitable preparation for the evening service, let me challenge you to think through and search the scriptures and see if you can discover what is the governing disposition of heart that must be sought and cultivated if we are to fulfill this duty to be peacemakers. You see, if you sit here this morning and you're a stranger to the grace of God, consider what the scripture says about your heart and your disposition by nature. When Jesus is describing the human heart and those things that come out of it by nature, notice how some of them

58:58 focus precisely on the absence of those things that make for peace. In Mark chapter 7 verses 21 to 23, these are the words of the Lord Jesus. Mark chapter 7 verses 21 to 23. For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed, fornication, sexual impurities, thefts, murders, adulteries, covetings, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, an evil eye.

59:43 Remember what it says of Saul from a certain point onward in his relationship with David from that day on he eyed him. From that day on he looked at him with an evil eye. He read into all of David's actions something that was evil. He read into all of David's actions something that was evil. He read into all of David's actions something that was evil.

60:01 Totally contrary to reality! But because it was stewing in his own soul it formed as it were perverted glasses and everything that David did he saw it with an evil connotation and motive. Railing, what is railing? It is destructive, abusive speech. It is turning your tongue into a sword of war with which to slice and maim and cut!

60:26 It is turning your tongue into a sword of war with which to slice and maim and cut! It is turning your tongue into a sword of war with which to slash and maim and cut! and dismember another and see the absence of the things that make for peace. They come out of your heart by nature.

60:41 For from within, out of the heart, these things proceed. And when we turn to a passage like Galatians 5, 19-21, where we have Paul describing the works of the flesh, notice again those things that are highlighted that are the absence of this peace. Verse 19, You see how many of those things focus on things that are just the opposite of peace? Now why do I take the time to read those two verses? For this simple reason, I would be very surprised if sitting here this morning, there are not some of you for whom this divine mandate to live at peace with all men is an utter impossibility. Because your heart is the heart described in Mark 7.

61:49 Your fundamental disposition is that of the flesh. And the works of the flesh will be manifested in you. And Jesus said in Matthew 12, Make the tree good and its fruit good or the tree corrupt and its fruit corrupt. You see, what you need is not a lesson in how to cultivate the grace of being a peacemaker and the skills of being a peacemaker.

62:19 You need a new heart that has the raw materials out of which alone a peacemaker can function. And you need to have all of the things you've done that have been done contrary to acts promoting peace which have been violations of God's law. You need to have them blotted out and forgiven. In other words, you need what Christ alone can provide by his death upon the cross for sinners.

62:46 You need to be forgiven of all of your sins such as we've read in these two passages that have been a total contradiction of being a peacemaker. And you need to go to the God of peace, to the Lord Jesus, and so central is the message of peace that in a passage such as Ephesians 2, the very gospel is called Christ coming through his servants. He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and peace to you who are near. You need to go to this Christ who died for sinners.

63:24 You might have all of your breaches of his holy law forgiven and pardoned. Yes, kids, all the times when you've been the troublemaker in the home, you said the word that was the trigger that caused the stew between you and your brother and your sister and perhaps you got the whole household in an uproar. God saw that and God has taken account of it. You need to go to Christ and say, God, forgive me for all the times instead of being a peacemaker.

63:55 I have been a peace destroyer. I've been a promoter of bitterness and nasty words and anger. Anger and disruption. You need forgiveness.

The Gospel's Provision for Peacemaking: Titus 3:1-7

64:06 Then you need a heart that has a disposition to be at peace. I close by simply reading Titus chapter 3, verses 1 to 7 in your hearing because in this particular text all of these lines of thought are brought together after giving this general directive that the believers that come to Christ are to be in subjection to rulers and authorities ready unto every good work. Now notice verse 2. To speak evil of no man, not to be contentious, but to be gentle, showing all meekness toward all men, for we also once were foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving manifold lust and pleasures, living, notice now, in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. Isn't it interesting? The culminating mark, he said, of our state before the grace of God came to us was hateful and hating one another. Just the opposite of loving and being at peace with one another.

65:24 But what made the difference? Verse 4. But when the kindness of God our Savior in his love toward man appeared, not by works done in righteousness which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit which he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that, being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. You see how he brings together these two?

66:02 These two things that happened that changed him and those that treat and all believers in every place from a pattern of living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. God's kindness has appeared in a Savior. And through that Savior, God brings to every sinner who believingly embraces him these two great realities, washing of regeneration and renewal, of the Holy Spirit and justification by grace. He gives us a right standing in the court of heaven and he effects a basic, radical change in our nature so that knowing we are at peace with God and having a disposition imparted to be a peacemaker, we can begin to obey the injunction, be at peace among us. We are at peace with God. And so if you sit here this morning and you're a stranger to that salvation described in Titus 3, I lovingly entreat you, I exhort you, give yourself no rest until you can say, but from the kindness of God, my Savior,

67:24 not by works done in righteousness, which I have done, but according to his mercy, he saved me. Me? By the washing, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, which he poured out upon me richly through Jesus Christ, in whom I also have received the full pardon of my sin. And I've been credited with a perfect record in the court of heaven and made an heir, a rightful possessor of eternal life, earned not by what I've done, but by what my Savior has done.

68:00 We urge you to go to that Savior, and then you will be saved. You will be refurnished with the stuff without which you can never be a peacemaker. Let us pray. Our Father, we thank you for the Gospel of your dear Son, and for all that is promised to hell-deserving, wretched sinners in that Gospel.

68:32 We pray that this day there would be some sitting in this very auditorium who would see that the root of all of their hatred and animosity and bitterness can only be cleansed away by the power of your Holy Spirit, and that all of the sins that have been committed in following out that rotten disposition of heart can only be cleansed in the virtue, the perfect life, and the blood-shedding of the Son of God. We pray for us, your people, that you will rip it to our consciences, the passages that have been expounded this morning, that we would feel ourselves under a new constraint of the Word, to give ourselves to pursuing peace with all men, that we may not regard it as a matter of indifference or of secondary importance, that we be at peace one with another. O God, seal your Word to every heart, and may the blessing of your Spirit's continuous dealings with us accompany us as we leave this place and continue to set apart this day unto you, we ask through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.