BECOMING PEACEMAKERS

BECOMING PEACEMAKERS

By Rev. Samuel Arimoro

Main Text: 1 Corinthians 6:5-7

Key Verse: "I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?" — 1 Corinthians 6:5 (KJV)

Supporting Texts: Matthew 5:9; Romans 12:18; James 3:17-18; Ephesians 4:1-3; Colossians 3:12-15; Proverbs 15:1

Description: A peacemaker is one who actively pursues reconciliation, resolves conflicts wisely, promotes unity, and helps others move from hostility towards understanding and peace.

INTRODUCTION

Conflict is unavoidable in human relationships, but unresolved conflict does not have to become permanent division. In the Corinthian church, believers were taking their disputes before secular courts instead of seeking wise solutions within the Christian community. Paul regarded this as evidence of spiritual immaturity and challenged them to find someone among them capable of settling disputes.

Jesus declared, "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God" (Matthew 5:9). A peacemaker is not someone who merely avoids conflict. A peacemaker courageously enters difficult situations with wisdom, humility, truth, love, and a desire to restore relationships.

God has called His people to become agents of reconciliation. Wherever there is bitterness, misunderstanding, division, or hostility, Christians should seek ways to bring healing and peace. Becoming a peacemaker means reflecting the character of Christ, who reconciled us to God through His sacrifice.

1. UNDERSTAND THE CALL TO PEACE

Peace is not merely the absence of conflict; it is the presence of harmony, righteousness, reconciliation, and mutual goodwill.

a) Peacemakers Reflect God's Character (Matthew 5:9)
Jesus calls peacemakers blessed because their actions reflect the character of God, who desires reconciliation and unity.

b) Pursue Peace Deliberately (Romans 14:19)
Peace does not always happen automatically. Believers must intentionally pursue things that promote peace and mutual spiritual growth.

c) Live Peaceably With Others (Romans 12:18)
Paul teaches that, as far as it depends on us, we should live peaceably with everyone.

d) Make Peace A Priority (Hebrews 12:14)
Peace and holiness should be actively pursued. A Christian should not be comfortable with unnecessary hostility.

Biblical Example: Abraham chose peace with Lot when their herdsmen began quarrelling. He was willing to surrender personal advantage to preserve the relationship (Genesis 13:7-12).

2. DEVELOP WISDOM FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Paul's question in 1 Corinthians 6:5 reveals that resolving disputes requires wisdom. Peacemakers must learn how to handle difficult situations with spiritual maturity.

a) Seek God's Wisdom (James 1:5)
God gives wisdom to those who ask Him. We should not depend solely on human emotions when handling conflicts.

b) Listen Before Responding (Proverbs 18:13)
Answering before hearing the matter fully is foolishness. Peacemakers listen carefully before drawing conclusions.

c) Speak With Gentleness (Proverbs 15:1)
A gentle answer can calm anger, while harsh words can intensify conflict.

d) Examine All Sides (Proverbs 18:17)
Wisdom requires hearing different perspectives before making a judgement. A peacemaker seeks truth rather than taking sides prematurely.

Biblical Example: Solomon demonstrated wisdom when he carefully listened to two women who claimed the same child and used discernment to establish the truth (1 Kings 3:16-28).

3. REFUSE TO FEED CONFLICT

Peacemakers do not add fuel to existing disputes. They deliberately avoid words and actions that increase hostility.

a) Avoid Gossip (Proverbs 16:28)
Gossip separates close friends and can turn small misunderstandings into major conflicts.

b) Control Your Tongue (James 1:19)
Believers should be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.

c) Do Not Repay Evil With Evil (1 Peter 3:9)
A Christian should not respond to an offence with another offence. We are called to a higher standard.

d) Refuse To Spread Offence (Proverbs 26:20)
When we stop feeding a conflict with inflammatory words and repeated accusations, the fire can eventually die down.

Biblical Example: Abigail prevented David from committing bloodshed against Nabal by responding wisely and humbly to a dangerous conflict (1 Samuel 25:14-35).

4. PRACTISE FORGIVENESS AND HUMILITY

Peace requires more than communication. It often requires people to surrender pride, release offences, and extend forgiveness.

a) Forgive As Christ Forgave You (Colossians 3:13)
Christians should extend the same forgiveness they have received from the Lord.

b) Put Away Pride (Philippians 2:3)
Many conflicts continue because people are more concerned about proving themselves right than restoring relationships.

c) Consider Others (Philippians 2:4)
Peacemakers do not focus only on their own interests. They consider how their actions affect others.

d) Be Quick To Reconcile (Matthew 5:23-24)
Jesus teaches believers to take reconciliation seriously and make appropriate efforts to restore broken fellowship.

Biblical Example: Esau forgave Jacob after years of separation and hostility. Their reunion demonstrates the possibility of restoration after deep conflict (Genesis 33:1-4).

5. BE WILLING TO SACRIFICE FOR PEACE

Paul's challenge in 1 Corinthians 6:7 is powerful: sometimes preserving peace requires accepting personal inconvenience or loss.

a) Be Willing To Suffer Wrong (1 Corinthians 6:7)
Not every wrong requires retaliation. Sometimes peace is more valuable than personal victory.

b) Give Up The Need To Win (Proverbs 13:10)
Pride produces contention. Humility enables us to seek solutions rather than victories.

c) Put Relationships Above Personal Advantage (Philippians 2:4)
Mature believers consider the wellbeing of others rather than insisting on their own interests.

d) Pursue What Builds Peace (Romans 14:19)
Our decisions should contribute to peace and spiritual edification rather than unnecessary disputes.

Biblical Example: Abraham allowed Lot to choose first when their herdsmen were in conflict. He trusted God enough to surrender the first choice (Genesis 13:8-11).

6. BECOME AN AGENT OF RECONCILIATION

God has not only reconciled us to Himself; He has also entrusted believers with the ministry of reconciliation.

a) Reconcile People With One Another (2 Corinthians 5:18)
God has given believers the ministry of reconciliation. We should therefore help restore relationships where possible.

b) Point People To Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20)
As Christ's ambassadors, our message and conduct should encourage people towards reconciliation with God and one another.

c) Restore The Broken (Galatians 6:1)
When someone falls, spiritual believers should seek restoration with gentleness rather than condemnation.

d) Build Unity In The Church (Ephesians 4:3)
Believers are called to maintain the unity of the Spirit through humility, patience, love, and peace.

Biblical Example: Barnabas played a significant role in restoring Saul's relationship with the Jerusalem disciples after Saul's conversion, helping them recognise the reality of his transformation (Acts 9:26-27).

CONCLUSION

Becoming a peacemaker is not a passive calling. It requires courage to enter difficult situations, wisdom to understand different perspectives, humility to admit wrong, love to forgive, and patience to pursue restoration. The Corinthian believers were challenged because their disputes revealed a failure to demonstrate the wisdom and maturity expected of God's people.

As followers of Christ, let us become people who calm conflicts rather than intensify them, heal wounds rather than deepen them, and build bridges rather than walls. May our homes, churches, ministries, workplaces, and communities experience the peace of Christ through our words, actions, wisdom, and example.

PRAYER POINTS

1. Father, make me a true peacemaker who reflects the character and love of Jesus Christ, in Jesus name.

2. Lord, give me wisdom to handle conflicts, misunderstandings, and difficult relationships with grace and maturity, in Jesus name.

3. Father, deliver me from anger, pride, gossip, bitterness, and every attitude that fuels conflict, in Jesus name.

4. Lord, teach me to listen carefully, speak wisely, and respond with gentleness whenever disagreements arise, in Jesus name.

5. Father, give me grace to forgive those who have offended me and release every desire for revenge, in Jesus name.

6. Lord, help me to be humble enough to admit my mistakes and courageous enough to seek reconciliation, in Jesus name.

7. Father, use me to restore broken relationships in my family, church, ministry, and community, in Jesus name.

8. Lord, give our church leaders wisdom and discernment to resolve disputes fairly and preserve unity among Your people, in Jesus name.

9. Father, let Your peace rule in every area of my life and remove every unnecessary conflict, division, and hostility around me, in Jesus name.

10. Lord, make my life an instrument of reconciliation and let many people experience Your peace through me, in Jesus name.

PROPHETIC DECLARATIONS

1. You shall become a genuine peacemaker, and your presence shall bring calm, wisdom, reconciliation, and healing into difficult situations.

2. The Lord shall give you supernatural wisdom to handle complicated conflicts and discern the right words and actions at the right time.

3. Every spirit of anger, pride, bitterness, gossip, and unnecessary contention working against your relationships shall lose its influence over your life.

4. You shall receive grace to listen before speaking, understand before judging, and seek truth before taking sides.

5. Relationships that are within God's purpose for your life and have been damaged by conflict shall receive divine intervention and opportunities for restoration.

6. You shall not be controlled by the need to win every argument; the Lord shall give you humility to value peace and relationships above personal pride.

7. Your words shall carry healing, wisdom, encouragement, and reconciliation, and you shall not become a source of unnecessary division.

8. The Lord shall use you to restore broken relationships and bring unity to families, churches, ministries, and communities.

9. Every unnecessary conflict surrounding your life shall give way to peace, understanding, forgiveness, and godly resolution.

10. You shall be recognised as a child of God through your commitment to peace, and your life shall continually demonstrate the reconciling power of Jesus Christ.