The Savior in His Sermon on the Mount said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5: 9 in the Bible)

We Live in a Contentious World

All of us know people who are filled with hatred, anger, are unforgiving, lose their temper often and hurt others to get what they want. On the other hand we also know people who are kind, thoughtful, loving and peaceful. If we are inclined toward the first group, how can we change our natural tendency to be contentious, angry and selfish to that of a peacemaker filled with love?

Becoming Peacemakers

The Lord sheds light on both the cause of and the cure for the sickness of human conflict and hatred: “The natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ.” (Mosiah 3: 19 p. 153 in the Book of Mormon)

The apostle Paul said, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,” (Galatians 5: 22 in the Bible) The Spirit is with us when we keep the commandments of God and try to follow the Savior.

Coming unto Jesus Christ as the Prince of Peace is the pathway to peace “…his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Might God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6 in the Bible) Jesus taught people how to live with one another. He declared the two great commandments: first, to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind and the second, to love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 22: 37-38 in the Bible)

The commandments to love God and neighbor are interrelated. We cannot fully love God without loving our neighbor. We cannot fully love our neighbor without loving God. Men and women really are brothers and sisters because God really is our Father. The Savior taught the Golden Rule: “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” (Luke 6: 31 in the Bible)

We should be personal peacemakers and live peacefully as individuals, couples, families, and neighbors.

Called the Children of God

We are all spirit children of Heavenly Father. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. ” (Romans 8: 16-17 in the Bible) In order to enter back into the presence of Heavenly Father and the Savior as children of God, we need to change our natural contentious, selfish tendencies. “And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters (in salvation);” (Mosiah 27: 25-26 p. 201 in the Book of Mormon) Dallas Jones is the local leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For a more detailed discussion on the peacemakers call (231) 383-8359 or send an email to [email protected]