I am a Jesus pusher!!! “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:8). Again we say that the Beatitude of peace does not just happen to be the seventh Beatitude. It does not accidently follow the Beatitude of purity. It is as if they are the same! Listen to the declaration of the Psalmist, “Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed” (Psalms 85:10). We find the importance of this in the heart of Jesus’ definition of peace. Peace is not the absence of war, strife, or argument. It is not only the negative but also the positive. It is the presence of purity, which is holiness. In other words, it is the absence of sin and the presence of Jesus! Individuals can stop fighting without purity, but they cannot live in peace without purity. Purity not only brings an end to harm, but it flows with the healing of love. In fact, the Scriptures shout, “God is holy!” (1 Peter 1:16). The same Scriptures proclaim, “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16). God is both, for they are the same. “Holiness” is “perfect love.” Purity is the attitude of perfect love’s motive. Therefore, peace does not exist without purity flowing forth with love.
Peace is the creative, aggressive presence of Jesus for goodness. In the Hebrew language of the Old Testament the Jewish greeting was “Shalom.” It is an expression of “peace” and a desire that the one who is greeted will have all the purity and goodness God can give. The deepest meaning of the expression is “God’s highest good to you.” The actual Hebrew word “shalom” has the meaning of “wholeness.” Since the state of peace is one of “wholeness,” the relationship is complete. Paul cried, “You are complete in Him” (Colossians 2:9). I am a Jesus pusher!!!