We speak of peace a lot within the Church. Countless prophets have spoken of the lack of peace within the world and our duty to be peacemakers. Even President Nelson has reiterated this duty and call. “True disciples of Jesus Christ are peacemakers… I urge you to choose to be a peacemaker, now and always.” (GC: Apr. 2023)
It is clear that we are to be peacemakers, and I think we would all agree that is, or at least should be, our goal. But I believe that many members don’t even understand what peace is, let alone the methodology, or means, by which we are to be peacemakers. This has allowed Satan to neutralize a great portion of the Church from being peacemakers. I want to outline what peace is not, what peace is, and how to be a peacemaker!
Peace is not the Absence of Conflict.
Many within the church believe peace is an absence of conflict, therefore anything that produces conflict is antithetical to peace. This does not sound bad at first, in fact, Satan has packaged it to even sound virtuous. He tells us that avoiding conflict is merely avoiding contention, and we know the Savior commanded us to avoid contention!
This Satanic lie and quest, to avoid conflict, has caused many to disconnect from civic duties that we as Saints are obligated to engage in. I can’t tell you how many friends I have who don’t touch politics beyond casting an uninformed and often manipulated vote on election day if they even vote at all!
But worse than disconnecting with our civic duties, this lie has led many to start abridging the gospel. Satan could never get us to abandon the gospel outright, but if framed with: “this principle causes conflict” suddenly even devote members start advocating avoiding vital principles in the name of preventing conflict. I’ve experienced this first hand; I’ve sat in meetings where a local leader urged us to avoid talking about the Family Proclamation to avoid the conflict it produces and instead focus on other aspects of the gospel.
The Gospel Will ALWAYS Cause Conflict.
Am I suggesting that conflict is not bad? Yes. I am. Conflict is the byproduct of truth being compared to error. The truth ALWAYS will cause conflict, not just because the guilty always take the truth to be hard, but because the truth stirs their soul into remembrance of duty, and the natural man resists it, thus causing inner conflict. To paraphrase Marion G. Romney, we cannot “serve the Lord without offending the devil.” (See Ensign, Sept. 1995)
Jesus Himself caused conflict living and teaching the gospel, and so too have all His holy prophets. Because they lived and taught the truth, those in sin felt their soul stirring in conflict with the natural man. The prophets did not respond to this conflict with anger, thus preventing the inevitable conflict from turning into contention, but they did stand up, and speak out causing conflict. They understood that conflict is not the opposite of peace! Conflict is a natural byproduct of living and sharing the gospel of The Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ!
So, What is Peace?
Peace is not an absence of war, conflict, or even a lack of contention. Peace is the fruit of having the Spirit as our constant companion, peace is having the strength in Christ to respond to conflict with boldness and love, rather than cowardice or callousness! Peace is putting off the natural man so that when truth is taught it is embraced rather than causing inner conflict. Ultimately, peace is the result of living the gospel! It is the inner feeling Joseph Smith expressed on the way to his martyrdom: “I am going like a lamb to the slaughter; but I am calm as a summer’s morning; I have a conscience void of offense towards God, and towards all men.” (D&C 135:4) Note: void of offense does not mean no one was offended by him or his words, it means that he knows at the judgment bar, none will have a claim against him.
Ezra Taft Benson taught, “The price of peace is righteousness. Men and nations may loudly proclaim, ‘Peace, peace,’ but there shall be no peace until individuals nurture in their souls those principles of personal purity, integrity, and character which foster the development of peace. Peace cannot be imposed. It must come from the lives and hearts of men. There is no other way.” (As quoted by President Thomas S. Monson. GC: Apr. 1994)
How do We Become Peacemakers?
So how do we become peacemakers? Elder John A. Widtsoe taught: “It is a curious commentary on human nature that men who cry for peace look upon peace as something that may be picked as an apple from a tree, something that lies about within easy reach of humanity. If I pick an apple from a tree, I have first planted the tree, cared for it, watered it, brought it to maturity. Then in due time I may have the fruit.
So with peace. It is not a thing by itself to be picked up casually; but it is the fruit of something precedent. Like the tree, something must be planted and nourished and cared for if we are to obtain peace… The Latter-day Saints, from the beginning of our history, have taught that the good things of life—above all, peace—can come only through acceptance of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ… there can be no full peace, no complete happiness upon earth, until the men and women of the world accept the great latter-day message.” (GC: Oct. 1945, as quoted by the April 2009 Ensign)
With the understanding that peace is a byproduct of the gospel. We can understand our call to be peacemakers is actually a call to be disciplemakers! For the Lord declared that “he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come.” (D&C 59:23.)
Armed with this knowledge, that peace comes from living the gospel, and sharing the gospel will cause conflict, we will reject the satanic lie that we become peacemakers by avoiding conflict as antithetical to being a true peacemaker. Elder Marvin J. Ashton taught that “No peace will be lasting unless it is built upon the solid foundation … There can be no peace in sin and disobedience.” (GC: Oct. 1985) Satan’s lie would have us avoid the very aspects of the gospel that bring about repentance and lasting peace!
Therefore, What?
When we hear the call to be peacemakers, let us realize what it is; it is a call to discipleship! A call to make the message of the Prince of Peace our walk and our talk! It is a call to live a life with a clean standing before God, a standing which will always provide a conflict of juxtaposition between the natural man and the truths of Christ! But to always respond to the conflict with Christlike love so as not to turn conflict into contention. To be a peacemaker is a call to both live and preach the full gospel of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace with love, confidence, and unapologetic knowledge that it is God’s plan for our peace and happiness, here and hereafter.
“No peace even though temporarily obtained, will be permanent, whether to individuals or nations, unless it is built upon the solid foundation of eternal principles. Men may yearn for peace, cry for peace, and work for peace, but there will be no peace until they follow the path pointed out by the Living Christ. He is the true light of men’s lives. The mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to establish peace.”
David O. McKay (CR, Oct. 1964, pp. 5)