Peace

Isn’t it interesting how simple we assume a word is until we’re asked to define it? That’s because words in and of themselves aren't enough to convey the thing they’re trying to define. Many words are constructs we use to elucidate feelings and emotions that are way more complicated than what mere words can express. Often times it seems just as easy to express by contrast what a thing isn’t in trying to say what it is. This also has severe limitations. If I ask you to define peace, most would end up expressing some notion of the absence of war, which we understand as it’s opposite. However, this reasoning can be feeble and it’s insufficiency isn’t fully comprehended until we’re asked to define something like love – Saying that love is the opposite of hate is much more obviously inadequate.

Next question; Do you think it a contradiction in The Scriptures when we compare the following verses:

Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luke 12:51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

How can both of these statements be true at exactly the same time? Context. This is why it’s beneficial to define words according to their context and to go further to clarify meaning.

The first verse is what the angels proclaimed at the birth of Christ which is absolutely true. The birth of Christ was the fulfillment of eons of prophecy beginning in Genesis 3 with the “protevangelion”. The remedy for the separation between God and Men as a consequence of The Fall, the bridge to man’s redemption into the peace of God.
The second verse is Christ Himself speaking to the masses. He was explaining a deep truth to these people who already had a myriad of beliefs that they’d chosen to pledge allegiance to. In His statement of division, He made it clear that they could not expect peace in the midst of their other allegiances - A choice of separation would be required to embrace that peace promised in the first verse.

This understanding of peace in Christ and division from the world is still very true for us today.

Here’s The Word:

John 14: 27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Looking closely at this verse, there’s an implicit assumption that the world has an assemblance of peace that it gives. We can see that all around us in ideas like ecumenical unity and tolerance. We also see how troubling these alliances are as we must hold loosely onto certain truths in order to maintain solidarity. Fact is, you can’t do both. The Bible says repeatedly that there’s an inherent opposition between God and the world and when you understand that, you realize that the peace of the world really isn’t peace at all.

The peace Christ gives is the peace of Salvation. The peace of ‘right standing’ before a Sovereign God Who would be unapologetically right to destroy us in His wrath toward our disobedience. This is sufficient reason for the world to be troubled and afraid. This is also why it can’t be stressed enough to ‘prove’ your life in the Spirit, rather than remaining anchored or overly friendly with the world. Romans 8:6 makes it clear in saying “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”


Peace In Him,
Cros