Christians and Peace
By this time, most people have seen the footage at least a hundred times. Saturday night at the White House Correspondence Dinner, there was a man who attempted to harm others. What should be the Christian response to such violence?
Today, we are going to have a brief discussion on what the Christian response should be. First of all, God tells His children, the born-again believers, to live in peace and not to take matters into their own hands.
Romans 12:17-18“Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” God tells us to live in peace if possible. God tells us not to repay evil with evil. This means to live in peace when possible and never to repay evil with evil. However, what it does not say is that we shouldn’t protect the innocent; it does not say we are to be the instrument that the Lord might use to repay evil with justice (never evil). This means that Christian’s should be vocal to call a wrong a wrong and what is righteous exactly that. We are the ambassadors of Christ on this earth. We have the ability through His teaching and the Holy Spirit to discern in ways that are impossible for non-born-again believers to be able to do.
Unfortunately, on Sunday morning, the pulpits were silent, when the world was looking for answers, many in the Church were silent or failing to have a Christian view. Now is the time for us to choose to rest in Jesus and on His understanding. Now is the time to take advantage of the world looking for answers and provide Christ to them. Paul says in Colossians 3:15, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” Now is the time for us to be peacemakers, as Jesus in His own words said, Matthew 5:9“Blessed [are] the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.”
No matter what happens in this world, Christians should be a voice of peace and wanting to help the innocent. I call all believers in Jesus to examine His words carefully and see that God wants us to bring peace. We must ask for a discerning heart from the Lord so that we can best know the route in which we can help promote that peace. At times, it might be telling the person cursing you that you love them in Christ, it might mean you listen and are an ear to those with whom you might disagree, or it could mean that God has called you to be the instrument of justice. No matter what, it needs to come in prayer and supplication. Before your week continues, let’s take a moment and remember what we are called to do: we are to be peacemakers, pointing people to Jesus Christ.
Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,
JL