"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God."Matthew 5:9
PART 1: False-peacemaking: Some time ago a group of Muslim scholars wrote a document entitled "A Common Word Between Us and You", which was intended to promote peace between Islam and Christianity. Very quickly, a group of academics from Yale University provided a "Christian" response titled "Loving God and Neighbor Together". Though signed by many prominent Evangelical, Mainline, and Emergent leaders, the document claimed that the Muslim and Christian God were the same. It was this common love for a common God that was the supposed basis of experiencing peace between the two religions. After reading it, I openly opposed the Yale document. When I did so, one young man challenged me with this statement: "Well, at least I signed the document. What have you done to promote peace throughout the world?"
This young man misunderstood the nature of true biblical peace. Whatever peace is, it is something that should not compete with holiness. David, the great king of Israel, loved peace. In Psalm 120:7 he wrote of his desire to be "a man of peace". But this same man also wrote "I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked" (Psalm 26:5). Hebrews 12:14 tells us to "follow peace and holiness". While we are to be diligent in pursuing and promoting peace, it cannot come at the price of holiness.
Peace. Holiness. Love. Truth. The message Jesus taught us was one that held all of these things together is beautiful harmony. Yet today we continually hear cries for peace and love that ignore Jesus 'teachings on holiness and truth. John Stott calls this "cheap peace"--that is peace acquired at the expense of truth. Proverbs 23:23 teaches us to "Buy the truth and sell it not." It is something on which we cannot compromise. Like a man hanging precariously off a ledge, we are to tenaciously cling to the truth of Christ. Thomas Watson warns that "We must not be so in love with the golden crown of peace as to pluck off the jewels of truth" [1]. Martin Luther is reported to have said "It is better to let heaven fall than that one crumb of truth perish".
In this relativistic age many of our own Christian leaders say "let us unite", but truth cannot unite with error without distortion. As Paul so pointedly noted 2,000 years ago, "What communion hath light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14).
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[1] Thomas Watson, The Beatitudes (Banner of Truth, 2007 reprint) 208.
This young man misunderstood the nature of true biblical peace. Whatever peace is, it is something that should not compete with holiness. David, the great king of Israel, loved peace. In Psalm 120:7 he wrote of his desire to be "a man of peace". But this same man also wrote "I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked" (Psalm 26:5). Hebrews 12:14 tells us to "follow peace and holiness". While we are to be diligent in pursuing and promoting peace, it cannot come at the price of holiness.
Peace. Holiness. Love. Truth. The message Jesus taught us was one that held all of these things together is beautiful harmony. Yet today we continually hear cries for peace and love that ignore Jesus 'teachings on holiness and truth. John Stott calls this "cheap peace"--that is peace acquired at the expense of truth. Proverbs 23:23 teaches us to "Buy the truth and sell it not." It is something on which we cannot compromise. Like a man hanging precariously off a ledge, we are to tenaciously cling to the truth of Christ. Thomas Watson warns that "We must not be so in love with the golden crown of peace as to pluck off the jewels of truth" [1]. Martin Luther is reported to have said "It is better to let heaven fall than that one crumb of truth perish".
In this relativistic age many of our own Christian leaders say "let us unite", but truth cannot unite with error without distortion. As Paul so pointedly noted 2,000 years ago, "What communion hath light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14).
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[1] Thomas Watson, The Beatitudes (Banner of Truth, 2007 reprint) 208.
Josh,
ReplyDeleteThose are good words we should not soon forget brother!
As well as too many having the unbiblical concept of what "peace" is, is the unbiblical concept of "freedom."
ReplyDeleteTrue, biblical freedom is freedom from the curse of sin. Not freedom to do whatever one wants or freedom from the fall of Adam - best exemplified in the "tabual rasa" argument for the will of man - neither inclined toward the good or the evil.
Jesus addressed this in John 8 with his encounter with the Jews who believed in him, when He said the truth would set them free and they took umbrage with that and responded, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
Scripture defines man as being in one of two states: dead in sin/alive in Christ, child of Satan/child of God, sheep/goat, wheat/chaff, etc. Many (Arminians, for example) through the doctrine of prevenient grace, have added a third category (or at least a subset of the category of unredeemed man) where man is no longer dead in sin but is not alive in Christ and is in fact, a creature with the spiritual tabula rasa.
Romans 6 says the Christian is not a slave of sin anymore, but he is still a slave - now to righteousness. As Paul also says, ""All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful." The Christian is "free," yes, but not free to do whatever they want - they are still under authority. The non-Christian is "free," but just the same is under authority, albeit a different one. The Christian is "free" as Jesus has set him free per John 8:32,36. THAT is true freedom. And that person has true peace.