I love the fact that God's Word is SO completely honest about our lives and what we face, and in it's instructions to us on how to handle the things we face.
For our verse does not simply state..."Live at peace with everyone." I know that is what we would all love - to have lives completely without confrontation and in complete harmony with everyone around us. But that's not real life, is it? That's why God's Word says, "If possible, on your part...."
"If possible...." When is it not possible to live at peace with everyone? Well, there are people who blatantly behave in ways that are not in accordance with what God has called us to stand for, aren't there? God does not ask us nor does He expect us to stand passively by when people are living in ways that are contrary to what He asks us to defend.
When people are being abused or taken advantage of, we cannot live at peace with their abusers. We cannot and should not detach ourselves from those situations, ignoring the need for the defense of the weak or the powerless. Sometimes we are forced to take an aggressive stand in order to show God's love for the disenfranchised and downtrodden.
Psalm 82:3-4
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
Rescuing and delivering are not actions of passivity and require us to move out of a state of harmony and peacefulness...so sometimes it's not possible.
"On your part...." God knows that we cannot control the attitudes and mindsets of others, only of ourselves, and we know that our attitudes and mindsets, as Christians, must be captive to the mindset of Christ Himself, through the Holy Spirit living within us.
This is certainly not the case of those who have not come to an understanding of and surrender to God. Non-believers may find many reasons to oppose us. Sometimes they will oppose us simply because we stand for what they cannot understand---extending God's love, grace and mercy to all those around us. Sometimes opposition comes from those who vehemently believe in other religions, religions who have such a strong non-tolerance for other beliefs that the extension of the hand of peace is something that they can never offer. We cannot control others reaction to us...and God does not ask us to.
God asks us, on our part, to live at peace. The Christian message has never been one of aggression or forcefulness. Just because there have been times in history that the message of Christianity has been twisted or misconstrued by humans to accomplish human purposes, purposes that have resulted in death, abuse and cruelty, do not ever think that that is the message of Jesus Christ.
We are taught, as Christians, to present God's message with love, in kindness and gentleness. And then, if possible, on our parts, to live at peace with all.
Ephesians 4:1-3
I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, accepting one another in love, diligently keeping the unity of the Spirit with the peace that binds [us].
2 Timothy 2
And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.
1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.
This is the picture of His believers that God wants the world to see. Unfortunately, many other pictures have been portrayed throughout the ages. From the Crusades to the current protests held by the Westboro, Kansas church, there have been actions under the guise of Christianity which portray anything but the peacefulness and gentleness that we are called to.
Remembering the fruit of the Spirit gives us the guidelines for a description of the lifestyle that we are to display for others to be able to see the message of the love of Christ....
For our verse does not simply state..."Live at peace with everyone." I know that is what we would all love - to have lives completely without confrontation and in complete harmony with everyone around us. But that's not real life, is it? That's why God's Word says, "If possible, on your part...."
"If possible...." When is it not possible to live at peace with everyone? Well, there are people who blatantly behave in ways that are not in accordance with what God has called us to stand for, aren't there? God does not ask us nor does He expect us to stand passively by when people are living in ways that are contrary to what He asks us to defend.
When people are being abused or taken advantage of, we cannot live at peace with their abusers. We cannot and should not detach ourselves from those situations, ignoring the need for the defense of the weak or the powerless. Sometimes we are forced to take an aggressive stand in order to show God's love for the disenfranchised and downtrodden.
Psalm 82:3-4
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
Rescuing and delivering are not actions of passivity and require us to move out of a state of harmony and peacefulness...so sometimes it's not possible.
"On your part...." God knows that we cannot control the attitudes and mindsets of others, only of ourselves, and we know that our attitudes and mindsets, as Christians, must be captive to the mindset of Christ Himself, through the Holy Spirit living within us.
This is certainly not the case of those who have not come to an understanding of and surrender to God. Non-believers may find many reasons to oppose us. Sometimes they will oppose us simply because we stand for what they cannot understand---extending God's love, grace and mercy to all those around us. Sometimes opposition comes from those who vehemently believe in other religions, religions who have such a strong non-tolerance for other beliefs that the extension of the hand of peace is something that they can never offer. We cannot control others reaction to us...and God does not ask us to.
God asks us, on our part, to live at peace. The Christian message has never been one of aggression or forcefulness. Just because there have been times in history that the message of Christianity has been twisted or misconstrued by humans to accomplish human purposes, purposes that have resulted in death, abuse and cruelty, do not ever think that that is the message of Jesus Christ.
We are taught, as Christians, to present God's message with love, in kindness and gentleness. And then, if possible, on our parts, to live at peace with all.
Ephesians 4:1-3
I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, accepting one another in love, diligently keeping the unity of the Spirit with the peace that binds [us].
2 Timothy 2
And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.
1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.
This is the picture of His believers that God wants the world to see. Unfortunately, many other pictures have been portrayed throughout the ages. From the Crusades to the current protests held by the Westboro, Kansas church, there have been actions under the guise of Christianity which portray anything but the peacefulness and gentleness that we are called to.
Remembering the fruit of the Spirit gives us the guidelines for a description of the lifestyle that we are to display for others to be able to see the message of the love of Christ....
Love - Joy - Peace - Patience - Kindness - Goodness - Faithfulness - Gentleness - Self-Control
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