Enforced Peace

2 Thessalonians 3:16 ¶ Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.

Peace is not the absence of conflict, it can be the context of conflict. In the context of peace conflict changes from destructive to constructive. Context means, “the circumstances or events that form the environment within which something exists or takes place.” Encarta Dictionary There are contexts to all human relationships.

Peace is a primary context. When peace exists a relationship takes on certain characteristics which may not exist outside that context. For instance within peace there is a presumption of safety. Those I am at peace with will not seek to harm me. There is a presumption of justice. If our differences become acute we will follow just methods to resolve those differences. There is a presumption of mutual benefit. A peaceful relationship will enrich our lives. When we live in the context of peace we have more usable time, energy, and resources.

Sometimes the context of peace must be enforced by a third party. The peace Paul spoke of in the verse above is this kind of enforced peace which can overwhelm all the circumstances of life. This peace was not intended to include only peace with God, although that is enough, it is an enforced context of peace surrounding all the circumstances of our lives. The Lord “himself” will enforce this context of peace. This doesn't mean we won't have conflicts, but that our conflicts are allowed by the Peacekeeper and will ultimately strengthen our faith. Only within this context does the following verse make sense.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Perfect Woman???

Proverbs 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

You won’t hear this often in our utopian based Christian culture, but this chapter was not intended to be an expose’ on the attainable goals of womanhood. This was not a description of any woman who ever has been or ever will be an inhabitant of this planet.

The word translated “who” is a Hebrew question (who?) usually used when seeking the identity, ancestry, or an external fact about a person. But it has a very important shade of meaning when it is used as it is in this verse. “In impassioned prose, and especially in poetry, implying the answer few or none; it is equivalent to a rhetorical negative.” BDB

This passage is definitely Hebrew poetry (each verse begins with a Hebrew letter), and therefore it has, by use of this word, the implied answer of “few or none” can find such a virtuous woman. The question then is: did the author believe there was or ever could be such a woman? I believe the intent of the writer was to declare that no women can meet this description. The Hebrew Scholar and pastor, John Gill, agrees, “But, the description cannot agree with any of the daughters of fallen Adam, literally understood; not with Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon; nor with the Virgin Mary; nor indeed with any other; for though some parts of the description may meet in some women, yet not all in one.”

Some reader may now be thinking, “What if your wife reads this?” I hope she does, because it will give me the opportunity to tell her one more time how much I love her, and I love her just as she is now, was yesterday, and will be tomorrow. That I will stay in love with her whatever comes. I hope she stopped worrying about being the perfect wife and mother years ago... and has just let herself fall into the unconditional, adoring love of her husband, children, and grandchildren. You have no idea how much I love this woman.

Some people worry so much about being something they aren't, that they can't enjoy being just who they are, and let themselves be loved in a rapturous unconditional way. I am not saying that we should not strive to be better, we should. But striving to be better is also a declaration that we haven't reached that goal. And there is a comfort in knowing that those nearest you know that about you... and seem to not even notice, because they love you... the real you.

So what is the reason for this chapter in the Bible? I think I have just stated it. It is a standard too high to reach… but is that not always the case with perfection? The perfection of the law is there for one main reason: to show us how far we are from perfection. When we know this, and only when we know this, can we let ourselves fall into the unconditional, adoring love of our Savior. We have no idea how much He loves us.

I have two other posts you might want to read: Will You Still Love Me If You Know Me? and Will I Ever Find True Love?

The Hard Work Of Maintaining Peace

Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Peace doesn't just happen. Only those who enjoy a peace maintained by others can carelessly entertain the notion that peace comes easy. It involves hard aggressive work, and has many components. Peacemaking is a basic Christian work, and is vitally important to the ministry of any church.

Romans 14 clearly communicates many of the vital components of Christian peace. I’ll list some of these:

• All parties must have a commitment to aggressively pursue peace. 14:19
• Those who are mature in their faith, and in the processes of peace (in chap. 14: “the strong”) must take responsibility for those who have no experience in or do not understand the importance of making peace. (in chap. 14: “the weak”) 15:1
• The strong must do this by avoiding counterproductive arguments. 14:1
• The strong must avoid despising or rejecting the weaker person. 14:3
• We must each accept the Lord’s jurisdiction over ourselves and others, and that we have no jurisdiction over other Christians except to the extent given by our Lord. 14:3-12
• The strong must accept that the Lord may truly be behind their brother’s weak conscience. 14:14
• I must accept that my brother in Christ is primarily responsible to the Lord not me. 14:4
• I must accept responsibility for not causing my brother to stumble or fall in his Christian walk. 14:13
• We must both seek to build each other up (edify)… not tear down. This is a central principle in Christian love: to always seek the benefit of the other. 14:19b
• The strong must control their liberty by denying themselves some behaviors they believe they have liberty from their Lord to practice, but the behavior offends their brother in Christ. 14:19-23 Some may call this hypocrisy. Well… It is not hypocrisy to refrain from liberty when that liberty may harm or offend another person, it is Christian charity.
• I must refrain from “spying out” the liberty of my brother. Galatians 2:4 This is a form of unjust judgment, and taking unwarranted jurisdiction.14:4 This could also be a breach of trust between friends.

Peace is intentional. Plan and work at it... today.

If It Please You...

Romans 15:2 Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. 3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

The word please is most commonly used today as a polite verbal accessory to any request. This usage is actually a shortened version of the old phrase: “If it please you…” This antiquated expression was considered polite language because the user expressed consideration for the other person before their own request should be considered.

This remnant of polite verbiage is also a remnant of a Christian principle which flowed out of this section of Romans. The word please, in this passage, means “to express interest in accommodating others by meeting their needs or carrying out important obligations” BDAG It is intended to contribute a tone of special worth and dignity to a relationship.

This passage doesn't instruct us to use this word in our language, it instructs us to live this word in our relationships with others. My attention should be on my neighbor and his needs. And my thoughts should be trailing my attention with questions like, “What can I do to build his life up… make it better?” And then I should act on my thoughts. Ah… this would make for a great neighborhood wouldn’t it?

What if all your neighbors thought this way? It would be an outrageous neighborhood! But this kind of thinking would also make for a great parent/family, friend/church, citizen/nation, colleague/work place, etc… a Great Life!

Jesus was mentioned in this passage as the example of this kind of living. His neighbors were people who “reproached” Him. This word described neighbors who used insulting, dishonorable language against Jesus and His Father. Not the kind of neighbors anyone would want, but, without God's grace, this is a description of all of us. Wow... He endured insults from his neighbors, while putting their needs above His own by bearing away our guilt on the cross. Lord... help me be a good neighbor.

Unjust Accusations Can Kill

Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

When people are together in long-term group relationships there will invariably be accusations of wrong doing which can cause destructive conflict. This is an unfortunate reality of the human condition… but this doesn't have to kill your group relationship or church. Here are some helpful principles.

1. When an accusation against someone is made in your presence focus your attention on the accuser—not the accused. Focusing first on the accused is unjust. The accuser should be required to give clear evidence supporting the accusation to someone who has the authority to hear and respond to the evidence (jurisdiction). Listening to accusations when you have no jurisdiction is not only unjust it is similar to allowing someone to dump garbage on your lawn which you can't remove. Since you can't do anything about it the garbage just sits in the front yard of your mind. So:

2. You should be aware of the people who have jurisdiction to hear and resolve accusations in your group. When you know who has jurisdiction you can use a process question to politely preempt the accuser before the details of the accusation are spilled out. What’s a process question? Keep reading.

3. A process question will open the door to inform the accuser of accepted methods to resolve conflict in your group. A process question could be, “Did you know we have a method to effectively deal with accusations?” The answer, “No I didn’t.” opens the door for you to educate the accuser on the methods used in your group to resolve differences. If the answer is, “Yes, but…” then you have someone who is either unwilling or unable to resolve the conflict in a normal fashion. It is possible this person just wants to spread trash about someone without being accountable. But it is also possible this person has information about child abuse, or some other serious crime. Either way this accuser should be directed to someone who can assist them with their dilemma.

4. When the appropriate authority is involved leave the matter in the Lord’s hands. Let’s say the accused is guilty, but the evidence doesn’t meet the required standard, so the accused “gets away with it.” We must remember that God is aware of every wrong. No one “gets away” with anything, but for human justice to function there must be standards and order. The maintenance of justice is more important than any individual wrong.

5. If you don't have clear methods to handle accusations in your group it is best to take care of this before the accusations come... and they will come. If your group is not properly prepared then its days are numbered.

Judging Your Brother

Romans 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

In Romans 14 the Apostle Paul warns about certain Christian weaknesses which can cause destructive conflicts. One destructive weakness is the tendency to judge each other without the right to do so. Paul plainly tells us to not judge each other.

His logic hinges on the truth that Jesus Christ has jurisdiction over each of our lives. In the verses surrounding Romans 14:12 Paul makes it clear that we are each accountable to Christ Jesus for our behavior in this world.

This right of judgment is based on three basic principles. First, we are children in the same family. Romans 14:10, 13-19 Jesus Christ is very interested in our lives, how we treat each other, and how we are treated by those outside the family. Matthew 18

Second, Jesus is our Lord. 14:4,8,9,11 Lord means “master of.” Jesus is our master.

Third, Jesus is God our creator. 14:11-12 As created beings we owe our very existence to Him. Each moment of our lives is a gift of His creative power, so we are accountable to Him for how we use His creation.

If we have problems with judging, an understanding of jurisdiction is helpful. Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted body, office, or person to interpret and apply the law. When someone has jurisdiction it means Jesus has granted them authority to judge in matters of His law.

If I am inclined to judge my fellow Christian I should simply ask myself if I hold such an office. If Jesus has not officially conveyed jurisdiction to me then I have no right to judge, and to judge without authority is to usurp the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is best to leave those matters with Jesus and His properly constituted Church authority. We should also be cautious in our judgment under that authority since New Testament church law limits jurisdictional power, and gives strict guidelines for judgment.

A Remedy For Self-Righteousness

Romans 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

What does “doubtful disputations” mean anyway? Well... it basically means to argue over controversial subjects. The two types of people mentioned in this chapter are prone to religious arguments.

One group carries a list of sins which are exceptionally grievous to them. They will have a general list which includes sins that are held in disesteem by most people, such as adultery and murder, but they will also carry this other list. This list is more refined and detailed, and a bit harder to defend. The items on this list are generally controversial, so this list will receive much more playtime when it comes to disagreements.

An item on this list mentioned vaguely in the Bible can become the cornerstone of a church or religious movement simply because it genders controversy. The controversy drives like-minded people together, and separates them from everyone else. Some religious leaders have been known to use such controversy to keep their followers behind them. I heard one of these leaders say, “If you want people to rally around you start a fight they can believe in, and they’ll follow you to the end of the earth!”

There are a few root problems here. One is a misunderstanding of the law of God. Basically any list will be way too short, and is fundamentally flawed because it cannot contain the fullness and essential essence of God's law. Our Creator is the source of all law. Law in its fullness is the expression of His being or personality. As living, intelligent beings the standard of perfection for us cannot be fully expressed by a list. The standard is a person.

Jesus put it this way: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48 The standard we must meet is the full moral perfection of God. That perfection cannot be fully boiled down to a list of behaviors, because it involves more than behavior. Moral perfection comprehends motives, balance, appetites, responses, absolute control of our physical being, and a thousand other realities of what it means to be an intelligent, moral creature.

The remedy for those who wish to argue over their list is to be given more law than they can walk out the door with. Defending an obey-able list of behaviors makes a person feel strong, secure, and... well... self-righteous. But when the living standard of the law is discussed we immediately become aware of our deep imperfections, and our inability to ever meet the moral perfection required by God. A basic understanding of the law robs us of any self-righteousness.

Then we must find righteousness from some other source than self in order to be reconciled with God. This is where Jesus and His gospel come into play. He died to permanently remove our guilt, and to replace our moral imperfection, in the sight of God, with full, absolute perfection which comes by faith not behavior. Gospel means “good news,” and it is truly good news to anyone who has faced the living law of God. Look at these verses:

Romans 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 ¶ But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he (God The Father) hath made him (Jesus Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (Parenthesis mine for contextual information)

Pointers For Peace In The Lord's Service

Romans 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

The cause you are working in is good.

The people who are serving with you are working for the same cause.

Personalities are different… that’s the way God intended it.

Don’t resent differences… rejoice in them.

Don’t make judgments too quickly or too harshly.

Don’t read minds or hear what isn’t spoken.

Listen with care for expressions of weakness.

Avoid gossip.

Study the delicate art of forgiveness.

Study the bold art of reconciliation.

Practice forgetting the failures of others.

Commit yourself to long term goals and relationships.

Do what is necessary to maintain those relationships and reach those goals

Be quick to Say, “I’m sorry.”

Be quick to Hear, “I’m sorry.”

If your reaction in crisis is to quit… don’t.

Let each new relationship start fresh.

Avoid dragging yesterday’s offenses into today.

Prepare for conflict.

Pray to love like Jesus

Decide to love like Jesus

Peace Is A Primary Context

Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace,

Context means, “the circumstances or events that form the environment within which something exists or takes place.” Encarta Dictionary There are contexts to all human experiences. Marriage is a good example. Marriage became one of the primary contexts of our existence the day Carol and I legally made our vows before God and man. Everything in our lives since has taken place within this context. (pictured when we were 21 and in our 3^rd year of marriage)

Peace is another primary context. When peace exists a relationship takes on certain characteristics which may not exist outside that context. For instance, in a peaceful relationship there is a presumption of safety. Those I am at peace with will not seek to harm me. There is a presumption of conciliation. If our differences become acute we will make every effort to resolve our conflict. There is a presumption of mutual benefit.

A peaceful relationship will enrich our lives. When we are at at peace with those around us we have more usable time, energy, and resources. Peacemaking is a Christian context. More to come...

Peace Is Not The Opposite Of Conflict

Romans 10:15 How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

There is a notion that peace is the absence of conflict. But the truth is the world must have conflict in order to experience progress. Peace is not the absence of conflict; it is the productive harnessing of conflict. In a proper environment conflict is exciting and constructive. But in an environment of violence and injustice it is destructive.

Where would we be if we had never experienced the conflictive forces in true education? We would still be in dark ignorance if someone had not created conflict within us by confronting our ignorance. These conflicts were often contained in the relative peace of a classroom or home. In fact, this is really the experience of education: the constant conflict between our pampered ignorance and the purity of truth. Oh the blissful peace of the soul who has learned to harness the power of conflict!

The gospel is all about peace. To believe the Gospel does not mean there will be no more conflict with God… it means conflict with God has now been eternally harnessed for the believer’s benefit. If there were no more conflict with God how would we learn from Him? How would our lives ever change? Please God… face me with my error. Create conflict in my soul so I may truly experience your peace. Face me with my flawed character so I may be more like Jesus. This struggle, for me, is the greatest evidence of peace and a permanent grace relationship with God.