www.cg: The Path of Peace -- and How to Find It

THE PATH OF PEACE - AND HOW TO FIND IT

by Richard Burkard

November 3, 2001 marked an unusual event in the church world. Several well-known names in the Christian community called on people of all faiths to gather for a day of prayer and fasting for world peace. It was organized by a little-known agency called Global Peace Now, and gained the endorsement of Baptist Pastor turned Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.

The congregation I attend did nothing to mark the occasion. In fact, the topic never came up. (Then again, it did nothing special to remember the World Trade Center disaster.) I might have brought it up, except for the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:17-18: "But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting.... your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

Churches in my home metropolitan area advertised an outdoor time of "prayer for our world" on that morning. But all the promotion on a beautiful November day attracted fewer than 100 people -- and it turned out to be a prayer rally for the "persecuted church" around the world, more than an event to pray for peace. In fact, in the hours I was there, Afghanistan didn't come up all that much-- especially the Christian aid workers held there, waiting out a long delay in their trial.

The special day happened to be a Sabbath, giving me time to think about its stated purpose -- to pray and fast for peace. This was something I'd never really done before.... and as I scanned through Bible verses on the topic, I found myself asking: Who am I to ask such a thing of God? He watches over all the world's conflicts, large and small. In fact, when certain Muslims speak of "jihad," or holy war, you're left with the impression they pray for Allah to help them war -- and win at it.

Verses in Conflict?

It can be easy for Christians to become confused in their thinking about this as well, based on two clear statements in the Bible:

1. Isaiah 9:6 prophesies a coming Christ, who is called a "Prince of Peace."

2. Matthew 10:34 quotes Jesus directly as saying: "I did not come to bring peace, but a sword."

The Worldwide Church of God historically divided these verses into the "two comings" of Jesus. The verse in Matthew applied to the first coming, while Isaiah's words would be more fitting for the second coming. But is this too simplified an explanation? The old booklet "World Peace - How It Will Come" (a spinoff from the book The Incredible Human Potential) may have left that impression for readers. It examined the issue of peace from a prophetic "Kingdom of God" viewpoint. Yet when we examine peace from a practical, Christ-centered viewpoint, a much more detailed picture emerges.

Luke 1:78-79 contains these prophetic words from a song by John the Baptist's father: "....The rising sun will come to us from heaven.... to guide our feet into the path of peace." The message of the New Testament is that the path of peace is NOT merely for a coming Kingdom. It's a road believers can walk NOW.

Seven Steps to Take

Shortly before his crucifixion, Jesus told His disciples: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you." (John 14:27) Indeed, Christians should have peace - since it's listed as one of the "fruit of the spirit" in Galatians 5:22-23. But how do believers get on that path? Let's note a few steps which the Bible says must be taken:

* Want peace in your life enough to go after it. I Peter 3:11 advises: "....seek peace and pursue it." (See also Psm. 34:14).

* Believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. As He put it elsewhere in John's Gospel: "....in me you may have peace." (Jhn. 16:33) This occurs by accepting the sacrifice of Jesus's blood for your sins. "....Making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." (Col. 1:20) "The punishment that brought us peace was upon him...." (Isa. 53:5)

Belief in Jesus brings the most important level of peace - on a spiritual plane. "....We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ...." (Rom. 5:1) In fact, at this spiritual level, "....he himself IS our peace...." (Eph. 2:14, emphasis added)

* Allow the Holy Spirit to enter you. "....The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace...." (Rom. 8:6) That peace guards our minds and our hearts (Phil. 4:7).

* Do the work required to have peace. "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace...." (Rom. 14:19) Uh-oh, now we've done it. Did we say work, along with mere belief? Yes, and here's why....

* Do things that are good. Did you notice we left out the first part of I Peter 3:11 a few verses ago? In the pursuit of peace, "He [that is, you] must turn from evil and do good...." God offers "glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good, first for the Jew, then to the Gentile." (Rom. 2:10) What sort of good things do we mean?

* Strive to make peace in your personal situation. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." (Mt. 5:9) 'There is.... joy for those who promote peace." (Prv. 12:20)

Despite what military hawks and gun advocates might tell you, this does not mean arming yourself with weapons. The Bible nowhere suggests this approach, although Peter misunderstood it when he went out and obtained a sword. But several verses urge us to be at peace with each other as much as possible (Mk. 9:50; Rom. 12:18; Heb. 12:14). How do we do this? Uh-oh, you might not like this answer....

* Obey the commands of God. "If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands.... I will grant peace in the land...." (Lev. 26:3, 6) "Great peace have they who love your law...." (Psm. 119:165) Yes, these are Old Testament verses. But they provide the most explicit definition in the Bible of how to meet the New Testament call to be at peace.

"Those who walk uprightly enter into peace...." (Isa. 57:2) Yet this path is more than repeating actions over and over again; it keeps God in the center of our minds as well. "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast...." (26:3)

Summary

The booklet "World Peace -- How It will Come" dismissed those who preach a "gospel of salvation" or a "gospel of grace." Yet both those phrases are in the King James New Testament in a positive tone (Eph. 1:13; Acts 20:24) -- as is a verse stating Christians should have their feet "shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace." (Eph. 6:15) Isaiah 52:7 says such good news about peace should be proclaimed.

Paul described God as a God of peace (I Cor. 14:33; II Cor. 13:11) - and went on to add: "God has called us to live in peace...." (I Cor. 7:15; I Thes. 5:13) Sometimes I wonder how much the Worldwide Church of God really did that in years gone by, and how much spinoff groups do it today. Articles and messages that criticize everything from "church-ianity" to the news media can come across as anything but peaceful in their tone.

Walking the path of peace can be a challenge, in a world fixated at the moment by war. Some might consider such a walk a sign of weakness. But as a United Church of God hymn puts it, a "Mighty Prince of Peace" will soon come to Earth to have the final say. Ezekiel looked ahead to that future world, as the word of the Lord inspired him to write: "I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant." (Ezek. 37:26)

To borrow from Ecclesiastes 3:8, may the "time for war" soon be over for good - and may the "time for peace" fill the earth once and for all, through the leadership of Jesus Christ.

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