Part XIII:
Matthew 5:9 — “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
In the last installment I made much of swords and warfare in a verse about making peace. I assume that some of you may be wondering exactly what such warfare looks like.
I hinted at the content of the war by referring to the sword which our Lord himself wields. It is not made of steel; it does not cut flesh and bone but proceeds from his mouth. The weapons of our warfare, as Paul writes, are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We wield the word of God (Eph. 6:17). We make peace by seeking to reconcile a rebellious humanity with their God and maker. For he has made such reconciliation possible through the ministry of Christ Jesus, his Son.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
We wield such news in our world as fellow workers with God (2 Cor. 6:1). We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). Think of all the arguments and the opinions that have taken firm root in the communal imagination of our society. The world descended from a cosmic explosion. All things evolved out of that conflagration over billions of years. Human beings are but bi-pedal apes with big brains. Spirituality is a thing you cultivate for yourself to fit your personal tastes. There is no such thing as sin; it is all just false guilt, repressed trauma, and disordered psychology. Or, worse, it is all (all of it) just your parent’s fault. Detach yourself from them and their influence and all will be well. God is Brahma or karma or universal spirit. We are not lost, but finding ourselves. Everyone just needs to love us enough so that we can figure this all out.
There is quite a task set before us. Much to undo, to dissuade our neighbors from, and teach concerning God. To do so is not a vain effort and importantly we do not do it alone. For we who make such peace (that is peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ) are to be called sons. That is a word that implies inclusion in a family, share in the family’s business, life, and table. These things shall be ours in fullness as we engage in the task as each opportunity presents itself to us in our daily lives.
One last thought…
If, having read that, you feel overwhelmed, or if you want to engage in such work but have no clue how to begin, let me encourage you to pray. Bow before God, our Father, and tell him what you desire and ask him for it according to the grace that is yours in Christ.
Matthew 5:9 — “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
In the last installment I made much of swords and warfare in a verse about making peace. I assume that some of you may be wondering exactly what such warfare looks like.
I hinted at the content of the war by referring to the sword which our Lord himself wields. It is not made of steel; it does not cut flesh and bone but proceeds from his mouth. The weapons of our warfare, as Paul writes, are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We wield the word of God (Eph. 6:17). We make peace by seeking to reconcile a rebellious humanity with their God and maker. For he has made such reconciliation possible through the ministry of Christ Jesus, his Son.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
We wield such news in our world as fellow workers with God (2 Cor. 6:1). We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). Think of all the arguments and the opinions that have taken firm root in the communal imagination of our society. The world descended from a cosmic explosion. All things evolved out of that conflagration over billions of years. Human beings are but bi-pedal apes with big brains. Spirituality is a thing you cultivate for yourself to fit your personal tastes. There is no such thing as sin; it is all just false guilt, repressed trauma, and disordered psychology. Or, worse, it is all (all of it) just your parent’s fault. Detach yourself from them and their influence and all will be well. God is Brahma or karma or universal spirit. We are not lost, but finding ourselves. Everyone just needs to love us enough so that we can figure this all out.
There is quite a task set before us. Much to undo, to dissuade our neighbors from, and teach concerning God. To do so is not a vain effort and importantly we do not do it alone. For we who make such peace (that is peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ) are to be called sons. That is a word that implies inclusion in a family, share in the family’s business, life, and table. These things shall be ours in fullness as we engage in the task as each opportunity presents itself to us in our daily lives.
One last thought…
If, having read that, you feel overwhelmed, or if you want to engage in such work but have no clue how to begin, let me encourage you to pray. Bow before God, our Father, and tell him what you desire and ask him for it according to the grace that is yours in Christ.