Subject: Does the gospel bring peace?

Many people, when talking of peace, mean "a lack of conflict." They believe that believers in Jesus should never create a stir by witnessing to those who "are of another faith." They think that we should just sit around "loving Jesus in our hearts" and "thinking good thoughts about others."

What does Jesus say about this? In our last e-mail, we used the verses; "whoever acknowledges Me before others I will also acknowledge in the presence of my Father in heaven” (Matthew 10:32). We talked about this as introducing the Jesus in us to others we meet, in other words, speaking an oral witness to every one. It's important to read the context Jesus spoke these words in. It begins in verse 16,when HE says, "I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves." It goes on to say the people HE sends us to will: arrest and beat us, take us before governmental leaders, persecute us, hate and even kill us." It also says it will even divide families so deeply that brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers will turn us in to be killed. Jesus says in this context, "I didn't come (the first time, He is coming again!) to bring peace, but a sword.”

The message that all of us are sinners deserving of, and headed towards, hell on our own merits has never been, nor will it ever be, popular and peaceful to those who are lost. They will hate it until they come to realize that they must confess it's true, and invite Jesus in as their only Savior and hope of eternal life. Then and only then will the Prince of Peace bring peace into the human heart and life.

Yes, the message of Jesus is divisive. We must remember though, that, if we don't speak the words of the Gospel here that bring division, there will be an even greater division after we all have died. God's Word tells us in Luke 16, "there is a great gulf (division) fixed between heaven and hell. It is impossible for any one that is in either of those places to leave and cross to the other!” (My paraphrasing) It says the only way is to believe the Word of God, here, on this earth, while still alive. Romans tells us that people can only believe by hearing the Word of God, and then says “how can they hear without someone proclaiming the message to them?

Love others enough to tell them the truth now, about both Heaven and Hell, while they can hear, believe, and receive, the saving message of God's love sent through our Messiah, Jesus. They may not like it and you now, but if they hear and receive, the Gospel will bring peace.

                                      Ben