It was suggested in another thread that I make a thread dedicated to this subject of peace-keeping or peace-making. There have been ongoing debates in the forum between people since I have been on and off this site for the past year (and not always the same people) In fact, every forum I have ever frequented very long, Christian or secular, has it's share of debates. So, I agree that it would be helpful to study this subject.
Jesus said in Matt. 5:9- "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."
Cited from sermon central:
PEACE-KEEPING-keeping is about maintaining the status quo. Damage-control. Don�t rock the boat. If it ain�t broke, don�t fix it. It�s about conflict avoidance and denial. Peace-keeping is
about saying �peace, peace� when there is NO peace.�
PEACE-MAKING-making is the pursuit of that deeper peace which the Bible calls shalom or wholeness. Peace-making often requires entering into constructive conflict in order to realize a deeper peace, that peace which brings glory to God and reveals the depths of God�s love and justice for all people. Peacemaking requires a love offensive, which means loving enough to speak the truth in love, and to admit the need of God�s help ..for salvation.
Ultimately peace-making is about bringing glory to God because this deeper peace, this shalom, is a result of God�s presence and gracious intervention.�
Now when I comes to conflict, I am like Indiana Jones when he encountered snakes, �I hate snakes!� I hate conflict. But it is a part of this life and this work that is so deeply affected by sin. And Jesus has called me to be a peacemaker and He has called each of us to be one as well.
Are you a peace-keeper or peace-maker and explain your view of this. Thanks! :peace:
Until I read your post, I never gave much thought to the difference between a peacemaker and a peacekeeper, just unconsciously thinking they were the same thing. It has caused me trouble my whole life because I am not willing to sacrifice truth for harmony. I see people in our country trading our freedoms for security because everyone wants to go along to get along...sooo frustrating to me.
Even in Christianity it happened because the people did not have the truth of the scriptures for themselves until the printing press. If you read the New Testament, most of Paul's and John's letters were not peacekeeping, they were written to refute false doctrine. Yet nowadays if you refute false doctrine there are always some quick to label you 'unChristlike', 'unloving' and 'divisive'; then you have to deal with these people who have seemed to missed the scriptures where Jesus repeatedly confronted the Pharisees.
...Pharisees still exist today... The only difference between the Pharisees of yesteryear and today is.... todays Pharisees have a cross on their building.
It is very true. Paul said a whole LOT about false prophets. Joey, good verse to point out. We should be agents of peace but not pretending when there really isn't any peace.
Two Sparrows I see a vast difference between Paul and what we see today happening in the church today, today we see so many carnal christians and flesh ruled christians calling the believing christians false.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God."
With out War (conflict), you could not have Peace�because Peace is the Absence of War (no conflict). Conversely, Peace (no conflict) would not be needed if there was no such thing as War (conflict).
So�the Peace Makers are the ones that end War (conflict). By doing so they �make� Peace (PeaceMakers). You can do this by
(1) �eliminating the �conflicting parties� (one or both sides�or All sides).
(2) �eliminating the �conflict�. Whatever the �disagreement� is; Borders or Property or (a baby as with Solomon) or the subject that is being disagreed with by coming to a �mutual� agreement.
(3) �enforcing the will of one of the �disagreeing� parties or of an �outside� party (threat of something �bad� happening).
In some cases these �Peacemakers� use force (aggression) and shed Blood to obtain this peace.
It is interesting that Scripture does not use the word Peacekeepers.
To me a �Peacekeeper� is one that maintains �the peace� using words and laws and cornbread if that works. They are the Lawmakers and Councils and Arbitrators that say
��come on now boys�(and it is usually �boys� that end up fighting), let�s behave and figure this out.�
Paul was a �physical� man�a �man�s man� � you can hear it in his words (��fight the good fight����run the race��). I wonder what Paul would have done if he had been in The Garden when the soldiers came for Jesus.
The �danger� with PeaceMaking is that while you may think that you are in the right�that you have the Truth on your side � you may be absolutely WRONG!
Saul thought he was a PeaceMaker when he held clothes while others Killed Stephen. Saul thought he was a PeaceMaker when he persecuted Christians. Saul was making peace, but for the Wrong side! Not for The Prince of PEACE!
How can you be sure when you attack another Christian for their beliefs that you are in the right (on the Right side)?
Many will say
�I am ready to Die for Christ!� �I am ready to place my Life in Harms Way for Christ� �I am willing to place myself in Harms way for my Fellow Man�for my Family�for my Brothers and Sisters In Christ!�
Thanks CDF friends~good pointers and glad it's making you think. This is why I said in the other thread, that debates and apologetics are not bad when we do it in a constructive, loving way. Yes, it gets heated, but we should never regress in the flesh to mudslinging, slamming, flaming comments. If we do? We should be mature enough to say "sorry" and grow up through it.
The relationship with each other here, or anywhere else, should be considering the other person's feelings, but not to the point where we cannot be honest with them. In all disagreements, the scripture plainly points out not to argue, and there is a fine line when the debate turns into a flesh fest. At that point, we agree to disagree and walk away from it as brothers and sisters, still. Love is the greatest and should win. Does it mean we feel all warm fuzzies about that person we are disagreeing with? Not always, but love is a verb and we should walk in it by putting on the cloak of humility.
I agree with TS, as I have always been a defender of what I believe to be the truth of scripture and many other subjects. I have had to eat "humble pie" more than once and apologize or even have changed my beliefs due to someone challenging me in a debate or me reading someone else's debates. I have learned much about certain subjects in forums, due to discussions and debates.
Arch, good pointers and well said. What is "attacking" to you? I honestly have seen none of that towards you in the past threads and if I did, I would not play favorites, I would call it as I see it. That's why I only have a couple of close friends, I'm gut level honest, and try to be with myself because I know how "self deceptive" self is in all of us.
Anyway, I hope we can learn and grow together, in the love of Christ. :glow:
I hear you and agree that it was not to the extent in the time of Paul as it is today, although he dealt with it pretty extensively in the corinthian church. Ananias and Sapphira was a wake up call for those who were carnal minded in the early church.
Your intentions are good and honorable. I firmly believe that we should be able to defend our beliefs, but we should do it Fairly and with Dignity.
You say that
"in all disagreements, the scripture plainly points out not to argue,"
What would you call
Mark 11:15 (New International Version, �2010)
15" On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves,..."
Is this arguing or just plain Justified Righteous Anger? I am sure that Jesus' voice and words were a "bit harsh".
Yes...I feel I have been attacked. There is a thread about St. Nicholas of Myra. I would like to comment on it but I fear that what I say will be jumped on as Catholic trying to "convert".
When I use Scripture it is pointed out that my "interpretation" is wrong and it is never really addressed. When others use Scripture it is correct.
I sometimes get jump on about things I never even brought up but that are old Catholic protestations.
Let's Hope that we may be able to continue discussing our Faith without "slanders" and "untruths".
This is not talking about peace between two human factions,or even two people.
This is talking about bringing the Gospel of Peace to those that hate Yeshua.
Even I at one time was the enemy of Yeshua,Yet now He calls me His friend.
The Gospel that says:
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
The peace of GOD cannot be had without first having peace with GOD in Yeshua,for He is our Peace.
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Peace with YHWH was costly,and Yeshua is the only one who could have paid the price.
Life for life
Matthew 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Agape' and Charis:
St.George
ps:
As far as conflict
Paul confronts Peter;
Gal 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
Paul would not take John Mark along.
Paul looks like he had many disputes and much conflict with others.
