“Peacemaking” is an action word - (Forum conflict) We can overcome this, just don't run from it!
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they
will be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9)
Passivity is not the answer; activity is. “Peacemaking” is an action
word, implying that the Christian is to make peace. There
are many Christian who love and want peace and few who are willing to
work for it.
James says that evil desires within are
the source of conflict (James 4:1-2). People are at war with other
people because they are not at peace with themselves, and they are not
at peace with themselves because they are not at peace with God.
This post is to make people think, what does the Bible say about Peace and how to obtain it? We can't run from problems on our forum we must deal with them head on!
Comments
[Y]
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:1–3)
In order to avoid keep my post Logos focused, I ran a passage guide and found, among other things, this,
"Since the church has been designed by God to be the masterpiece of his goodness and the pattern on which the reconciled universe of the future will be modelled [...] believers are expected to live in a manner consistent with this divine purpose. To keep this unity must mean to maintain it visibly. If the unity of the Spirit is real, it must be transparently evident, and believers have a responsibility before God to make sure that this is so. To live in a manner which mars the unity of the Spirit is to do despite to the gracious reconciling work of Christ. It is tantamount to saying that his sacrificial death by which relationships with God and others have been restored, along with the resulting freedom of access to the Father, are of no real consequence to us!" - Peter Thomas O'Brien, The Letter to the Ephesians, The Pillar New Testament commentary (Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1999), p. 279-80.
All of which is a long-winded way of saying, [Y].
I will not run from the forum. I have too much invested (on many levels) to quit when controversy arises. Peacemaking is an action we must humble ourselves and seek His righteousness.
Speaking of which Ken Sande's Peacemaker and Resolving Everyday Conflict would be very welcome resources for me.
Consider this a resource recommendation.
Peacemaker is available in Spanish: http://www.logos.com/product/9776/pacificadores Maybe that's why the Spanish forum is so conflict-free.
Jacob Hantla
Pastor/Elder, Grace Bible Church
gbcaz.org