The Big Picture

Rom 12:18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.(NAS)

It seems like I've been living this verse lately. Maybe I should explain better. It feels like lately, this verse has been telling me to live this verse. What is it that I can do to live at peace with those around me? As the verse says, it is not always possible, some people just don't want to live at peace with you, but if you can, you should. The next question could be: when is it impossible to get along with someone, and at what point do you stop trying? Obviously, we should do our best to live in a manner so as to avoid conflict, and in so doing, have a certain level of peace even with those "difficult people."

At the same time, the Bible says not to throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample you (Matt. 7:6). In other words, there comes a point where you can't continue to actively "force" someone to get along with you. You shouldn't become rude and treat that person with contempt, to the contrary, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Rom. 12:21). But sometimes the only way to live at peace with someone is to not be too close to them.

I think it's interesting to put this verse in its broader context and see what else it is saying. Romans 12 focuses on our response to God's faithfulness and salvation discussed in previous chapters. It talks about our "spiritual service of worship."

Rom 12:1 I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, {which is} your spiritual service of worship.(NAS)

It makes clear throughout the following chapter that "your bodies" goes far beyond the physical. In fact, it concentrates more on other ways of worshipping God: living at peace. Most of the statements in chapter 12 can be boiled down to living at peace with others and how we can achieve that.

One of the most important verses that I saw in this chapter, perhaps especially with connection to verse 18, is here:

Rom 12:3-5
3 For through the grace given to me I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function,5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.(NAS)

If we believe that we are better than everyone else, we are not going to live at peace with others. Verses four and five go even further with that, saying that as members of the body of Christ, we each have different gifts. God wired each of us differently for our own unique ministry in the body of Christ, and sometimes that can even cause conflict, but the point is that it shouldn't. This last portion obviously doesn't apply to unbelievers, but the command in verse 18 does. It says to "be at peace with all men." Not just believers, but all men.

What I'm trying to say, and having a hard time saying it, is that living peacefully is not just a command, it is a worshipful response to God's goodness. By living at peace with everyone, we're praising God and pointing others toward Him with our example.

Speaking

I continue to find it amazing how the Bible, a book that was written in part 2000 years ago, and in part, 3 or 4 thousand years ago, can speak to me now. A letter originally written to a church on the Mediterranean in the first or second century AD can speak to me in Washington in 2008. I think that's amazing. And I'm not talking about the "I can kind of relate to that" or "that's a nice story" type speaking to. The word brings conviction, comfort, understanding, and sometimes cuts deep, showing way for improvement.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.(NAS)

Prolonged Testing

Today I finally got back my first Spanish test. The test that was taken a week ago. I still haven't gotten my first paper back from writing, the paper that I turned in... a week ago. And there's no hope of getting that paper back before Wednesday. I guess I need to learn to be a little more patient.

Not Alone

Heb 4:14-16
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.16 Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.(NAS)

When we struggle with temptation, this should be an encouragement. Jesus endured all the same temptations that we face daily, but he never sinned. He understands the temptations that we face, and He can help us fight those temptations through His grace for His glory. I don't know about you, but I can't begin to imagine going through all the temptations I face and never once giving in, but always remaining holy. I said this a couple nights ago, but for those of us that are believers, we serve a great God.

Sing!

Ps 100:1-5
1 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.2 Serve the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing.3 Know that the LORD himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; {we are} His people and the sheep of His pasture.4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving, {and} His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name.5 For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness to all generations.(NAS)

Tonight at youth group, we talked about why we worship, why we sing, why we're thankful. The basis was the above passage. We sing because God made us. We're thankful because God is good. It is important that we not get caught up in the motions, going to church, singing the songs, but keep our minds on the reasons behind the things we do. We serve a great God. I pray that I remember that and don't get "caught up" in the motions.

Wineskins

Luke 5:36-39
36 And He was also telling them a parable: "No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.37 "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined.38 "But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins.39 "And no one, after drinking old {wine} wishes for new; for he says, 'The old is good {enough.} "(NAS)

The word "also" in the Greek used here is apparently often a word involving cumulative force with previous statements. Before this, Jesus was talking about why His disciples did not fast, because "...You cannot make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you?" (Luke 5:34). In other words, Jesus was with His disciples here on earth, what need did they have to fast? Taking this context into the meaning of the parable, it could be that Jesus is comparing the Jewish traditions that had been corrupted to the old patch or the old wineskins. The problem at hand didn't need the same old temporary fix that had been in service for hundreds of years, instead a "new patch" was needed. That permanent fix to the problem of sin and forgiveness of that sin is found in Jesus.

The part that caught me off guard is that last verse (39). Humans have a habit of sticking to what we're used to. We cling to things because they are comfortable or familiar. Why try something new when what we have works fine? Why should I trust in Jesus for my salvation when I have Moses' sacrificial system to purify me? Why should I try to grow spiritually when I'm secure in my salvation through Jesus Christ? The problem obviously takes on many forms, but the main point is that we should not be content with staying put, but instead growing.

Time For Action

Ezek 33:11 "Say to them, 'As I live!' declares the Lord GOD, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?'(NAS)

I wish I could always share God's loving attitude toward others. To have my one desire be that those trapped in sin would turn from those ways and be saved! The attitude is often there, but often it never goes beyond the thought in my head, or maybe a prayer. Don't get me wrong, a prayer is great, but there is a time to do something else, and I'm sure I've missed some of those times.

God on Earth

Heb 1:2-3
2 in these last days has spoken to us in {His} Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high;(NAS)

The part of this passage that sticks out to me the most is in verse three. Jesus is the exact representation of God's nature. When Jesus came to earth, it was a true glimpse of who God is. Jesus truly was God among us. And now, after rising from the grave having died for our sins, He reigns in Heaven with God. In fact, He is God. To my limited understanding, the Greek word translated "exact representation" could be more accurately stated as character. Jesus is the "character" of God.