Tag Archive: peace

Didn’t Jesus tell us how to handle offenses between believers?

Jesus and Paul both give details of procedures for handling offenses within the church. Those procedures look toward reconciliation and removal of barriers, rather than creation of barriers, except where excommunication is necessary.

How should we respond together to the Lord’s discipline?

The passage from Hebrews 12:11-17 discusses the Lord’s discipline and how believers should support one another through it. Discipline, though painful, leads to righteousness and peace. This unified response showcases peace and holiness, helping others to see the Lord through our lives. Holiness and peace are essential for believers.

Live at peace with others

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. This is one of the most important principles of Scriture, because God is love.

And be in us our King of Peace

The hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” celebrates the arrival of God among us in the form of Jesus. The post highlights that God does not simply bring peace to the world; instead, he will ultimately judge and create a new, peaceful world. Those who have faith in God’s promises will have inner peace amid the world’s chaos and opposition.

Anger

I write this post to myself. I was once a very angry man. But I believed I now had anger under control. More recently, I’m not so sure. Manipulative people and manipulative institutions both deliberately goad the anger of those they want to control–anger is a great motivator. The media, celebrities, politicians, organizations and advertisers do the same thing. Other people, though, habitually but unconsciously manipulate by continually rehearsing their angry reveries for others to hear, wishing either to bring their hearers into their angry world or to intimidate by fear of what they might do in anger. And I am weak to all of these ploys. So I present the following study, which consists only of quotations from Scripture about human anger, its causes and antidote.

About Racism

The ultimate solution to our national racisms lies in the Church, in who we are in Christ. We are not called to uncritically support the current social order, no matter how unjust. We are called to show how social divisions are overcome by the Holy Spirit among us.

Our Oneness Makes Christ Visible to the World

It is our unity that makes Jesus visible to the world in us. It was practical unity that made the Jerusalem church attractive. Restoration of that unity was a precondition to the effective preaching of Steven and Phillip.

Our Oneness in the Body of Christ and the Consequences of Ignoring It

What happens to you affects me. If we choose to work together, the Body of Christ is healthy and effective. If we choose not to recognize each other, we are still one, but the Body of Christ os diseased.

We Are Called to Live Out the Truth of Our Oneness

We are called to live out the unity of the Body of Christ. The Body is already one, but we have a role in making that oneness effective in the world.