Saturday, March 7, 2015
Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
BETTER THAN A COKE
Remember the commercials built around the theme: "I'd like to buy the world a Coke"? They were well-done 60 second spots which featured different ethnic groups from a variety of locations around the world all coming together in a peaceful, happy celebration of community. You could watch the ads and think, "Yes, why not? Why can't people just get along with one another?" Everyone knows, of course, that achieving peace and harmony takes something more than sharing a soft drink.
But what is that something more? Mankind has tried all sorts of approaches from peace treaties between nations to education to appeals to human decency and love for one's neighbor. But none of them has worked, at least not perfectly and certainly not for the long term. Broken marriages, inner city shootings, and encroaching terrorism are sad proof.
Scripture tells us that sin is the root cause of discord, not only between people, but between people and God. If there were no sin, the perfect harmony of God’s original creation would still exist. Isaiah says, "Your iniquities have separated you from your God ... so that he will not hear" (Isaiah 59:2). James writes that envy and selfishness toward others comes from Satan (James 3:14-16).
The answers to sin and the key to restored peace are not found in anything people can do. How could those who are sinful by nature possibly devise a plan to get rid of sin? Rather, true peace comes only from God. To restore our relationship with Him, Jesus was willing to let sinful men nail Him to the cross. There He suffered the punishment of hell for the guilt of the world. "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God" (1 Peter 3:18).
Being at peace with God by faith in Jesus works in us the desire, as well, to live in peace with those around us. Paul encourages: "As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" (Romans 12:18). May we then live out our faith and let our light shine by being "peace-makers" today.
