The world is splintered into all kinds of factions. These factions may have some things in common, but in general, they have conflicts for different reasons and of varying degrees. Whether you see these factions as "nations" or "religions" or whatever, there is seldom peace in the way the greeting "Shalom" refers to, whose root denotes completeness, wholeness, and soundness.
Want me to stop blabbing and jump right to it? Okay, here's the solution to peace.
Oneness and Peace in Christ
Ephesians 2:11-18 NLTDon’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.
For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.
He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.
So, according to the Bible, peace is achieved through being united in Christ, the Prince of Peace. This peace is not just the lack of hostility. Jews who are in Christ and Palestinians who are in Christ love each other because they are more brothers and sisters in Christ than they would've been if they had been born into the same natural family. Don't get me wrong, being in Christ causes us to love our enemies--enough to share the Gospel with them because we know that is the only power that can bring peace between them and God and with those around them. However, we are not at peace with our enemies. We are united in Christ, but enemies to the unseen, demonic forces, which control those who are not in Christ. So, while there is a division, we still reach out in love in hopes that they will repent of their sins and turn to Christ. There is no other way. All other ways will fail--even if they give the illusion of peace for a season.
Peace in the world will grow one soul at a time. Share the Good News about Jesus with someone today! We can't have meaningful peace with others if we aren't first at peace with God.
Are you in Christ?
John 3:18-21 NLT
“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him [Jesus]. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”
Romans 10:9-10 NLT
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
You cannot be in Christ unless you repent of your sins (forsake your own ways and turn to God) and trust in Jesus as your sacrifice for sins--and that alone! You can't do one modicum of anything to merit this salvation! Any good works that you perform show that the faith you have is true faith. You can only repent and believe. If you have truly done this, the Bible affirms that you have the Holy Spirit working in you, which is how you are united to Christ and you will have been born again into a new creature with new desires (preferring righteousness over wickedness).
Friend, declare to someone that Jesus is Lord and believe in your *heart* that God raised him from the dead.
If you have done just that--let me be the first to welcome you into God's family.
Oh, and here's this for you to enjoy, too:
Luke 15:7 NLT
In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away!
Shalom
