WARRIORS OF PEACE

If possible, so far as it depends on you, being at peace with all men…  Romans 12:18

It has been said that within every great doctrine lies a paradox. As I continue to learn more about God, I have become increasingly comfortable with the reality that many truths about Him will never fit inside my little brain. God is infinite, and I am not. Yet much spiritual growth happens when I wrestle with a seeming contradiction and learn to follow Christ faithfully in the tension.

One such tension is the call to be a peaceful warrior.  J. C. Ryle wrote, “In short, war is an immense and incalculable evil, and every praying man should cry night and day, ‘Give peace in our time.’ And yet there is one warfare which is emphatically ‘good,’ and one fight in which there is no evil. That warfare is the Christian warfare. That fight is the fight of the soul.”

The Christian does not delight in conflict, stir up division, or seek to overpower others. We are called to pursue peace, love our enemies, bless those who curse us, and overcome evil with good. At the same time, we must never confuse peace with passivity. Sin must be resisted. Temptation must be fought. Lies must be answered with truth. The flesh must be denied, and the faith must be defended with courage and humility.

In this sense, I am called to constantly war for peace. I fight first within my own heart, asking Christ to conquer pride, fear, bitterness and selfish desire. I fight for peace in my relationships by choosing forgiveness, patience and truth. I fight for the souls of others through prayer, witness and love.

Joe Ensley