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SEEKING PEACE AND RECONCILIATION

At Individual, Corporate, and International levels, Soothing ethnic, religious and racial tensions

“Blessed are the peacemakers,for they will be called children of God.” Matthew 5:9

“There are three dimensions to the peace that God offers to us through Christ: peace with God, peace with one another, and peace within ourselves. Many people care little about their relationships with God and other people, but they still want peace within themselves. …it is impossible to know genuine internal peace unless you also pursue peace with God and others.” Ken Sande, The Peacemaker

“Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.” Corrie Ten Boom said this about forgiveness after being released from the prison of a concentration camp during World War II.

BIBLICAL CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW ON PEACE AND RECONCILIATION

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls peacemakers, blessed (Matt 5:9). Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Is 9:6). “Peacemakers who sow in Peace reap a harvest of righteousness,” (James 3:18). Part of the fruit of the Spirit is peace (Gal 5:22). Peace is also the fruit of righteousness (Is 32:16-17), and so is directly tied to and a result of justice.

It’s true that the world offers a false sense of peace; and there have been many false prophets of peace in the past, saying “‘Peace, peace,’ . . . when there is no peace.” (Jer 8:11); even the Antichrist is likely to claim power through it (see Rev 13:3-4; 2 Thes. 2:4-9; Da 11:36). In the End, people will again falsely say “‘Peace and safety,’” before destruction suddenly comes upon them (1 Thes 5:3). But through Jesus, we can have true Peace with God, internal peace, peace with others, even our adversaries (including litigants), and peace between nations (with a real, and final fulfillment of it in His Kingdom). See Jn 14:27; 16:33; Rom 5:1; Eph 2:14; Rev 21-22.

In addition, how is Reconciliation tied to Justice?: If Justice is getting one’s due (i.e, for good or bad), reconciliation involves cancelling the debt (i.e., what is due); and so, without something due, the dictates of justice would seem to be fully satisfied (one could say justice is done, by removing the thing actually due). It isn’t a perfect system (only God’s Justice is), and inevitably involves compromise among sides who are each convinced they are right. And yet Jesus constantly reminds us to pursue this, to be quick to forgive and reconcile with our adversaries (Matt 5:25). It is simply superior, in many situations, to heed this, and avoid the devastating costs of litigation, or even war (even if one is in the right).

(Authors: © Patrick and Kathy Talbot, August 5, 2023)

Resources

Advocacy Groups

Christian groups named here specialize in conflict resolution in either a grand scale, such as international ethnic and religious conflicts, or in smaller scale interpersonal and corporate matters, which may otherwise be settled through litigation. Also included in this concern is the very important area of inter-church, and intra-church conflict resolution (sadly an area too often neglected in the Kingdom, despite its immense importance).

Institute for Christian Conciliation (USA, International)

Peace & Reconciliation Network (PRN), of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA)

Peacemaker Ministries (USA, International)

RELATIONAL WISDOM 360 LEADERSHIP TRAINING

YWAM Centre for International Justice and Reconciliation

JOIN AN INTERCESSORY PRAYER GROUP FOR JUSTICE

Contact Isaiah Justice Institute at info@isaiahjusticeinstitute.com
to find out about an intercessory prayer group on justice in your area.