The pursuit of peace

The best conclusion to a good argument is arriving at a place of understanding, knowing how each person involved is somewhat right and somehow wrong.

Our country is probably better off than any of us think, but, right now, it just seems like a mess. It’s the truth that will bring about permanent change, but the truth is that every side is partly right and partly wrong. 

Until all are able to speak honestly and rationally about facts, the problems will continue. 

Conflict is a normal part of life

The good news is that, throughout our history, some of the best adjustments in our thinking have taken place after arguments. 

God already has a plan to redeem the hurt, for a greater good, if we will be called to his good purpose. (Romans 8:28). 

So what is God’s purpose? 

Romans 14:19 says, “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” 

I often teach that one of the most important words of a verse is the verb. Romans 14:19 teaches that we are to pursue those things that bring about peace and the mutual good of everyone. 

I expect that our country will heal—if we can recognize that everyone involved is somewhat right and somehow wrong. 

If we pursue those things that bring peace and mutual upbuilding, we can arrive at a place of change that will be based on truth. Truth will likely humble and help everyone involved. 

Jesus said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32). 

What is the truth?

In that same passage, Jesus tells us why complete truth evades most of us at times. Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin” (John 8:34). 

Every human being is enslaved by, or controlled by, our sin natures. Our salvation gifted us with the indwelling of Christ, through his Holy Spirit. We are able to be filled with, or controlled by, his Spirit, but that is a free-will choice. 

We live in a culture that was quick to believe Oprah when she used the phrase “personal truth.” In other words, truth can be what seems right, or feels right, personally. 

It will just take a minute to think about those words and realize that “personal truth” is just another way of saying “personal opinion.” 

Truth isn’t based on what seems true or feels true to a person. Truth is not personal because it transcends opinions. 

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). 

That’s why Jesus could tell those disciples, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). 

Our daily choices are because we are enslaved to the Holy Spirit of Christ or because we are enslaved to our human nature in the moment. None of us is completely free, yet. 

As Christians, we are completely saved, but we don’t enjoy the full benefits of our salvation until heaven. 

Choose truth; choose freedom

I hope that when tempers calm, truth will be spoken by people who realize its high value. Everyone is right and everyone is wrong—because everyone is an imperfect human being. 

We are free to speak, but if we are enslaved to Christ, we are not to speak freely. If we are enslaved to Christ, we allow him to speak his words of truth, peace, and mutual upbuilding through us. 

God’s word has been changing people’s lives since the beginning of time. The freedom we all need is the freedom to live enslaved by God’s thoughts, which are the truths, spoken by his Holy Spirit, in agreement with Scripture. 

Why do people still suffer?

One of my life verses is from the book of Hosea. God spoke to the prophet Hosea during one of the darkest times in human and church history. I’ve often said that God’s words to Hosea have been the reason I keep teaching and writing. 

God told Hosea, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). 

People are being destroyed by opinions because they have rejected the knowledge of God. Jesus is their Messiah. He is the way, the truth, and the eternal life they need. And there is suffering in our world because they have forgotten the God who created and redeemed it through his Son. 

People suffer now, and will suffer eternally, if we don’t help them know God through salvation in Christ. 

The thought that prompts

If you are like me, words fail. I don’t know how to speak my thoughts well. I don’t know who to speak them to. I don’t know if I should speak at all. 

But the thought that prompts me today is the knowledge that I know the One who will always speak the truth—and the truth will set us all free from sinful thoughts, words, and actions. His word is truth and is therefore the solution to our struggles. 

People suffer when they lack knowledge of God’s truth. May the Lord help all of us quiet our opinions so Jesus can speak his truth through us. 

Let’s take time to pray Samuel’s prayer, “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears” (1 Samuel 3:9). God speaks to servants who take time to listen. 

Maybe our words need to fail right now so we will take the time to listen for his words. 

It’s his truth that matters and his truth that will help. 

Let’s live consistently aware that we have a high calling. We are to be enslaved to God for his good purpose. 

“So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” 

Let’s be servants who listen.

The Voice of Your Inner Thoughts

I watched the Emmy Awards Sunday night with a different kind of interest. It might have been because I am teaching from Corinthians this year and am often amazed at the cultural comparisons. 

The program itself was not very good. Hollywood can’t settle on a host for the show, nor can they settle on any standards for behavior. Many of the presenters struggled to read the teleprompter or make acceptance speeches. I’m not sure how often words were bleeped out, but there were a lot of speeches with multiple breaks. 

The whole show was pretty much a train wreck from the beginning.

Having rights is different than being right 

I’m probably not surprising any of you when I say that Hollywood has a very real darkness these days and, surprisingly, they see themselves as enlightened. 

Many of the award recipients made lofty-sounding statements on politics or personal morality. Interestingly, I don’t imagine many (or any) majored in political science, history, or philosophy. 

Several spoke about women’s rights while wearing dresses that had to be taped to their chest to prevent possible wardrobe malfunctions. We saw men kissing other men and transgender people treated as heroes or groundbreakers. 

Hollywood preaches about people’s “rights” but rarely about the need for people to behave rightly. In fact, their message is that personal choice determines what is right—unless, of course, someone’s personal choice disagrees with theirs. 

The ads during the program often targeted upcoming new shows for the fall season. I was amazed at the number of these programs that involved the supernatural and often the occult. They are dabbling in areas they have no idea are actually dangerous for people to think about.  

Hollywood has shouted about gun control, but I’ve never heard a network news show blame their own evening programming. How often do the networks air shows that feature a hero with a gun? How many of our random shootings are prompted by a warped sense of wanting to be popular like that? 

Hollywood is shouting for an individual’s personal right to choose. God created that concept. But God also created the Law so that we would know how to choose rightly. There will always be consequences when people make wrong choices. Sadly, that message was completely left out of the speeches that were made. 

Rethinking our thoughts

I wanted to watch the Emmy Awards because I believe our televisions have influenced our inner thoughts and we need to rethink our thoughts.  

  • When last were you saddened by an unmarried couple in a sexual relationship?
  • Are you beginning to accept homosexuality as a personal choice?
  • Are you intrigued by television shows that dabble in or elevate the occult?
  • Do you grieve the jokes that are made about the clergy, or even the Lord, on sitcoms or talk shows?
  • Has your thinking changed to include tolerance, acceptance, or even appreciation of things that God’s word has called unholy or sinful? 

The reason I ask you those questions is that is what is happening in my inner thoughts sometimes. I’ve become more anesthetized to seeing shows about Satan introduced to primetime television. It’s rare to see a committed, married couple on television who live with biblical standards. 

There are popular shows about polygamy, “queer eyes,” and every kind of violence. When did those things become possible? Normal? Acceptable? Appreciated? 

The pattern has been around from the beginning and will always be Satan’s method. Jude 1:4 describes that method this way: “For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”  

Hollywood hypocrisy

Does it matter if it is just a “television show”?  

Hollywood thinks it matters—but only when it is convenient for their message. 

  • Gun violence matters—unless it’s found in a show they are acting in or producing.
  • Violence against women is terrible—unless they are offered the role of an abused woman or her abuser.
  • Education is important—unless they have to drop out of school to play a part in a movie or sitcom.
  • Equality is demanded—unless they are competing for the part or acting in a particular role.
  • Honesty matters—except when they are pretending to be someone they are not, or shouldn’t be.

The Voice within is a Person 

This week I’m teaching from the second chapter of 1 Corinthians. Paul taught a strategic lesson to the church in Corinth about the function of the Holy Spirit in our lives. If you are a Christian, you have been given the Holy Spirit.  

Paul wrote, “For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:11).  

The Holy Spirit knows what God thinks. When we see something on the television that makes us cringe, that is the Holy Spirit telling us what God thinks. When we see something that seems disgusting or revolting, that is the Holy Spirit telling us how God feels. When we feel saddened by what we see, that is a touch of God’s grief.  

The Holy Spirit knows what God thinks, and his role is to inform us so that we can think and feel like our Creator.  

You can know God and his thoughts 

How can you know what God is thinking? 

Paul answers that question in this way: “‘For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16). 

That is one of my favorite descriptions of the Holy Spirit. There is a voice within every Christian who speaks thoughts from the mind of Christ. That voice competes with others but shouldn’t have to. Why do we let Hollywood and other worldly thinking influence our thoughts when we can listen to Jesus’ opinions instead?  

Hollywood is enticing and  tempting—but we know the source of that type of thinking. Satan has a voice as well. 

The Holy Spirit within you is the mind of Christ. Pause often to listen for his thoughts and opinions. They are truly the only thoughts worthy of our time, focus, and especially our opinions and standards. We have been given the mind of Christ, but we have also been given the right to choose his thoughts.  

The mind of Christ will always reflect and agree with the word of God. That’s why we call the Bible his holy word. Many of our thoughts will be authored by God’s Holy Spirit today. 

Let’s choose to listen well.