Welcome to The Struggle: The Peace That Starts the War (Pt. 2)

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." - Matthew 5:10-12 ESV


"If you are to have peace with God, there must be war with Satan." - Charles Haddon Spurgeon

"Blessed are those who seek for peace; (but) in control are those who kill." - Derek Webb (from the song, I for an I)

Contra Mundum (Against the World)

What we are quick to find in the verses following Matthew 5:9, is that Peace with God is not equivocal to peace with our fellow man. In fact, what Jesus is plainly laying out before his followers is the exact opposite; you should expect hostility from the world once you've been brought out of the darkness and bondage of sin. As we have seen and read in our previous studies, "friendship with the world is enmity with God" (Genesis 3:14-15, James 4:4). Notice that Paul says that we are to try ("as far as it depends on you") to live peaceably with all (Romans 12:18). Not at any time are we guaranteed that this sentiment will be reciprocated. Once believers have been brought from death and sin to life in Christ, they are now set apart (sanctified) up and against the world. It makes them public enemy No.1 in the devil's domain (Ephesians 2:1-10; 1 John 5:19). The reason that we often times struggle with the concept of Blessed are the peacemakers, is largely due to our misinterpretation of what peace it is that we're seeking (Matthew 10:34-39; Luke 12:49-53). Once you enlist in the army of the Lord, it is an inevitable fact that you will see combat and that the stakes are high; eternity hangs in the balance. Knowing what we know, we must be willing to hang all conviction on the line - even lay our lives on the line, for this is no ordinary combat scenario. This is not your father's war; it is fought on a cosmic stage with cosmic, as well as, supernatural consequences (Ephesians 6:12).

Fighting The Good Fight

This sort of language in our age of the peace and prosperity "gospel" may be called disturbing. However, it is only disturbing when we take our eyes off of Christ as our assurance and the promises that are made to those who follow him (Matthew 16:24; John 15:18-20; 16:1-4, 33). The peace that Christians obtain doesn't turn them into pacifists (Luke 22:35-38), but it must be fought with a different type of weaponry (John 18:36; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6; Ephesians 6:13-18). Even though the battle that rages is a spiritual one, it will manifest itself at times in the physical realm; ungodly people will seek to do us harm, at times, and succeed (Matthew 11:12). As strange as it may sound, this should not concern us. In his letters to Timothy, Paul uses war-like analogies to encourage the young pastor in the hardships he would face in his service for Christ:

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. - 1 Timothy 6:12 ESV

also,

Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. - 2 Timothy 2:3-4 ESV


Dying to Live

A strange response indeed, but the concern for our safety should not be an issue. Our priority should be proclaiming the gospel of Christ promiscuously; knowing all the while that our lives are hidden in Christ, and that regardless of the outcome of our physical well-being here in this life, we will be raised again to a better life with him in the consummation of his kingdom. No accusation of guilt by the Devil, or ill-will, or harm threatened to our bodies and/or reputation by enemies (from any side they may come from) will be able to thwart God's plan of bringing his children into his glory. We should live in confidence that whatever troubles spiritually or physically that may come, we will be more than conquerors (Matthew 10:28; John 6:37-40; Romans 8; Philippians 1:21; Hebrews 11:32-38; Revelation 2:11, 20:6).

No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed,and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord. - Isaiah 54:17 ESV


The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. - Romans 16:20 ESV

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 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. - Jude 3-4 ESV

“When principles that run against your deepest convictions begin to win the day, then battle is your calling, and peace has become sin; you must, at the price of dearest peace, lay your convictions bare before friend and enemy, with all the fire of your faith.” - Abraham Kuyper

Soli Deo Gloria,

From the Balcony

The Peace That Starts the War (Pt. 1)

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. " - Matthew 5:9 ESV



"The mere absence of war is not peace." - John F. Kennedy



When asked to define peace, most people will give an answer that equates more or less to something like, "a world without conflict, suffering or violence". Yet, in a reading at the close of the beatitudes in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:9-12), we are forced (once again--as we have been throughout our study of the beatitudes) to take a deeper look at what it truly means to be a peacemaker as a follower of Christ. In light of the verses that follow verse 9, it can appear at first glance to be an outright contradiction. How can he possibly expect us to make when we are being attacked and slandered? Intuition tells us to fight; in some cases, run. This sounds more like surrender--like giving up. But as we shall see, it is all about priority; how true peace is accomplished, how it transforms us, and how we are to strive or contend for it in this world.



Peace with God

If a person truly wishes to have any sort of real peace in the world, he must first be able to answer this question:

"What must I do to escape the wrath of a holy and righteous God?"


As it says in Scripture,


Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. - Romans 5:1-11 ESV

Martin Luther comments on these verses:

“With ‘peace’ the Apostle here means that peace of which all prophets speak, namely, spiritual peace, as he indicates this by the phrase ‘peace with God’. This peace consists properly in an appeased conscience and in confidence in God, just as conversely the lack of peace means spiritual anxiety, a disturbed conscience and a mistrust over against God.”

As we can see from the text, peace has a much deeper connotation than just the absence of violence. It is the relenting of an angry God against worthy sinners. Through the person and redeeming work of Jesus Christ, God no longer seeks to destroy us and clears our conscience and hearts of sin. It is only through the repentance of sin and faith in Christ that we are saved from the wrath, as God himself initiates reconciliation with sinful man by offering up his own son as a propitiation (turning away) of his anger against us (1 John 4: 9-10). Without this perfect peace, we should seek peace no further, for it would be utterly meaningless and vain in its end. It will serve only as an act of futility, due to the interference of self-interest, greed, and evil (James 4: 1-3).



Like Father, Like Sons

We read from our key text that we find peace with God by becoming "sons of God". As we are made sons through Christ, we must then begin to take on the attribute of peace that has been granted to us. God himself is a God of peace (Romans 15:33; 1 Corinthians 14:33) and we are to become like him, seeking to reconcile ourselves, by his grace, to the rest of the world:

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. - Romans 12:14-21 ESV


Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:4-7 ESV

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. – Colossians 4:5-6 ESV



It should be noted that the outpouring of our peace with God is an active one. We should strive for peace with the rest of the world, first and foremost, through sharing the Gospel. This will definitely be a difficult task. We will have to fight for this peace; at times, the price will be costly.



“Nothing can give perfect peace of conscience with God but what can make atonement for sin. And whoever attempts it in any other way but by virtue of that atonement will never attain it, in this world or hereafter.” - John Owen


Soli Deo Gloria,
From the Balcony

The Pursuits...

As we covered in a prior meeting, there is a place within ourselves that we must come to where we fall down to our knees and confess to God that we are fallen beings, completely empty and unclean, and in no way deserving of the grace that he has freely given to us.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” ~ Matthew 5:3-5

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” ~ Matthew 5:6-8

In verses 3-5, we see the heart of a person that truly realizes their need for salvation. They have lost their pride, they recognize their need for redemption, and because of these two things they realize that they have nothing good to offer up to God. Verses 6-8 begins the journey of the new spirit and demonstrates what a person seeking after Christ should be striving every day to attain through the power of the Holy Spirit.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness..."

Righteousness is defined as living by a divine or moral law, free from guilt or sin. Jesus Christ is the only man to have ever lived a pure life and it is by his example that we are to model our lives and through his teachings, seek his face so that we are able to see the face of God. So how are we, a completely unworthy and unclean people able to have the mind of Christ? He invites us to come to his table and drink from the everlasting fountain (John 4:14, Revelation 22:11) and eat the bread of life (John 6:35). He tells us in Isaiah 55:1-2 that what he offers is free and will fill us with a satisfaction that is far greater than anything we can find for ourselves. His offering is not meant to quench our physical need, but to fill the desire of our soul so that we may live the life that God has set before us. Christ gave us this example of food and water because we are able to take our finite minds and catch a glimpse of something that is infinitely greater than our minds capacity.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy….”

Mercy is defined as forgiving, compassionate, and withholding of the punishment or judgment of our sins. In James 2:13, Christ states:

“For judgment is without mercy to one who has

shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

God is very clear here and states very directly that he will not show mercy to those who do not show mercy themselves. We see in the parable of the unforgiving debtor (Matthew 18:21-35) that Christ compares heaven to the king that forgave his servant of an enormous debt that he owed. That same servant then turns around and demands that a man that owed him only a small amount, pay him immediately or risk being thrown into jail. This debt was much smaller, but instead of showing even a small bit of mercy he brought down his wrath upon the man. Upon hearing this story, the king had the servant he had forgiven thrown into jail for not showing mercy. So what are we to draw from this parable and why is the act of mercy such an important aspect of a believer’s life. The parallel that Christ draws with this parable is that because we have been shown so much mercy, our heavenly Father will do like the king if we do not forgive our brothers and sisters. The act of showing mercy is a reflection of our hearts and our understanding of the mercy that God has shown by not bringing his wrath upon us. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross is an act of mercy that no person can fully understand and because of his sacrifice, we have no basis for which to condemn anyone. Mercy is a direct reflection of our Christianity and if we can not find mercy in our hearts, we must wrestle with if we have truly accepted God as our merciful savior and fallen under the weight of what that means for our lives. Seeing our depravity links directly back to the recognition that we are poor in spirit and that we need God’s mercy because we are fully unfit for the mercy that God has shown us. I believe that Ephesians 5:1-2 gives a true account of how we should see the love of Christ and how that love should be shown through our lives.

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God…”

The heart is defined as the seat of emotions, thoughts, and intentions. It is translated as “mind or soul” or “central or most vital part of something”. The heart is the part of the body by which we define someone’s life and death and it is the center from which the life blood flows. In Psalm 51:10, David cries out for God to create in him a clean heart that he may be renewed and have a steadfast spirit. A clean heart David says is the foundation from which our spirit becomes aligned and strong in God. We are called the children of God in 1 John 3:1-3 and as his children, our lives should be spent in the pursuit of becoming more and more like our Heavenly Father. Since our path to this becoming is through Christ, we should seek to have the mind of Christ and live as he lived. This is the journey of the Christian life and we take this journey through hope and faith on the second coming of Christ and with his coming, the realization of our journey. As stated in verse three of the 1 John 3, it is because of this hope that we should be motivated to live a pure life which can only be achieved when God has purified our hearts and set our eyes on him.

As imagined, having a pure heart is not something that is easy or will ever truly be attainable until the day that Christians see the face of Christ. The refining of the hearts is something that is never finished because our human hearts are inherently evil. However, James 4:7-10 tells of the promise of God that if we go after and seek him, he will return and draw close to us. We may fall down again and again and we may feel that we can never come back to God, but if we trust in the word of the Lord then we know that “he will never leave us nor forsake us…”. And as you go throughout your day and your life, Matthew 12:34-36 gives us the measuring stick by which to judge our hearts.

“…..For whatever is in your heart determines what you say…”

The mouth is a gateway to our hearts and examining our words will show us the condition of our hearts.

~From the Balcony

A Passion for THE Passion: Recovering the "Bloody" Gospel

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. - Leviticus 17:11 ESV




What can wash away my sins?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Oh precious is the flow that makes me white as snow--
No other fount I know;
Nothing but the blood of Jesus

For my pardon, this I see;
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
For my cleansing, this my plea;
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Oh precious is the flow that makes me white as snow--
No other fount I know;
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Nothing can for sin atone;
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Not of good that I have done;
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Oh precious is the flow that makes me white as snow--
No other fount I know;
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

This is all my hope and peace;
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
This is all my righteousness;
Nothing but the blood of Jesus

Oh precious is the flow that makes me white as snow--
No other fount I know;
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

- Robert Lowry


As I listened to the words of this song while I was driving home yesterday, I was struck by the gravity of what was being said. The content of the lyrics became real to me. Dutch Theologian and Statesmen, Abraham Kuyper once stated:

"In the total expanse of human life there is not a single square inch of which the Christ, who alone is sovereign, does not declare, 'That is mine!'"

It is in the same manner which Christ's blood covers the lives of Christians. There is not a single square inch of our lives that the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross cannot cover. All too often this is forgotten--and excluded from the modern day gospel. This should be our centerpiece; that Christ shed his blood for the atonement of sins. Sadly, we seem to forget. The christian life should look like a grizzly murder scene; the blood of Christ should cover every corner of every room of our hearts and lives--every square inch! A bloodless gospel is a myth and is never mighty enough to save. Much of the failure in our day (as in any other day) is largely due to the lack of concentration on this topic. Most of the focus is given to the life of Christ--Jesus as the ultimate "example" of how to live. Then, with a little editorial work in the theatres of our minds, we are able to skip to the good part "Christ, the lord has risen today! Alleluia!". This is true and good. But it is by the blood that our conscience can be cleared of the guilt of sin. It is only by the blood that our sins can be forgiven. Christ took our place and punishment due to us so that now we can stand justified by faith in him before God.

When Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ hit the cinema, there was much controversy behind it. But regardless of the opinion one may have had about the movie, I think that it is safe to say that it was an extremely bold and courageous move on Gibson's part to focus solely on the crucifixion. In essence (whether knowingly or unknowingly), Gibson plants a flag firmly on the apex of the Christian faith--Christ and him crucified. In ancient creeds and confessions this is of the utmost importance, as it should be for us today. Every Sunday is an Easter celebration; Christ bearing the sins of the world that he might save many. To lose this would be to lose everything. The old hymn writers were well aware of this:

"Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness..."
"There's a fountain filled with blood..."
"Friend of sinners, spotless lamb; Thy blood was shed for me..."
"And can it be that I should gain and interest in my Savior's blood?"
"Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness..."
"For nothing good have I whereby your grace to claim--I'll wash my garments white in the blood of Calvary's Lamb..."

The list could go on and on. May this always be at the forefront of our message to the world; covered in the blood of Christ that takes away the sin of the world (Isaiah 53; John 1:29).


Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you washed in the blood,In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless?
Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for the mansions bright,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
Oh, be washed in the blood of the Lamb!

- Elisha Hoffman

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. - Romans 3:21-26 ESV

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. - Hebrews 9:11-14 ESV

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. - Revelation 7:13-14 ESV

Happy Easter,

From the Balcony