Riots in the streets. Political unrest. Division in the airwaves. His fault, her fault, the system, the silence. The party of love. The party of hate. Why won’t they just listen?
Peace is a word that hasn’t been used a whole lot over the last couple of years. If it is used, then most of the time it’s an empty promise or a political slogan. Love is something that everyone needs and wants, but when it comes to giving it, we fall short.
So how do we bring people together without inciting a riot or ending on a debate stage? We’ve tried politics. We’ve tried protests. We’ve tried canceling and campaigning. But the world is still broken. So where do we turn?
There’s only one way. Pursuing what leads to peace. Pursuing the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.
But how does one pursue when something is truly unjust? The pursuit of peace does not mean ignoring justice. It means having good intentions that bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23a says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
So, you may have a “good intention,” but if done in anger, then it opposes the Spirit of God. And nothing lasts that is opposed to the Spirit, whether a political movement or anything else. However, that which is built with the Spirit is indestructible.
If you need an example, then look at the entirety of history. Ancient Egypt crumbled. The Roman Empire is gone. The Mongol empire has fallen. The Ottoman Empire is no more. But the Kingdom of God stands firm.
On Saturday, June 14, there were “No Kings” protests across the country. The purpose of the protests was to show President Trump that the flag belongs to the people and not to him, according to nokings.org. “No thrones, no crowns, no kings” is the official motto of the movement.
But there is only one king. The one who reigns forever and ever. Jesus Christ. He does not demand loyalty with fear but draws hearts with love and truth.
Earthly governments are continually in pursuit of earthly treasures. More land, economic strength, power, money—you name it. That is why those who seek after these things are filled with what are called the works of the flesh: anxiety, anger, envy and jealousy.
Jesus taught that our hearts should not be focused on the things of this world but on the heavenly treasure of the Kingdom of God. If we spend all our effort and time chasing after things that fade, then we will run out of time. There is a treasure in Heaven that is better than anything we can imagine.
This does not mean to be a people who try and bring the government to the ground.
Romans 13:1-2 says, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”
Paul explains that we should subject ourselves to governing authorities because they are appointed by God, and they serve a purpose in His perfect plan even if they don’t realize it. God appoints a nation’s leaders, but not always to bless the people. Sometimes it is to judge the people or to ripen the nation for judgment.
In historical context, Paul wrote this during the reign of the Roman Empire, which was no friend to Christianity, yet he still saw their authority. Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate, one of the worst Roman governors Judea ever had, and Paul under Nero, the emperor responsible for the deaths of thousands of Christians.
Unless the government orders us to do something in contradiction to God’s law, then we are commanded to obey God before man.
We as a people have become more excited over the presidencies of people like Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Ronald Reagan than the reality of the kingship of Jesus Christ.
The only way to truly have peace is to refuse to fight like the world fights. Jesus didn’t fight for political power because the Kingdom of God is not of this world. The world fights with violence, with evil speaking towards political opponents. Everything we do is to be done in Christlike love.
The only way to peace is not through Washington or Wall Street. The only way to peace is through Jesus Christ.
