Tag Archives: peace

Is Your Speech Christian?

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. -Colossians 4:6 (NIV)

Is your speech Christian?

I have to be honest–I was shocked when I read Colossians 4:6 this morning. Generally, Paul has been painted by conservatives as on-the-attack so I was shocked when Paul encourages the Colossians to fill their talk with grace (seasoned, if you will). Or as Thumper learned when reflecting on baby Bambi’s walking,

Thumber from Bambi (1942)

Thumper: He doesn’t walk very good, does he?

Mrs. Rabbit: Thumper!

Thumper: Yes, mama?

Mrs. Rabbit: What did your father tell you this morning?

Thumper: [clears throat] If you can’t say something nice… don’t say nothing at all.

Recently, a friend said to me: it’s not important to always say what you’re thinking. In the days of Facebook, Twitter, and whimsical “authenticity” (being “real,” if you will), it is tempting to spout off whatever comes to mind.

“Whatever I think, people should know.”

Enter conversations around politics, theology, and colors for the church sanctuary carpet. I’ve heard too many Christians glibly talk about certain topics (e.g., healthcare reform, protecting “the Word”) and certain people (e.g., Obama, Bush, Mark Driscoll, Rob Bell) without salt.

I’m guilty of this, too. I had to make a pact with myself that I won’t spout off my feelings on Twitter or Facebook. That I think about things before I say them.

So, I challenge you and me: Is our speech Christian? Is it full of grace? Is it seasoned with salt?

If not, we should say nothing at all.

Let The Christians Of The World Agree That They Will Not Kill Rob Bell

The following was supposed to be published in the May edition of the Philadelphia Biblical University student newspaper “The Scroll.” However, time was short, and the edition did not get published. I have posted it here as my last reflection on Rob Bell’s book Love Wins.

A Modest Proposal for Peace

A Modest Proposal for Peace

A favorite theologian of mine tells a story about a poster he has on his office door of two people embracing and the statement, “A Modest Proposal For Peace: Let The Christians Of The World Agree That They Will Not Kill Each Other.” Every once in awhile, someone will drop by his office and dispute the sign that Christians shouldn’t kill anyone. This theologian will chuckle and wittingly respond, “Well, we have to start somewhere.”

At one point in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus is preaching and finds himself in a peculiar situation—his family thinks he is crazy and attempts to save him from himself. Someone tells him that his mother and brothers are outside and want to speak with him. Jesus’ responds,

“Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.
Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother” (Mk. 3:33-35 NIV; emphasis added).

Jesus, inaugurating God’s kingdom, redefines what it means to be “family.” When I follow Jesus, loyalty to my biological family takes a back seat to my familial obligation to other Christians.

Now, if you are like me, the people in my biological family are some of the most aggravating people I know. I don’t always enjoy their company. I argue with them. I may even yell at them. But, in the end, my brother is my brother; my sister, my sister. They are not my enemies. Something deeper connects us—blood.

When you decide to follow Jesus, you have a familial obligation to anyone who is also doing his or her best to follow Jesus. Paul consistently rebukes division because we are a family. Something deeper connects us—Christ.

Love Wins

Love Wins

Rob Bell’s Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived has been the source of much debate and controversy within the evangelical world. Bell’s basic argument (essentially, repackaging what others like C.S. Lewis have said) is as follows:

  • (a) God through Christ loves everyone.
  • (b) Because of A, he will not encroach on human freedom.
  • (c) Because of A and B, if one resists God through embodying a hellish life, he or she will be allowed hell in the next. If one accepts God through embodying heavenly attributes, he or she will be allowed heaven after death.
  • (d) After death, God, in his love, gives individuals chances to be redeemed.
  • (e) In the end, “love wins” because God through Christ loves us so much he give us what we want—if hell, then hell; if heaven, then heaven.
Rob Bell

Rob Bell

I don’t know Rob Bell personally, but I have been following him for about 6 years now. Bell makes following Jesus his passion, and I respect that. I struggle with some of his views, but I take what is good, keep it, and filter out the rest.

But you know what? Rob Bell’s my brother, and, because he’s my brother, I have a familial obligation to him. If I have a familial obligation to Rob Bell, even if I disagree with him, I won’t kill him by labeling him a “false teacher” or a “heretic,” or by condemning him to hell or writing him off. Something deeper connects us.

He
is
my
brother.

So, let the Christians of the world agree that they will not kill Rob Bell.

The Antichrist Makes Peace Impossible [Part 2: The Antichrist and His Minions]

If there is light in the soul, there will be beauty in the person. If there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the house. If there is harmony in the house, there will be order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.

-Chinese Proverb

There was a point where I remember expressing to another Christian that I was for Christian non-violence (i.e., what some term “pacifism”), but the individual responded with his view of the book of Revelation where Christ makes war with the Beast. He posed the question somewhat like, “How could non-violence be Christian if Christ goes to war in the future apocalypse?” I responded, “Well, I guess that’s would be the case if you read Revelation that way.” I’m a firm believer that our views about the future affect what we do as God’s people now. And this is no different.

After that conversation, I went a bit deeper in thought. I began to think about how the Antichrist is supposed to come a bring peace to the world, but, as I was told in Sunday School, it would be a “false” peace. It was often concluded that anyone who attempts to bring about peace in this world should be looked upon with suspicion, perhaps, he is the Antichrist? Thus, we spent way too much time pointing out who is the Antichrist (right now, a popular target is Obama, in case you didn’t know).

American evangelicals have often been skeptical of anyone (even other evangelicals!) who speaks about bringing peace to the world. You’ve probably heard, “Well…world peace will never happen until Jesus comes back.” True, but such statements have implied, “So…instead, I’ll do nothing. Maybe I’ll support war, but, mainly, I’ll do nothing to bring about peace to this world.”

Now, if we look back to our last post, the Bible speaks of the spirit of antichrist–a principle, mindset, personality of antichrist that can be embodied in anyone or anything. I have to say, such statements as the above embody the spirit of antichrist. Here’s why I say that: the problem is not world peace, but it is world peace brought about by a counter-kingdom or counter-king. In Revelation, the counter-kingdom is the Antichrist’s kingdom–it is an anti-kingdom! The true kingdom is brought about by the kingdom of God and its King–Jesus the Christ.

Everytime he said, “Jesus is Lord,” the apostle Paul was attacking the counter-king (or antichrist), Caesar, by implying, “Caesar is not [Lord].” The New Testament apocalyptic passages are doing the same. They aren’t saying, “Peace is bad. Non-violence is bad, and be skeptical of it.” They are saying, “Anyone who brings about peace and non-violence in a counter-kingdom-way is antichrist. Be skeptical of that.” Jesus and his kingdom bring peace, and no one or nothing else does. It’s not peace that’s bad, but it’s spirit-of-antichrist peace that Christians must oppose.

I understand Jesus said, “I didn’t come to bring peace but a sword,” but I think we all can understand that to be metaphorical and not a trivial argument against Christian non-violence. I understand Christian non-violence doesn’t make sense, but neither did the cross, and we believe in that. And yes, I’ve read the Old Testament. But I am convinced that Jesus’ people are asked to bear the burden of peace and justice until he returns.

Jesus’ birth was “peace on earth” and anyone or anything that is against his kingdom of peace is anti-King, anti-kingdom…Antichrist.

Mother Teresa once said, “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” Peace starts when we bring it to our local contexts. What are ways we as Christians can work for peace in our local contexts?

[both the Chinese proverb and Mother Teresa's quote come from Sojourner's Verse and Voice emails. Sign up yourself here.]

Blog Series: The Antichrist and His Minions

I will be beginning a series of posts called “The Antichrist and His Minions.” The Antichrist is someone/thing that has been a topic of much attention by theologians over the years. Who is he? When will he come? Is he a human, demon, or principle? I am in favor of the “principle” position, that is, the Antichrist is an attitude that is not simply embodied by one particular person in the future but is embodied in many people, places, movements, etc. It is my belief that the literal interpretation of the Antichrist, which is favored  mostly by premillennial dispensationalists, actually promotes the spirit of antichrist instead of rejecting it. I have designated “his minions” to be such interpreters since such work alongside the spirit of antichrist when they promote these misconceptions. I would like to take a look at two specific topics, in which such people are the Antichrist’s minions, in the areas of (1) peace and (2) unity,. I will first repost my earlier post on the Antichrist titled, “Will the Antichrist be an actual person?”, and go from there. Thus, our series The Antichrist and His Minions will be as follows:

  1. Will the Antichrist be an actual person?
  2. Why the Antichrist makes Peace impossible, where I will approach this from the angle of Christian non-violence.
  3. Why the Antichrist makes Unity impossible, where I will approach this from the angle of Christian/world unity. 

There may be more as I develop these ideas, but let’s start here. I’m a firm believer that our eschatology directly influences our practical lives now. So, I’d like to know: What are some misconceptions of eschatology that you believe have/had poorly influenced your practical life or the lives of others you know?

Obama’s Department of Peace and Non-Violence: a reflection

As I stated the other day, this could really happen, and Charlie posts about this on his blog.

I am all for peace and non-violence, but I’m not necessarily sure that such a thing could be achieved outside of the community of faith in Jesus the Christ. The world’s way to peace tends to be through violence. We see much of this in Jesus’ day with the Romans (I don’t mean to give you a history lesson but hold on). The Romans claimed to give the earth “peace;” as you may have heard of Pax Romana. The way Rome did it was through violence. Whenever anyone stood up to create a “disturbance,” Rome sent its legions to bring about “peace” by bringing them to “justice” by massacring the rebellious because, as one person put it, dead people are a lot quieter.

However, Jesus, the Prince of Peace, brings about peace through justice, but justice of turning the other cheek, loving your neighbor as much as you love yourself, and carrying a soldier’s belongings an additional mile.

I’m not really sure that I would trust America or any legislative body to enact peace and non-violence. I fear that it still may be peace through violence rather than peace through justice.

All I’m saying is, if a Department of Peace and Non-Violence is created, Christians should not put their hope in such a department but remain hopeful in Jesus Christ. Otherwise, we are back in the same place we were supporting certain politicians (e.g., Emperor Constantine among others), and it coming back to bite us. Please be cautious my Christian brothers and sisters.

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