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Monday, April 11, 2016

How do you reconcile these two Scriptures?


How do you reconcile these two Scriptures?

Luke 12:51-53(NKJV)
Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. 
For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. 
Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

2 Peter 3:8-9(NKJV)
But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

I personally think that Christianity today puts way too much emphasis on the second Scripture and almost totally disregards the first.  One of the phrases that you hear to describe Jesus is "Prince of Peace".  That seems odd to me when Jesus himself as reported in more than one Gospel says point blank; "Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. "

So which is it?  Or is it both?

I think it is both.  Jesus came to make people choose.  From that standpoint Jesus is very divisive.  You have to choose.  No more riding the fences.  You are either for Him or against Him. 

On the other hand He wants to see as many repent and come to Him as possible so He is patient.  Notice however that He doesn't lower the standards while waiting for as many as possible to be saved.  They still have to come to Jesus through repentance.

The problem I have with much of Christianity today is that instead of telling the story of the Gospel and letting people choose, modern Christianity does way too much to blur the lines and make all religions the same so that people don't have to choose.  In other words they continually water down the Gospel to make it more palatable in my opinion. 

So how is Jesus the Prince of Peace?  In my view He is the Prince of Peace from the standpoint that all who embrace Jesus will experience the "peace that surpasses all understanding".  Have you experienced that yet?  If not why not have a chat with Jesus about it.  "Dear Jesus…." 

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