So many have paid the ultimate price in war. But are we willing to pay the price of peace?
What kind of effort is required to win a war? Most of us do not stop to think of the tremendous effort involved. Most military leaders attend a war college for at least four years. Thousands of civilians are turned into soldiers by undergoing extensive training in the art of war. Millions of dollars are spent annually on training, equipment, armaments, materials, military installations, etc. This drains a tremendous amount of energy, money and resources from other productive endeavors (such as health, education and fighting poverty). There is a tremendous amount of planning and strategy to any actual battle. All of this activity eventually leads to actual combat where a soldier is pointing a gun at another human with the intent to kill and destroy. Waging war is costly and destructive. Notice what the Encarta Online Encyclopedia has to say about World War II. "World War II basic statistics qualify it as by far the greatest war in history in terms of human and material resources expended. In all, 61 countries with 1.7 billion people, three-fourths of the world's population, took part. A total of 110 million persons were mobilized for military service.... In terms of money spent, it has been put at more than $1 trillion. The human cost, not including more than 5 million Jews killed in the Holocaust...is estimated to have been 55 million dead-25 million of those military and 30 million civilian...." How many lives were shattered by this war? How many families were ripped apart? How many marriages were destroyed? How many sons and daughters did not have the opportunity to reach maturity and lead productive lives? How many people were displaced by the war? The cost in human suffering was staggering. One analysis of the 2000 U.S. budget indicates that $546.6 billion was spent for all military activities or 41.3 percent of the total. Of this, $313.3 billion was spent for current military activities and $233.3 billion was due to past military activities. How much good could $546 billion dollars do if it was used for other purposes beside the military? It has been estimated that out of the approximately 6,000 years that man has been on planet earth, less than 300 years have seen no warfare. However, during those periods man was probably preparing for war. God inspired the prophet Isaiah to write, "The way of peace they have not known" (Isaiah 59:8). Man's history confirms this. Paul repeated this statement in Romans 3:17. It is a universal principle that applies to all nations. The Amplified Bible translates it this way: "They have no experience of the way of peace-they know nothing about peace, for a peaceful way they do not even recognize." Cain killed Abel and mankind has followed that pattern ever since. Peace Requires Effort Most people don't realize that waging peace is more challenging than waging war! You actually have to wage peace to have peace. The beatitudes in Matthew 5 are prerequisites for the Kingdom of God. Matthew 5:9 states, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." Jesus Christ is clearly explaining that each of us has a commission to become peacemakers. We can all think of someone else we think this applies to, but we all need to apply it to ourselves. Notice the emphasis that Paul places upon peace in Ephesians 4:1-3. "I...beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." The word endeavoring is the key word. In Greek it means, "to exert oneself, to give diligence." Notice how endeavor is translated in modern translations: "Making every effort" (Modern English Bible), "be zealous in love" (Moffatt), "spare no effort" (New English Bible), "make it your aim" (Phillips) and "do all you can" (Jerusalem Bible). We have to work at peace-we must make it our goal and do all that we can do to bring about peace. We sing one of the Psalms that illustrates this principle: "Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it" (Psalm 34:14). We must pursue peace. How can we wage peace with our spouse, employer, friends, enemies and those in the Church? We must look to the Prince of Peace. In Isaiah 9:6-7 it says, "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end...." There will be no end to peace once His Kingdom is established. There will be peace with judgment and justice. Why is Jesus called the Prince of Peace? Isaiah 53:4-5 supplies the answer. "Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed." Jesus made it possible for us to be reconciled to the Father (be at peace with God) and to learn to live in peace with our neighbor. His life showed that He was ever prepared to pay the price for peace. Are we? The Price of Peace Most people do not realize that peace has a price. We know that war has a price. Are we willing to pay the price for peace? What is that price? It is our willingness to take an undeserved loss. Taking a loss is repugnant to human nature. Carnal nature is focused on the self-on our selfish wants and desires. This is one of the chief reasons we sometimes have strife, hard feelings and even division among brethren in the Church. Peace is much more than not fighting a war. Baruch Spinoza, 17th century Dutch philosopher, made this observation: "Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice." Peace is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is a part of God's nature. Author John Andrew Holmes once stated, "Yes, we love peace, but we are not willing to take wounds for it, as we are for war." Many individuals have given the ultimate sacrifice for war. Many have returned home physically mutilated. Are we willing to put forth the same effort to make peace? James 4 shows that wars come from our lust-from wrong desires. The history of man is replete with the strong taking from the weak-with everyone looking after himself and failing to be his brother's keeper. Taking a Loss Notice the scriptural examples dealing with taking a loss. In 1 Corinthians 6:6 Paul tells of members willing to go to any length in order to get what they wanted. "But brother goes to law against brother, and that before the unbelievers!" Notice Paul's admonition for a peaceful settlement in verse 7, "Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated?" They were not willing to take a loss like Jesus Christ was throughout His life and in His death. Notice Paul's inspired words in Philippians 2:5-7 "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men." Christ had the rights and privileges of God before His human birth. He had coexisted with the Father for eternity. He did not cling to the privileges of God. He was willing to take a loss because of His love for us. Another example is mentioned in Genesis 13:7-9. There was strife between the servants of Abraham and Lot. There is no mention of who was at fault. Probably no one was. The land could not support the herds of both families. Abraham was willing to allow himself to be taken advantage of. He gave Lot the choice of where to settle. Lot chose the most fertile region. Abraham allowed this in order to have peace. Notice Paul's admonition in Colossians 3:12-13. "Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do." We are admonished to bear with one another and forgive one another. Continuing on in verses 14 and 15, "But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." The Greek word translated rule in verse 15 means "referee or arbiter, to be an umpire or to decide, determine." The peace of God is to act as an umpire in our minds and hearts. Sometimes when there is a dispute between labor and management, the case is presented to binding arbitration. The arbitrator has the responsibility to decide the case. In most situations both sides will have to give up something to come to a settlement. Management may have to pay a higher wage than they had originally intended. Labor may have to take less than they wanted. In each case both are taking a loss to keep the peace. Paul, in 1 Corinthians 9:1-15, explained that he had certain rights as a minister. He could have married. He could have taken the tithes from the Corinthian church, but he did not. He did not demand his rights. We live in an age where everyone demands his or her rights. Paul was willing to take a loss to serve. It is human nature to repay evil to those who make us suffer loss. They are called enemies. We want them to suffer an equal loss. But notice what Christ said in Matthew 5:43-45: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven...." Christ explains that we are to have concern and love for our enemies. We are to do them good. We are to be different-a light to this world. Peace is an attribute of the God family (Galatians 5:22). It is a fruit of the Spirit of God being in us. It is an attribute also of His Church. In 1 Corinthians 14:33 we read, "For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints." God is the author of peace. Satan is the author of war. The Future Jesus Christ is coming soon to bring peace to all people. He is calling a few today to learn peacemaking now and assist Him in the Millennium (Revelation 5:10; Isaiah 2:2-4). We will be used by God to bring peace to this war-torn world. Nations will not learn war anymore. All funds and resources will be devoted to bringing peace to the world. Peace is far more than the absence of war. In the Millennium, we will be the teachers and examples of true peace. As Christ said, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God. UN
