Understanding peace as reconciliation and living at peace online.
When you think of 'peace', what first comes to mind? A person sitting on a beach at sunset? Maybe the peace symbol? A dove?
So it may be a surprise to learn that in the Scriptures, "the Bible's prominent meaning of peace is political." As The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery further explains, "Thus 'peacemaker' was a political position, an ambassador of peace—someone who ended wars, brought physical safety and health to people, sought people's well-being, and brought justice. Jesus is the Prince of Peace because Jesus makes Jew and Gentile one, breaking their dividing wall of hostility and reconciling them (Is 9:6; Eph 2:14-17)."
You see, as God establishes peace with us, we experience internal peace. But God also establishes that we are at peace with one another.
What follows? The more we understand what God has done, the more we will do to live at peace with one another.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
What has God done to make peace with you? What does 'reconciliation' mean?
How does your identity as an 'ambassador for Christ' affect your behavior online?
What would it look like to not regard anyone 'from a worldly perspective' or 'according to the flesh' in your online community?
What do you see as the barriers to living at peace with others online?
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