Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division. ~Luke 12:51
Ever know someone, or maybe yourself, who thinks in absolutes? If something is true in once situation, that truth becomes unbending and permanent. If we take the concept of peace as an absolute, this verse doesn’t seem right.
Peace. God is a God of peace. So where does this verse fit? If we make it an absolute that God can never bring anything but peace, then we’ve got a problem. But we’re not allowed to pick-and-choose our way through the Bible.
Taken out of context, this verse could give someone liberty for all kinds of hatred. Even in context, if we imitate Jesus in this section we would be setting ourselves up as Judge. That’s God’s job, not ours.
The Bible is clear that God’s people are to live in unity. We are to be like minded (Phil 2:2). We are to live at peace with everyone as much as we’re able (Romans 12:18).
So division? That’s not our job. We are called to demonstrate God’s love to the world.
I’m going to say that again: DIVISION IS NOT OUR JOB!
We live in a horribly divided world. Politics has invaded everything these days. It’s taken over social media, which bleeds into real life. And it seems to always be presented as “if we don’t agree, then I need to hate you.”
One more time: DIVISION IS NOT OUR JOB!
The Bible says to love our neighbors. How is engaging in debates on social media showing love to our neighbors?
I live in a suburb in which the law requires fences around every backyard. Most of those fences are six feet tall. It’s the law here in Dallas. My parents live in a place in the North where fences are illegal. They live in a big house on a street filled with other big houses, and every afternoon the common backyard is filled with kids playing together while moms sit on their back porches watching them. I don’t like the division in Dallas. I don’t know my neighbors and probably never really will.
We put up so many safeguards to protect our privacy and we think we’re better for it. I saw an article once that explained the Texas fence law as a “protecting your castle.” Okay, so you’re protecting your stuff from a potential thief. I get that. But in doing so we’re putting up divisions and not embracing community.
Our job is to pursue unity and peace with our neighbors. Remember the whole “love your neighbor as yourself” commandment? That’s our job.
This division that Jesus is talking about is an eternal division. In context, immediately before this He’s talking about end times and living ready. He says that He wishes this were already done. Division is not something He’s excited about, but He knows that it’s inevitable. As He addressed the crowd, He knew that every person who heard His words was someone He had made in His image. God doesn’t want to send His creation away from Himself, but He is holy and just. Through Jesus, He sees us as pure and clean. Only through Jesus can we be in God’s presence.
Division will happen, but our battle is not against people. While we stand up for the capital-T Truth of Scripture, let’s not take aim at our neighbors. Our battle is against the “rulers, against the powers, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).” We are all called to argue for what we know is right based on Scripture – God gives us that mandate, but stick to ideas and rules that limit our ability to worship our God. We argue for marriage, for family, and for life – life that includes the entirety of our existence from conception through the grave. God tells us to do that. But in speaking the Truth, He also tells us to do so in love. Our battle is NOT against people. Division is not our job. We know division is coming, but God has claimed that job. Let’s get out of the way and let Him work His redemption – His time of division hasn’t yet come.