The Gospel from Matthew 10:34-39 is one that many Christians might wish to ignore. In it our Lord warns of the lack of worldly peace, the reality of interpersonal conflict, and the necessity of taking up the cross. Of course, there are also many passages about peace, and we like to emphasize those. Yet, we should notice the special nature of biblical ideas of peace.
In the New Testament, true peace is mainly about restoring sinful human beings to a right relationship with God through the saving work of Jesus Christ. As a result of such peace, we may at times also experience some peace with other human beings, especially those who share living faith in Christ. However, apart from grace and faith, peace does not characterize most human relationships in this world. Although Christians seek to live peaceably, Christ warns us that peace is often hard to find in worldly contexts. Since all human beings are tainted by sin, even close relationships such as those among family, friends, or even fellow believers, may not be entirely or truly peaceful.
As Christians, we should repent and confess our own contribution to the lack of peace. Let us seek to contribute to the spread of true peace based on faith in Christ. At the same time, let us accept a certain lack of peace with a fallen world as the calling of Jesus' disciples. Through His grace, let us take up our crosses and follow Him in faith for following Him is the way to true peace.
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