Caller: Well my question is based on Matthew 10:34, and it's saying here, 'Do not suppose that I've come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.' Then I go to John 14:27, and it says, 'Peace I leave with you, My peace I give you.' I'm just kind of baffled on that. Can you kind of clarify that up for me?
Pastor Doug: Yes. I think that the key that you're going to find there is where He says in Matthew 10:34, 'Think not that I am come to send peace on earth....' And the phrase there means 'I did not come to bring political peace.' 'I did not come to send peace, but a sword.'
Now the word of God brings division. It's not that He doesn't bring peace to an individual, but it says in Hebrews chapter 4, the Word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any tow-edged sword.
Co-Host: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Christ is portrayed coming in Revelation with a Sword protruding from His Mouth, a symbol of the Word of God in His Mouth. The Word of God can be divisive, as we sometimes observe here even on this radio program because people take different positions, but the salvation that Christ offers individually brings peace to those who receive His word.
Caller: Ok.
Pastor Doug: So when He says I didn't come to send peace on earth, I came not to send peace but a sword - you know, that almost sounds like a contradiction about when Jesus came and it said, 'Peace and Good Will to men on earth...'
Co-Host: Yeah, yes.
Pastor Doug: ...it's the men, the individuals that get the peace.
Co-Host: That's right. That's right.
Caller: Ok.
Pastor Doug: It's not a national peace.
Caller: Yeah because it goes back and verse 33 says, 'but whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him.' So I guess that's basically for the person who, you know, pushes away versus for the person who receives Him and wants to live in the peace.
Co-Host: Yes and an unbeliever who has a support system in a family or a group of people can gain strength in their support, but if he is separated from the group and has to stand alone and face the peace and the truth of Christ, then the peace will come upon him if he accepts the Word of God. If he doesn't, then he stays with the group. So the Word of God separates each individual so that they stand alone to face the truth.
Pastor Doug: Let me share an interesting, historical fact with you Stacy and our listeners.
Caller: Ok.
Pastor Doug: Genuine Christians, true Christians who live Godly through history have been persecuted. False christians through history have been persecutors. The crusades that were fought, the Inquisition, and a lot of things that have happened through history - christians who are not converted end up persecuting, and they give the rest of the genuine Christians a bad name.
Real Christians who have the teachings of Christ in their life, they're persecuted. So in that sense, Christianity doesn't bring peace environmentally. It brings peace internally.
Co-Host: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Ok?
Caller: Ok.
Pastor Doug: Thank you very much. Good question.
Caller: Thank you.
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