Live peaceably

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. – Romans 12.18

Peace is just a wonderful word. It is a wonderful goal. I think the vast majority of us would do almost anything to achieve peace. Most of don't relish conflict. 

But it comes. 

What are we to do when it does come? 

Martin Lloyd-Jones explains this verse this way – ‘Live at peace with all men unless they make it impossible for you to do so. The doubt is not with you, but them…You never be the cause of trouble.’

The idea is that when there is no peace it ought never to be our fault. We cannot dictate what others do, but we can decide what we do. Our part of any possibly volatile situation ought to be to avoid conflict and keep the peace. We strive for peace and strive not to be the cause of conflict. We ought to be the peacemakers.

But that might be taken too far. It might speak to a kind of Casper Milquetoast faith that cries out for peace at any price. This too is not right. We strive for peace, as much as possible, but sometimes we have to stand for what is right and let the chips fall where they may.

James addresses this when he writes ‘the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable.’ (James 3.17). The writer of Hebrews said that we are to seek peace with all men, with holiness…’ (Hebrews 12.14) There do come times when we have to stand for truth and holiness and purity even if it opens the possibility of conflict. Paul withstood Peter because he tried to seek the peace by acting one way around the Jews and another with the Gentiles.

So what do we do? How do we live at peace as much as possible while still contending for the faith? I have to go back to Dr Jones for an excellent description of how to put this verse into practice.

We must always stand for the truth of God’s word. There is no room for compromise there.

We must strive to be patients and helpful in all other matters that are the non-essentials.

We must always be sure to ‘speak the truth in love.’ There is no call to cause offence by our attitude or spirit.

We must never make it personal. It must not be about us being proven right.

We must always let the ‘peace of God rule in our hearts.’

Peace is not always possible – but we must always do our part to be peaceable even in times of conflict.