127.6

That’s a very interesting question.  Let’s read the words of the Lord Jesus in Luke 12:50-53, “But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.”  Let’s compare these verses to the words of the angel to the shepherds concerning the birth of the Lord Jesus in Luke 2:14, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”  Christ is actually called the Prince of Peace in Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”   Yet, here in Luke 12, the Lord declares that He did not come to give peace, but rather division.  How are we to understand this?

Christ, indeed, came to make peace with God for men, and He has done that as we read in Ephesians 2:14, “For he is our peace…”  The Lord came to sacrifice Himself to God for our sins, to proclaim the Gospel of peace, and to give spiritual and eternal peace to all those who believe on Him.  We read in Colossians 1:20-21, “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.”  The Lord bestowed His peace upon His disciples before going to the cross as we read in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” 

The Lord, however, did not come to give peace among men; He came to give men peace with God.  We read in Romans 5:1, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Here is the only source of peace; it is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Christ did not come to give peace to a sinful, God hating world.  To those who reject Him, there is no peace.  Indeed, the true Gospel of Christ very often causes strife and division in the home.  As the Lord said in Luke 12:52, “For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.”  I have seen those who have put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ being ostracized by their families.  Some have had to leave their homes because others in the household would not tolerate one who is a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.  This should not surprise us.  2 Timothy 3:12tells us plainly, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”  Often, that persecution comes from our own family members who are not saved. 

The Apostle Paul suffered greatly for the cause of Christ.  As he went about, trying to win precious souls for Christ, he was treated terribly.  He says in 2 Corinthians 11:24-27, “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.”  Paul instructs us to join with him in suffering persecution for the name and cause of Christ.  He writes in 2 Timothy 1:8, “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God.”  (127.6)