Wednesday, November 25, 2009

War, Peace and the Pinnacle: Part 3

This post is from a response I made to a former member of my congregation after he e-mailed me a question. One of our fine Baptists, Dr. Richard Land, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, made a statement concerning a position on war and foreign policy determined by President Bush on Iraq. The issue of chief concern was Dr. Land’s saying all Baptist agreed with the President’s response to 9/11. My answer, concerning some of my thoughts on the complex issues of war, peace, foreign policy and a Cross Disciple’s response, follows.

Post Script

Most importantly and basically, I hold again that this is a “triune issue.” To discuss war and peace alone creates nothing more than the usual dualistic dilemma that delivers us to diminishment! We must recognize the third reality of every concept or circumstance … truth! Although there is pervasive truth of “peace being desired,” there is the insurmountable truth of “war being determined.” Where is the man, the country, the government that will end war and usher in a pure and real peace? Give me one shred of evidence that mankind has the will, wisdom and resolve to do it! It is a futile exercise in illusion!

The truth of “triune thinking” places peace and war as the two second level priorities that they are. Kipling had it right in his famous poem, “If,” when he called both victory and defeat imposters! It is also true when naive, selfish and senseless human beings long for a “godless peace” by ending “human wars.”

It is only the pressure and pleasure of a ruling, loving, righteous Lord Who will end mankind’s endless conflicts and deliver again an Edenic peace! Only Jesus Christ qualifies to establish such a divine ideal! The “peaces” and “wars” of earth are only temporary dualistic dilemmas that will never be controlled by man. They are God’s sovereign tools, however, to reveal the third and higher reality to the eyes, mind and heart of those who “faith Jesus.” “For He Himself is our peace, Who has made the two one, and has destroyed the barrier …” (Eph. 2:14).

Our Lord has so allowed it that during our earthly journey all of us must struggle with our views of and participation in peace and war! But the highest conflict is not to end war or to enforce peace. These are limited dualistic areas. The true struggle of our earth life is to embrace the purity that sees God (Mt. 5:5). In “the churn” of war and peace our most significant and ultimate endeavor is to receive God’s gifts, find His higher truth and have the realities of eternity opened before our eyes (Mt. 7:7). Life for the Christ Disciple is much more than the dualism of defeat or victory. It is the trinitarian goal of overcoming both. Both peace and war on earth are irrelevant to the higher purpose of the Father, but I must save that compelling thought for another letter! Let it suffice for now that the only effective foreign policy by any country will have to be God’s policy!

This is “the foreign policy” that should have first billing on the lips of every “cross savvy” ambassador of our Lord Christ Jesus (II Cor. 5:20-21).

Great peace have they who love Your law; nothing shall make them stumble. Psalm 119:165

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