Romans 12:2-4 "…2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you.
Romans 12:16
"Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but enjoy the company of the lowly. Do not be conceited."
Others may not be in harmony with us because they hate Christ but we will always be exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit no matter how others are responding to us as long as we walk in the Spirit. We will not be fighting even when they are fighting.
We make peace by telling the truth for the purpose of correcting what is wrong, not to win or to be superior. A peacekeeper is one who hides things and pretends, avoiding any discussion, this person never helps to resolve they only enable.
Matthew 5:9
"9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God."
Making peace is hard work, it means having a discussion to see all sides of a matter. Peacemaking cleans things up while peacekeeping leaves the dirt and allows it to grow pretending there is no problem. In fact, often the peacekeeper blames the one who wants to have a discussion to resolve matters for starting a fight when they were not fighting at all. The one who is fighting is the one who refuses to value anyone but themselves in the room by declining to talk through a matter.
Peacekeepers do not value people to be able to engage they harm the one who wants to resolve a matter and coddles the one who loves their own opinion without respect for others.
Peacekeepers pretend everything is alright causing the evil thing to spread, all the while denying anything is wrong.
Denial is a form of lying to protect oneself, it not only helps the growth of yeast to continue but causes the carriers of the yeast to feel proud of themselves for their deception.
Galatians 5:9-10 " 9 A little leaven works through the whole batch of dough. 10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is troubling you will bear the judgment, whoever he may be.…"
1 Corinthians 5:6
"Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven works through the whole batch of dough?"
There are those who boast that they keep the peace by quenching all conversation that might resolve things, thinking they have stopped a fight. What they don't realize is that discussions do not have to be fights, they can be delightful discussions when both parties are seeking truth and turning to God's Word for their guidance. However, this takes respect and love for others in a discussion.
Romans 12:9-11 "9 Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another. 11 Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.…"
It is not love to avoid all discussions with those with whom we disagree.
Philippians 2:3
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves."
1 Peter 1:22
"Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have a genuine love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from a pure heart."
When we love one another we enjoy discussion about important things and we have no need to win over anyone else. God's truth is what is important not our own pride.
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