Romans 12:18
"18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people."
Some people take this verse to mean that we should do whatever possible for people to be at peace with us. If someone is not at peace with us then we are doing something to cause it.
A missionary once told me that we should compromise the word of God for the sake of peace. Of course, I was astounded by such a statement coming from someone who had been on the mission field for many years.
The truth is that we are always at peace with others because we treat them with the respect that they do not give us.
When one person is fighting and the other is not, onlookers will say those two were having a fight. The truth is only one person was fighting and the other was calm and not engaging with the contentious one.
Often we are judged as causing trouble for stating a fact or telling the truth when the person hearing becomes angry because they have a problem with the ability to discuss something when there is a disagreement. We are even judged as rude when we state an opinion
Others watching judge that we did something wrong because someone else became angry at us. After all, the one who gets angry must have had a good reason. This is the perverted culture we live in during these last days. The one coddled is the one who angers easily and the one who desires to resolve a problem with the truth is the one who is accused of rudeness.
The truth is hated by most people in our day. They only like the truth if it flatters them or makes them feel special.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.…"
Mankind is hardwired to receive flattery and praise easily and without thinking, and to hate the truth that exposes their character.
Proverbs 29:5-6 "5 A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet. 6 An evil man is caught by his own sin, but a righteous one sings and rejoices."
The only way to escape the flattery of the devil and those who walk with him is to be born again. When the Holy Spirit dwells in us He makes us uncomfortable with flattery.
Psalm 36:2
"For his eyes are too full of conceit to detect or hate his own sin."
We can be at peace with all men even if they are not at peace with us.
Being at peace does not mean we give them what they want or go along with their ideas, it merely means we do not act disrespectfully toward them while we hold our ground.
"18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people."
Some people take this verse to mean that we should do whatever possible for people to be at peace with us. If someone is not at peace with us then we are doing something to cause it.
A missionary once told me that we should compromise the word of God for the sake of peace. Of course, I was astounded by such a statement coming from someone who had been on the mission field for many years.
The truth is that we are always at peace with others because we treat them with the respect that they do not give us.
When one person is fighting and the other is not, onlookers will say those two were having a fight. The truth is only one person was fighting and the other was calm and not engaging with the contentious one.
Often we are judged as causing trouble for stating a fact or telling the truth when the person hearing becomes angry because they have a problem with the ability to discuss something when there is a disagreement. We are even judged as rude when we state an opinion
Others watching judge that we did something wrong because someone else became angry at us. After all, the one who gets angry must have had a good reason. This is the perverted culture we live in during these last days. The one coddled is the one who angers easily and the one who desires to resolve a problem with the truth is the one who is accused of rudeness.
The truth is hated by most people in our day. They only like the truth if it flatters them or makes them feel special.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.…"
Mankind is hardwired to receive flattery and praise easily and without thinking, and to hate the truth that exposes their character.
Proverbs 29:5-6 "5 A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet. 6 An evil man is caught by his own sin, but a righteous one sings and rejoices."
The only way to escape the flattery of the devil and those who walk with him is to be born again. When the Holy Spirit dwells in us He makes us uncomfortable with flattery.
Psalm 36:2
"For his eyes are too full of conceit to detect or hate his own sin."
We can be at peace with all men even if they are not at peace with us.
Being at peace does not mean we give them what they want or go along with their ideas, it merely means we do not act disrespectfully toward them while we hold our ground.
