From Matthew 10:34-39 – An Apostolic Primer Part 4

Perhaps one of the most startling statements by Jesus, and set in direct opposition to the assumptions of many – is vs. 34: “Do not think I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

There are two things to note here right off: 1 – How foreign this language is to the many who have never really read their Bibles, even though they may call themselves by the name “Christian.” 2 – How different this warfare that Jesus mentions is from the misconceptions of so many.

So we are left with 2 questions: 1 – What is the sword Jesus said He came to bring. 2 – What is the peace He came to destroy with it? The answers come in the following verses.

I am afraid that this element of Gospel understanding and preaching seems to be virtually absent from our pulpits and popular Christian literature today. But we must make no mistake, the Gospel divides. It separates. It instigates and prosecutes a vicious war.

First, it sets a person at odds with the sin they once loved. The Gospel opens our eyes to the heinousness of our sin when we see what it looked like to have God’s wrath poured out upon Jesus in the crucifixion. The Cross was no cosmic slap on the wrist or a gentle rebuke. The savagery of the Cross shows us what God’s wrath looks like. How He hates sin. And it calls us to hate sin too. And to hate it above all – in ourselves. It calls us to see what our sin cost the Savior. And so it means we can never be at peace with our sin ever again – but that we will be in constant conflict with its indwelling remnants.

The Gospel of trusting Christ’s atoning sacrifice alone for our reconciliation to the Father sends the sword against our human pride. It slashes to pieces the self-deluded peace of our being good enough in ourselves, of our not being THAT bad. The man or woman who comes to Christ still arrogant about their own righteousness, no matter how slight, is still at peace with the flesh and devil, and at war with God. And He aims to disrupt any remaining peace with the flesh and the devil.

Coming to the Gospel, coming to Christ as Lord of all invites the sword to sever any love that would claim loyalty or supremacy over Christ. No, it does not mean we stop loving parents, spouses or children. We’re commanded to love even our enemies. But the Gospel wars against an idolatrous love of friends and family, or anything else which – when push comes to shove – we choose over obeying and following Christ.

The Gospel refuses to let us live at peace with the values of The World. We war against the ever vacillating and plummeting morality of the culture. We fight against taking on those views and opinions which drive the fallen world around us and instead insist in shining the light of God’s Word to illuminate the path we are to walk. We cannot be at peace with sexual perversion, political corruption, worship of the individual and vain philosophies but clearly while lovingly declare the truth about sin – calling sin, sin – especially in ourselves – and proclaiming Christ in all of His mediatorial glory. We do not war against sinners themselves, but against the chains of sin that hold them captives.

The Gospel will not let us make peace with false Gospels. We must call them out for what they are. We bring the sword of Biblical truth bear in examining and destroying false notions of God, Christ, The Holy Spirit, The Bible, and especially the demand of Scripture to repent of sin and turn to faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. We cannot be at peace with so-called gospels that have no cross in them – either Christ’s in His substitutionary atonement, nor ours in following Him, and being marginalized or cast out from the world because of the exclusivity of proclaiming the necessity of Christ as Lord, repentance from sin, and that we hold THE Truth in Jesus.

Such a battle is costly. But look at Jesus’ assurance – it is true, whoever finds their life in living for themselves and this world, will in the end – actually lose their lives .Eternally. But those who turn their backs on peace with this world, sin and falsehood to follow Christ – will find true, everlasting and glorious life in Him.

Flee to Him today. Jesus saves sinners. I know. I’m the worst. And He saved me.