The way we are to participate in the grace that God has given to us, in our time, fits the Just Peacemaking model, which also fits the teachings of Jesus and his transforming initiatives of peacemaking. Jesus’ teachings never encouraged the use of violence against any enemy or against anyone who forced persecution upon a follower of Christ. Peace is one of the five marks of God’s kingdom in Isaiah that was fulfilled by Jesus’ coming and ordained for us by the Lord (Isaiah 26:12). Israel was scolded for not trusting in the Holy Spirit to keep them safe from Egypt; we might be accused for falling under the same fault today. As Stassen and Gushee point out, trusting in the Holy Spirit does not mean being passive, it means being empowered to do God’s will actively. As Isaiah also points out, the people of God will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places (Is 32:15-18). Jesus, the perfect example, was committed to peacemaking and brought no violence.
Within our world today, as well as a time-told principle, prevention of any major disaster is always better than dealing with the disaster’s actions occurring or even dealing with its aftermath of destruction. I believe avoiding the disaster yourself, but still allowing it to occur, can be just as awful. Therefore, as a nation (and maybe even throughout the world), we should develop a peaceful method that seeks earnestly to reduce war and violence, and instead offers another way out. Again, by this I do not mean “avoiding war and violence”, but trying to prevent war by adopting the methods of Jesus and taking on the initiative of going to make peace with our enemies.The way we are to participate in the grace that God has given to us, in our time, fits the Just Peacemaking model, whi ...