Vital signs- Saturday, April 24th, 2021

“Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way.”

(2 Thessalonians 3:16)

One of the strangest statements that ever fell from the lips of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is this: “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). That’s incredible because the Bible calls Him “the Prince of Peace.” What is He talking about, then?

He is saying, “I came with a sword to put a line between truth and error, between light and dark, between sin and righteousness (right living).”

When God’s standard of righteousness is set, there will always be division. Without righteousness, there can be no peace. Peace can never come where sin remains. God will never make a peace treaty with sin, never!

Some people think when others act righteously that they are acting religiously, and sometimes not very peacefully. How can you stand for peace AND righteousness?