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Christian Community by Reg Block
Most are familiar with Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, that stentorian choral
declaration of Isaiah 9:6; "Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting
Father, The Prince of Peace." During the month of December this familiar
oratorio resounds through malls, offices, train stations, churches and concert
halls. The overwhelming optimism expressed in The Messiah seems to bring comfort
to people of all faiths, perhaps because of Handel’s exemplary musical setting
for the text or a combination of that and mankind’s universal yearning for
peace on Earth.
"When the whole world is crying peace and safety, then sudden destruction
will come," I Thessalonians 5:3. These words are a stark contrast to festive
sentiments and the politically correct peace mantra chanted by many of today’s
justifiably angry enlightened planetarians. Saint Paul’s warning to the
Thessalonians is not comforting, instead it implies it will take more than a grassroots
inspired anti-battle cry to bring about peace. Nothing short of Divine intervention,
in the person of Jesus Christ, will do.
Postmodernism and its bedfellow relativism (among other schools of thought) fundamentally
disagree with the peace doctrine taught by Christ; rather they maintain that truth
is relative and the philosophy of humanism holds the keys to solving world problems.
Both Old and New Testaments speak to the issue of mankind’s elevated view
of self sufficiency (symbolically and literally) through stories like The Tower
of Babel, Nebuchadnezzar’s sojourn with dementia and the Temptation of Christ.
Jesus, the penultimate interpreter of the Old Testament, taught that sin is the
reason for the absence of peace. Peacelessness is the symptom not the disease.
It is spiritually and carnally systemic and not fixable through better information,
higher education, more rules, religious practices or changing surrounding circumstances.
Both Christian and non-Christian eschatology insist that we will reach a new age
of peace. The area of discrepancy is in how humanity gets there and what that
new age will be like. Jesus likens the humanist solution for peace to the temporary
effectiveness of patching worn clothing or putting new wine into old bottles.
His conclusion is that all things need to be made new and accomplishing that work
is only possible for God. However, mankind was formed and imbued with God-given
sovereignty and therefore by virtue of free will can rightfully refuse the New
Testament grace provision - a choice that would be tragically consistent with
a naturalistic post modern world view.
Jesus Christ and the Old Testament prophet, Daniel, warn that a brilliant global
leader will arise bringing a seven year peace treaty to the Middle East. Many
end-time scholars say that the world will be captivated by this long awaited humanistic
god-like super statesman, as he eradicates divisive religious differences and
brings peace, predominantly to Israel and the surrounding nations. The Bible makes
it clear that this prophesized time of peace is only the calm before the storm.
Most biblical scholars that hold to a futurist interpretation, maintain that a
prince of princes will arise shortly before the second coming of Jesus, that he
will by all appearances fulfill prophecies of Christ, the peace bringer, the conqueror,
the miracle worker, the resurrected one and the Redeemer. Daniel says, "by
peace he shall destroy many." Jesus warns against this same imposter saying,
"another will come in his own name and him you will receive." Matthew
24:15 reestablishes another aspect of the same alarming prophecy stating, "when
you see the abomination of desolation (the false prince of peace or his image)
standing in the holy place, spoken of by Daniel, then let them which be in Judea
flee to the mountains."
Never before in history has the cry for global peace resounded as loudly and persistently
as it does today. Ultimately time will tell if either humanism’s higher
self theory or the Bible’s redemption model is true. In the meantime, with
December upon us it is a good time to reflect upon what the Bible meant about
2,000 years ago when it stated, "Mankind will only know peace when every
head and knee bows before Him, the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the
world." The Bible makes it clear that the day will come when all will acknowledge
Him as the only answer to mankind’s problems. Those who refuse His forgiveness
through His blood shed on the cross, will face an eternity of separation from
God. The bottom line for those who reject Christ, is that there is no peace now
or for eternity without Jesus Christ.
Reg Block is an apologist for
the historic Christian faith. Your comments and questions are welcome by mail
or reg@commonground.ca
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