One Another
PEACE AND EDIFICATION
One Another
PEACE AND EDIFICATION
Scripture Reading: Romans 14:19
“Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.”
In this verse there are two things we are told to follow after: peace and edification. Both are worth pursuing and will go a long way toward producing happy Christian relationship.
No permanent peace in the world: In Romans 3:17 we read, “And the way of peace they have not known.” This, of course, refers to those who know not our Lord Jesus Christ. It is useless to expect permanent peace in the world. Such will never happen until our Lord comes back again. Then no man will fight. In a barber shop shortly after World War II ended, a veteran expressed the hope that the war that had just ended would be the last one. But today one wonders if any of us have the right to hope for this as long as men and women strap bombs to themselves and blow up men, women and children in the name of religion. The trouble is that man’s heart is wrong and until it is changed there is sure to be strife and war in the world.
Troubles, troubles, troubles: Too many homes today are filled with strife. The police report revealed that the policeman heard a lady scream. He hurried to check out the trouble. He found one man with a baseball bat and another with a car wrench, each threatening to kill the other. Trouble goes on between countries, as well as business concerns. One is filled with apprehension from thinking of race animosities. The time between wars seems to be growing less and less with each passing year. Truly the only hope for any kind of peace in this world is a return to Christ and God’s Holy Scriptures.
Peace with God: The greatest hindrance to peace on earth is lack of peace with God. How can man be expected to be at peace with his fellow man until first he is at peace with his own Creator? Christ “made peace through the blood of His cross,” but man in his folly rejects that peace. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1; see Rom. 3:21-26). The peace of God naturally fills the hearts of those who have peace with God through trusting and obeying Christ.
Only peace in Christ illustration: Dr. William Harrison wrote about something that happened years ago: “One time during a Gospel tent-meeting, I spoke with a man who professed to be a follower of Father Divine. All my speaking about Christ did not seem to shake his belief in this man from Harlem. Suddenly he said, ‘Do you see those women coming down the street? They are followers of Father Divine, too.’ I replied, ‘That’s too bad.’ As they approached, the first woman said to the man, ‘Peace,’ and he replied, ‘Peace.’ Then the second woman said, ‘Peace,’ and he replied, ‘Peace,’ and so with the third. So I said, ‘Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ They replied, ‘No, no, no; through Father Divine.’ So I quoted the verse again, ‘Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,’ strongly emphasizing the last phrase. Again they remonstrated, but hastily retreated, evidently frustrated by the power of the Word of God. Anyone who seeks peace in anyone or anything besides our Lord Jesus Christ will certainly be disappointed.”
Follow after peace: Being at peace with God and having the peace of God in our hearts should naturally produce peace with others in the world. However, sometimes those who know not our Lord will not allow us to live at peace with them. A young Christian once approached a preacher, lamenting the fact that he could not get along with his mother-in-law. He loved to talk about the Lord, but his mother-in-law did not like such talk, and the conversation seemed to always end in a quarrel. He asked, “Doesn’t the Bible say we should live peaceably with all men?” The preacher showed him that Romans 12:18 said, “If it is possible,” and also “as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”
Peace among Christians: In the light of this, how sad to see Christians quarrel among themselves. We have already seen that two things especially disturbed the early church: eating of meats and observing days. No matter how right we may think we are, if our actions disturb others, then we should forgo them. Then, too, criticism of the actions of others concerning things of minor importance can cause disturbance. Liberty in things of minor importance, condescension to those who are weak, and zeal in the things of importance make for peace. How sad to see Christians quarrel about little points of difference in understanding Scripture. The story is told of two leaders in the church who quarreled so often and so bitterly about whether King Saul was saved or not, that they almost wrecked a work for God. It does not say “Blessed are the trouble makers,” but “Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:9). If brethren do quarrel, let us seek to be peacemakers. Of course this does not mean that we should condone serious sin in order to maintain peace. “Wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable” (James 3:17).
Edify one another: Secondly, Romans 14:19 tells us to follow after “things by which one may edify another.” The word “edify” means to build up. We know how the word edifice speaks of a building. Let us run away from things that tear down and follow after things that build up.
A wrecker or a builder: It is easy to be a wrecker. One man said, “Give me a crowbar, a sledge hammer, a strong back, and I can wreck anything.” It is harder to be a builder. For that, one needs skill, experience, patience, and good tools. It is easy to wreck a work of God, but not easy to build one up. Now, none of us want to be wreckers of God’s work, and yet some are, perhaps because of ignorance, pride, carelessness, or mistaken zeal. Paul was a wrecker before he was saved, but a builder afterward. In 2 Corinthians 12:19 he says, “But we do all things, beloved, for your edification.” What a testimony. From a bitter persecutor he was changed into an ardent builder. His whole purpose and aim was to see souls saved, and then edified or built up in the ways of God. He exhorts us to be like him.
Get off the wrecking crew: Are you on the wrecking crew? Throw away your old tools. “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice” (Eph. 4:31). Some of these things are worse than sledge hammers. Seek rather to acquire these tools: “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted forgiving one another, even as God in Christ's forgave you” (Eph. 4:32). “And walk in love” (Eph. 5:2).
Please our neighbors: Do we ever go out of our way to comfort the sorrowing, or encourage the downhearted one, or strengthen the weak? “We then who are strong ought to bear the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification” (Rom. 15:1, 2). This is a selfish world. Even Christians say, “I don’t like to do this or that”; never asking whether the Lord would like to have them do it, or whether it would help build up the Lord’s people. We should not seek to please ourselves, but try to be helpful to others. They will love us for it. Be thankful the Lord Jesus thought of others rather than of pleasing Himself (Rom. 15:3). If He had been unwilling to go to the cross, not one of us could be saved.
Talents given for edification: The Lord gives all His children special gifts or talents. To one He gives one gift and to another He gives another (Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11). Now, He does not give these gifts in order to make one prominent, or rich, but only to build up others in the things of the Lord. In Ephesians 4 we also read of these gifts to the church. In verses 11 and 12, we read, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” Let us make sure that the gifts or talents the Lord has given us are not used for our own pleasure or profit, but for the good of others. If we do, then we will get along.
Love builds up: In 1 Corinthians 8:1, we read, “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.” An old preacher put it this way, “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” But some among us are so wise in their own estimation that they are of no earthly good. Unless we are always on guard, even knowledge of the Bible can fill us with pride, greatly hindering our usefulness for God. Let us not seek to display knowledge, but rather let us find ways and means whereby we may be helpful to the Lord’s people. Love and kindness never do any harm, but always tend to build up. True love raises a real family; true love will raise any work for God, too. “Love never fails . . . knowledge, it will vanish away” (1 Cor. 13:8).
Prophecy edifies: 1 Corinthians 14 speaks almost entirely of edifying the church. Six times we find the word in one form or another. There was one thing that did not edify the church at Corinth. This was their speaking with tongues. He said if there was no interpreter, it brought no edification to the church, and so it was worse than useless. He does say though, that prophecy edifies (1 Cor. 14:3, 4). We have no need now for direct prophetic statements from God, seeing we have a complete Bible, but certainly we can infer that a message from God through His Word really does edify. Let those who preach the Word of God, be sure that their messages are not just to show personal knowledge, or to tickle the ears of an audience, but that everyone is offered with the thought of building up the people of God.
All things are not helpful – not all things edify: Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:23, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.” Sometimes Christians ask, “Is it wrong to do this or that?” The answer is found in this question. Does it edify you, or does it edify anyone else? “Well,” one says, “There is nothing in the Bible that says anything against it.” It may be lawful, but that’s not the question – the question is, does it edify? Does it build up anyone physically, mentally, morally, or spiritually? Does it make anyone a better Christian? If the thing you question does not edify, why waste valuable time on it; why waste money or health? Remember, a great part of getting along with other Christians is thinking “you” rather than “me.”
