The Wind in the Trees

Being a Christian was not all I thought it would be. Something was missing.

I can illustrate what I lacked by something that struck me while watching the TV series, The Chosen. In this episode, Jesus sent out his disciples on a mission to preach the gospel to the “lost sheep of Israel” (Mat. 10:5-15; Luke 9:1-6).

In evangelical circles, preaching to “the lost” basically means proclaiming Jesus’ death and resurrection for our salvation. As I watched The Chosen, an obvious question arose in my mind, “What did the disciples preach?” The bible makes it clear that at this point they had as much understanding of Jesus’ death and resurrection as a cave man looking at a cell phone.

So what good news did they share? Both accounts state it explicitly. They proclaimed the number one thing Jesus taught them–the kingdom God.

The concept of the atonement flew completely over the disciples’ heads, but they did know something about the kingdom. They had begun to grasp, however dimly, that Jesus’ teaching (such as the Sermon on the Mount) turned everything upside down. After one such teaching we see a somewhat confused Peter waking up to kingdom truth as he asks Jesus if forgiving someone seven times would be sufficient. Jesus says no, God’s mercy is infinite (Mat. 18:22).

Embracing the “gospel of the kingdom,” as Jesus often called it, clearly means much more than getting a free ticket to heaven. We must prepare for a complete break with the past. We now have a new path to follow. And that path is the way of peace.

“Preach the gospel at all times; when necessary, use words,” Francis of Assisi reportedly said. Likewise, Jesus calls his followers to bring the kingdom to others not only in word, but also in spirit. “Bring peace into the houses you enter,” he tells his disciples (Mat. 10:12-13).

I find an abiding peace is not always easy to come by. No doubt various reasons could be cited–my temperament or lack of faith perhaps. However, evangelical theology doesn’t help when it overemphasises doctrine while minimizing experience. In such cases, we forfeit much of the peace the Spirit wants to give. Dallas Willard reminds us peace is not an abstract concept or a theoretical possession. He says if we don’t experience peace in our physical bodies, we don’t experience peace at all.

I also lacked the understanding that above all, being a Christian means pursuing peace¹ and bringing it to others. A multitude of scriptures back up this assertion. When you add all the verses containing peace-related concepts such as love, gentleness, meekness, forgiveness, kindness, patience, compassion, longsuffering etc., the number is overwhelming.

Overemphasising doctrine and limiting preaching to the atonement are not the only evangelical shortcomings regarding the gospel. There is also a tendency to see peace as something principally between the individual and God. While freedom from guilt and judgement is wonderfully liberating, it is only part of the story.

Jesus’ command that his disciples bring peace to the homes they enter reminds us salvation revolutionizes not only our relationship with God, but all our relationships. Whether in our own homes or the marketplace, peace with others is equally important as peace with God. (Mat 22:37-40; Mat. 25:40; Mat. 5:23-24; John 13:34; Acts 9:4; 1 Cor. 8:12).

I still consider myself an evangelical. Evangelical theology is mostly fine. However, overemphasis on even critical truths can inadvertently stunt spiritual growth if it diminishes other truths. As we saw in the disciples’ mission, preaching the gospel includes proclaiming the kingdom way and living the kingdom peace.

And so I’m left with challenging questions. Do I walk in enough peace to affect the lives of others? Can the peace I actually experience draw people to God? Although intimidating questions, as I have grappled with the revelation of “peace theology,” I feel renewed with fresh hope. Indeed, it is almost like being born again all over again!

1. It is important to note that pursuing peace does NOT mean pursuing the feeling of peace. Rather, as Dallas Willard points out in Renovation of the Heart, it means pursuing the conditions which make for peace. ↩︎