Men of Peace

It will soon be December. Christians begin the month of awaiting and celebrating the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Christians will talk and sing his message about peace on earth and good will toward all mankind. Jesus taught, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind (from Deuteronomy 6:5) and, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (See Matthew 22:34-30)

Speaking of commandments, among men of peace, few stand above Moses, the descendent of Abraham who lead the Jews out of Egypt after providing all God’s signs to the Pharaoh that he should let them go. As a prophet of God, Moses’ role was one of receiving and conveying God’s messages to his people. He’s most often remembered as the law-giver who received the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai. We’ve all heard and learned those commandments by heart. They include injunctions against murder, and against coveting, among others.

Though some deny it, Muhammad was a man of peace too. Karen Armstrong writes, “...Muhammad: a complex man, who resists facile, ideologically driven categorization, who sometimes did things that were difficult or impossible for us to accept, but who had profound genius and founded a religion and cultural tradition that was not based on the sword but whose name – “Islam” – signified peace and reconciliation.” (See Armstrong, Karen. MUHAMMAD: A PROPHET FOR OUR TIME. New York: HarperCollins, 2006. p. 202)

Muhammad gave us the Qur’an, which teaches acceptance of the Torah and the Gospels. For example, “do not covet what we bestowed upon any other people. Such are temporary ornaments of this life, whereby we put them to the test. What your Lord provides for you is far better, and everlasting." (Qur’an 20:131)

No matter which of these men of peace you follow, perhaps one of the easiest and most effective ways to your own personal peace is stop wanting what we don’t have. Not wanting what is our neighbor’s will surely lead us to NOT stealing it or killing our neighbor to get it.

Maybe one of the easiest or most direct ways to national/international peace is to follow the same path – to stop wanting what other nations have, and thence to stop killing them to get it. Or at least we could start talking about how to share...

A principal reason given for the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has been the September 11th attack by some persons who profess Islam, but who act different from what Muhammad and Moses taught. Some might say that the US response by (mostly) Christians does not reflect what Jesus taught. Or Moses either. But the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue. Some Christians will argue that these are “just” wars. And some Muslims will argue that making war on America and the West is justified to protect the Muslim “nation.” Other Christians and Muslims would argue that these two views are simply “extremist” views. What do you think?

Whether you adhere to the religion of Jesus, or Moses, or Muhammad, or someone else, I’m wishing you all the blessings – and the peace – of Christmas. May we all strive to want less what our neighbors have. And may we all strive to become like more Moses and Jesus and Muhammad, and become people of peace.

Grace, Again

I am interested in the concept of grace. Just what do we think it is? Why might we think it’s available to us? Can we earn it? Here are two of the many references to grace in the Qur’an, the Holy Book of Islam, in chapter 4:

[4.173] Then as for those who believe and do good, He will pay them fully their rewards and give them more out of His grace;... and

[4.175] Then as for those who believe in Allah and hold fast by Him, He will cause them to enter into His mercy and grace and guide them to Himself on a right path.

Muslims are told they must believe, AND they must also “do good.” But modern Christians believe that God’s grace is a gift, a continually present state, and is not something that can be earned by what they do. Must Christians “do good” to earn their rewards? According to one source, in Matthew 20: 1-16, the parable about working in the vineyard, “[Jesus] directs his disciples to what is their true reward--the inheritance of eternal life which is a reward of God's grace that is given equally to all his disciples who labor in his kingdom.” (http://www.christianinconnect.com/matthew.htm) The lesson here seems to be about God’s grace, and God’s reward for working in God’s vineyard (doing good). Recall that those who were hired late in the day to work in the vineyard were paid the same as those who had worked all day long:

Although Christians can’t earn grace, they’re still required to do good works. So, perhaps grace has two faces: Pastor David Reagan writes that grace is both “God's unmerited favor” and also “God's sufficiency or God's fullness in the life of the believer.” (http://www.learnthebible.org/q_a_what_is_grace.htm) In other words, Christians believe that God will forgive them whether they deserve it or not. Moreover, God provides strength for Christians to lead their lives according to His commands. Through His grace and their belief, they can “labor in his kingdom.” Sounds very much like the words from the Qur’an above. “...He will cause them to enter into his mercy and grace, and guide them...”

So, belief in God and doing good seem inextricably linked to grace for both Christians AND Muslims. Maybe it’s not exactly the same, but it’s so close... The Qur’an also says,

[4.122] As for those that have faith and do good works, We shall admit them to gardens watered by running streams, and there they shall abide for ever; and

[4.124] ...the believers who do good works, both men and women, shall enter paradise. They shall not suffer the least injustice.

Wishing you grace and peace, as you labor in the vineyard...