PEACE ON EARTH or ILL WILL TOWARD MEN

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (Luke 2:11,13-14)

  I’ve always took those passages literally and with immediacy; that there would be peace on Earth that day – the day that Jesus was born. Little did I know that there would never be peace on Earth as it exists. It would be a long day coming! There was and is still much to do before there is peace on Earth and good will toward men. What Jesus called, “born again” (John 3:7) brings about a changed heart in men, and yes, here on Earth. The evidence of rebirth is peace with God and good will toward others. Therefore, rebirth is a change in heart. The old creature’s heart is circumcised of its desires, and a new heart full of peace and goodwill is the countenance of the new creature.
  Oddly enough, there is not much evidence of peace on Earth and good will toward men. Even during the Christmas season when people allegedly praise God, there remains dissension and ill-will toward men and women. There is little evidence that rebirth actually occurred. Becoming a “new person” is not momentarily, but forthwith until the day of your salvation – the day you meet God face to face!
  The world is imbued with people who believe that they are already saved, but live like they are lost and still bound by sin. How can people claim to be new creatures when the old creatures lurk around day and night? Even faithful Christians are not at peace with one another, even as they think that they are at peace with God! There is no way to have peace with God unless there is congruence between your will and God’s Will. Christians cannot have good will toward others unless they have a will like God’s. Peace ultimately means that a time will come when a remnant of people truly shall have peace and good will toward others. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Mat 5:9).
  First off, the peacemakers are blessed. Those who are “blessed” are recipients of bliss. “Bliss” happens only in Paradise which is in Heaven, but will be on Earth when the old world is cleansed with fire, and the new world changes to good as the Garden originally was on Earth. Children of God are those who have peace toward God and others.
  Those who are born again, then, must be “children of God.” The problem is that they seem to still be children of the Devil (John 8:44). One must question the authenticity of the second birth if the new creature has not emerged from the dark shadows. The test for new hearts as evidence of new creatures is peace on Earth and good will toward men (and women).
  The evidence that there remains little peace and kindness among Christians is the chaos among those with opposing doctrines and ideas, religious beliefs and even political beliefs. For instance, Christians should vote for “good” but often vote for “evil.” Mostly, that is because they do not understand good and evil because they are not knowledgeable in God’s Word. However, this commentary is not about denominations or politics, but the countenance of those who claim Jesus as their Savior.  Jesus thought the angels’ claims were good but he had no expectation that men would have peace toward him and good will toward others!

Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. (Luke 12:51-52)

  I take Jesus’s Word for it! Peace and kindness won’t be on THIS Earth until Jesus reigns on THIS Earth. That is during Jesus’s Millennial Reign when Satan is bound and can no longer created chaos in this world. Until then, the world will be divided, even among members of the same house, or family. How can anyone truly exhibit love and kindness toward others if they can’t their own family?

The Christmas season is not joyful for me, because rather than “peace on earth and good will toward men” I sense division even among members of the same household. Dissension is released as anger. Anger is when one’s reality or myth are infringed upon. Anger is the power released when one’s superego endeavors to protect the ego.
  God Is the Great I AM (Ego Eimi). We are not! Those who get angry revoke their good will and kindness for the sake of their own egos. They become the “god” on whom others infringe upon to the neglect of the True God on whom Christians infringe upon continually. Why do family members have anger toward others? Because of the proximity of their “worlds.”
  Each person has their own little world – their personal space. As long as Satan is alive, others will infringe on personal space, and as a result, people will feel infringed upon and become angry. Anger demonstrates to Satan that he has power even over your emotions and countenance.
  Recently, as I ironically tried to persuade an atheist to become a Christian, I became angry because he was the “action” that created an angry reaction within me. To be blunt, I called him “an idiot.” I did what Satan desired for me – a Christian – to do. I exhibited anger rather than kindness, and war ensued between me and my fellow man. His world collided with mine for only a few minutes, nevertheless we still collided! The “worlds” of family members collide continually.
  Because I was angered, I did what Satan willed me to do, and God’s will for peace and kindness blew away with the wind of the prince of the air. I no longer stayed strong against my adversaries, neither the man nor Satan. I became one with them. My spirit could not rest until I reconciled! Imagine how stressed my spirit is when I am unable to reconcile with those who God commanded to love me! I cannot rest, right or wrong – neither in my myth nor in my reality.
  Before we sacrifice (present ourselves) to the Lord, we are to reconcile with our brothers (sisters, friends, neighbors, families, et al).

But I say unto you, “That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment…” Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. (Mat 5:22-24)

  The causation is not hurting your feelings; it is offending God! Those who offend God are due righteous anger, but if they offend you, they deserve reconciliation. Jesus was saying, Before you present yourself to him as right, make things right with others whether at fault or not! We all have done that once and maybe a few times more than that, but look at what Jesus says, “Then came Peter to him, and said, ‘Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?’ Jesus saith unto him, ‘I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven’” (Mat 18:21-22).
  People, to have peace, must be kind-hearted. That does not mean clinging to falsehoods or even reality. It is being kind in all things to all people; even our adversaries. How can people accept the attribute of kindness when they are unforgiving and intolerant of others? There will be no peace for them! Where is peace? In Paradise! Our eternity in Paradise depends on our kindness on Earth.

With that said, Christmastime is often not joyful to many. Jesus came into the world to bring peace. He did not fail us, but we did fail him. He knew that there would be dissension. With poetic justice, Christ’s Day is often a horrible day for those held captive to their own egos.