John Albert Thomas Solo Piano

War or Peace?

Contradiction

Exodus 15:3 – The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is his name.

Romans 15:33 – Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Explanation

Any contradiction here is based on the notion that a God of peace would neither engage in war nor permit war. This notion is entirely false. As humans, what peace-loving parent would not fight to protect his or her children from evil men? As we shall see, we are made in God’s image in this regard.

In the first passage, “man of war” is a Hebrew expression that indicates the LORD understands how to fight and defeat the enemy. Moses and his people had just witnessed God literally wipe out the entire Egyptian army that was hunting them down. Just moments ago they had crossed the Red Sea between two walls of water while God used a pillar of cloud to hold back their former slavemasters. After 400 years of slavery the Israelites were finally free! No wonder Moses sang that God was a great warrior! He had just saved them in the nick of time. That is the context of this verse.

It demonstrates clearly that God will defend the weak, even if that means war.

The second passage is actually a statement the apostle Paul used in several benedictions, including 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 2 Corinthians, Philippians, and later in this same book. It is very similar to the Jewish benediction, “Peace be with you.” Remember that Paul was a Jew. But why would he change it to “God of peace”?

“Peace” here does not refer to the absence of national war. Paul was not praying here for the end of the Roman occupation. Rather, “peace” is a general term that has several complementary meanings.

1. It is that state of peace that exists between God and the person who has been reconciled to Him through Christ.
   
   “Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1)

2. It is that inward, incomprehensible stability of mind and heart that the reconciled person has in the midst of temptation, dissension and persecution.

   “And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)

3. It is that unity and harmony between believers for which Christ prayed and for which we strive.

   “I am not praying only on their behalf, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their testimony, that they will all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me. The glory you gave to me I have given to them, that they may be one just as we are one– I in them and you in me–that they may be completely one, so that the world will know that you sent me, and you have loved them just as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23)

   “Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them! For these are the kind who do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By their smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of the naive. Your obedience is known to all and thus I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. The God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.” (Romans 16:17-20)

Matthew Henry summarized it nicely when he penned this commentary:

“The Lord of hosts, the God of battle, is the God of peace, the author and lover of peace. He [Paul] describes God under this title here, because of the divisions among them [the church at Rome], to recommend peace to them; if God be the God of peace, let us be men of peace.”

God good to all, or just a few?

Contradiction:

Psalm 145:9 – The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

Jeremiah 13:14 – And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.

Explanation:

As for the Psalm….don’t forget verse 8 “The LORD is kind and merciful, slow to get angry, full of unfailing love. 9 The LORD is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation.”

Even the psalmist acknowledges that God has anger, but He is patient.

In Matthew 5:45, Jesus explains, “For he [the Father] gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and on the unjust, too.”

One cannot deny that all men, regardless of how bad their behavior is, continue to receive such “tender mercy”.

Peter explains this as well, 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent.”

So even with the most heinous murderer, the Lord is patient and merciful, giving them every chance to turn away from their rebellion and turn to Him for forgiveness.

As for Jeremiah, you have to read the whole chapter, and you will clearly see that this has been taken out of context.

Before this verse, God tells Jeremiah, “These wicked people refuse to listen to me. They stubbornly follow their own desires and worship idols…As a belt clings to a person’s waist, so I created Judah and Israel to cling to me,” says the LORD. “They were to be my people, my pride, my glory – an honor to my name. But they would not listen to me.”

After this verse, God tells Jeremiah to tell everyone, “Listen! Do not be proud, for the LORD has spoken. Give glory to the LORD your God before it is too late. Acknowledge him before he brings darkness upon you, causing you to stumble and fall on the dark mountains. For then, when you look for light, you will find only terrible darkness. And if you still refuse to listen, I will weep alone because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears because the LORD’s flock will be led away into exile.”

In the full context you see God warning the people (not a surprise attack). He’s giving them a second chance (don’t we all need one!). He is pleading with them to turn from their rebellion and turn to Him for forgiveness.

You see, these verses complement each other in describing God as being equally just and merciful. He cannot let the crimes of humanity go unpunished, but if they will turn back to Him and seek forgiveness He promises mercy. How can a God who requires justice show mercy to the guilty? From the very beginning He promised to send a Messiah who alone was capable of satisfying the divine requirement for justice so that those who seek mercy will receive it if they accept His punishment in place of their own. Jesus Christ claimed and demonstrated that He was the promised Messiah.

About John

Who Am I

My name is John Thomas. I live in Arlington, TN with my wife of nine years, Becky. We have three daughters — Ainsley, Abby and Emma — and one son on the way in November, Lord willing.

Danny will be quick to point out that I am a Yankee transplant since I grew up in Ontario, NY. (What’s his point?) After high school my family moved to Atlanta, GA, where I attended Oglethorpe University to study pre-med biology. My heart was in music so I transferred to Samford University in Birmingham, AL, to study theory and composition. There I met my lovely wife, Becky, in a marriage class (where we both disagreed with our divorce-embittered professor). I followed her back to her stomping grounds here in the Memphis area, where I later met Danny.

Since moving here I’ve released an album of original piano works (http://www.johnalbertthomas.com), and have created a website to connect the Christian community around the world, particularly so that missionaries can stay in touch with their families and friends (http://www.deopolis.com). I’ve been leading small groups for the past four years and will begin teaching adult Sunday School this fall at my church.

My Testimony

I am blessed to this day because I grew up in a home where my parents remained faithful to Christ, to each other, and to their children. I, like my siblings, continually seek to follow their model with our own families. That is the greatest compliment we can think to give them. I gave my heart and life to Christ when I was six years old. Since then I have had occasion to question my faith (like when my family was ex-communicated from our church), but I have always come back to this…I know Him whom I believe. He is faithful, and His Word is true. God has proven Himself to me time and time and time again by keeping His promises. Those promises are found in the Bible, and that is why I defend it.