The controversy between good and evil

“Do not believe that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword" Matthew 10:34 It is first of all a rather enigmatic affirmation for the one who is described as the Prince of Peace, and who said: “Blessed are the peacemakers” Mt 5, 9. It is not that Jesus' ultimate goal is not to bring peace to the earth at the very end of the present age, but that peace will only be achieved through short-term tribulation and conflict. between good and evil. Even just before the very end, Jesus is described in Revelation 19 as a conquering horseman, covered in blood, waging war in righteousness, and, “Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike the nations. ‘He will rule them with a scepter of iron.’ He treads the winepress with the fury of the wrath of Almighty God” Rev 19:15. Jesus tells his disciples that there will be conflict in his name. It would be nice if everyone loved Jesus and everything he had to say, just as it would be nice if the Church was loved by the world, but Jesus indicated that the approval of the world was a sure sign that the Church, or the Christian, does not represent the truth and Christ. Then he will say that "man's enemies will be those of his own house"Mt 10,36. Before that, he had said that he sent them as "sheep among wolves" Mt 10, 16. Jesus' ministry was a sign that "the year of the Lord's grace" Lk 4:19 was upon them, but it was also a sign that judgment was near. Blessed will you be when people hate you, when they exclude you, insult you and reject your name as bad, because of the Son of Man” Lk 6:22? Breaking down the key parts of Matthew 10:34 #1 "Don't assume..." It is never necessary to assume with Christ. The Word of God revealed in the Scriptures tells us everything we need to know to live. There may be careful interpretations and applications of the contemporary context of Christ to ours, but God has generously revealed enough about Christ to allow us to continue exploring our eternal existence. #2 "that I have come to bring peace to the earth." "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests" Lk 2:14 was sung by the choir of angels to the shepherds at the birth of Jesus. He most certainly brought us peace with God and, in a very important sense, broke down the “separation wall of enmity” Eph 2:14 between groups of people who were once at odds. But in the current sense, it must be understood that true belief in Christ and the gospel will cause conflict with people in the world. #3 “I came not to bring peace, but a sword.” “Woe to you if everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets” Lk 6:26. Jesus calls us to die to ourselves by taking up our cross and following him daily Lk 9:23. If we do this faithfully, there will be enemies to love and persecutors to bless Lk 6:28.