Is Christmas Peace for Everyone?

Mike Hosey, An Elder

Sometimes we misunderstand the bible because we read it piecemeal rather than as a unified whole.  For example, did the angels declare that there would be peace for all men when they announced to the shepherds that Jesus the savior was born (Luke 2:14)? Many people would say yes, but this is a significantly flawed understanding. Although it may be difficult to hear, it must be said that the answer is a resounding no.  The King James Version records this declaration to the shepherds as, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (Luke 2:14 KJV).”  However, most modern translations, which use older text sources, will render that verse as a variation of, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests (Luke 2:14 NIV).”  Well obviously, God’s favor does not rest on all men . . . which is why the verse says “peace to those . . .”   

Of course this makes perfect sense if you interpret Luke 2:14 in light of other passages such as Matthew 10:34, or Luke 12:51-53. In those passages, Jesus clearly says that he didn’t come to bring peace to all of the human condition!

There’s a simple reason for this.  God cannot bring peace to a world that is full of sin, darkness, genetic dysfunction in which evil is passed from one generation to the next, or to a world that is essentially at war with him. The only hope for such a world is to remake it completely.  And this was God’s purpose.  Not to give us universal peace in a broken world, but to give people peace with him (Romans 5:1) so that we could be remade and restored to true purpose and relationship. When that happens, you will have peace.  This peace will exist even in the midst of the difficulty and chaos of our broken world (Philippians 4:7). 

This is the great joy of Christmas.  When a person realizes brokenness, and understands that God has set out to fix that brokenness, then peace will come in ways that are over flowing and so unstoppable that even the gates of hell cannot prevail against it.  God’s favor will then rest on those who are blessed with the acceptance of that truth.