three ways to get out of cultural conflict

See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

1 Thessalonians 5:15

Christians are commanded to be peace-promoting in every situation of conflict. We do not do evil when evil is done to us. We don’t take matters into our own hands. We are not revenge oriented. We aren’t name callers. We aren’t haters. No person can simultaneously be reconciled to God in Jesus and actively seek conflict with another person in their life. Grace turns Christian hearts toward the peace of Christ. Jesus brings peace everywhere among us and calls us to always seek the best for everybody.

How is this even possible in an age of constant digital self-expression that invites judgment of others? Every opinion, every idea, nearly every outrageous claim possible is on our social-media feeds by breakfast just begging for our evaluation and judgment! And now it is the case that news media will offer up that evaluation about social media for us if we will not do it. Partisanship now flavors everything we read, we see, we hear, or we seek to be entertained by. And this is only increasing. It has not abated at all over the last decade. A cacophony of cultural conflict awaits us every day.

There are three applications I draw from this one instruction to help me to immediately apply the truth of scripture to the task of managing this cultural chaos.

1) Don’t be vengeful. Don’t hit reply with smart revenge in mind. And don’t let other believers do this either. Lovingly point them to this passage as a gauge for our behavior and remind us all not to repay evil with another evil. This has been done to me, carefully, by friends and brothers and it has helped me grow. Just scroll on and pray. 

2) Seek to say what is good to build up believers. This is seeking God’s sanctifying work with one another in the Body of Christ. There is only one sure way that I KNOW I will speak good and that is to invite my brothers and sisters to look to Jesus in the gospel, and to God’s Word for growth. This will take us beyond our strong sinful tendency to be quick for revenge.

3) Seek to declare the gospel by word and deed to everyone. Those outside the Christian faith need to see us changed by and modeling the love of God in Christ. They WILL NOT EVER be changed for eternity or redeemed by our political opinions! NEVER! It is idolatry to keep acting like my opinions will change people. Share the good news of the redeeming work of Christ, of repentance and faith in the gospel... and live it out.