Jesus tells us in the Bible that He came to bring us peace. He was a peaceful man who did not believe in war or violence as a way to spread His message of love and forgiveness. Jesus never fought in a battle, or picked up a sword. Jesus never wanted to be a king or a ruler of a country or territory here on earth. Jesus was a King of Peace who appeared on earth from heaven. And we as His followers should live a life of peace if we want to be His disciples.
Jesus said to Peter “put down your sword.”
One day the rulers sent soldiers to arrest Jesus so that they could kill Him on the cross. One of Jesus’ followers picked up a sword and started to fight the soldiers to try and free Jesus from getting arrested.
Jesus told his follower:
“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword” – Matthew 26:52.
Jesus did not want His followers to pick up a sword and try to fight for Him not to be arrested. Jesus was against war. Jesus never had an army or a group of soldiers to fight for Him. Jesus’ Kingdom is a Kingdom of Peace, Love, and Forgiveness.
The kingdom of God is one of righteousness
The Kingdom that Jesus leads is different that the human kingdoms we see here on earth. An earthly kingdom has an army. An earthly kingdom has to fight battles against other countries to keep its borders and its government. Many other groups battle and fight the government to try and control the country or different parts of a city.
Jesus said: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33).
Jesus and God want us to seek the Kingdom of God and to live a righteous life here on earth. God wants us to “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).
Jesus said to preach and heal the sick
Jesus sent out His followers to preach the Gospel of Good News and to heal the sick. Jesus’ disciples today also are told to preach the Gospel of Good News and to heal the sick. Jesus never told His disciples or followers to go to war or use the sword to expand Christianity. Christianity spreads around the world by acts of love, kindness and goodness.
In Matthew 5:1-12 we read what Jesus wants His followers and disciples to do and how they should act.
“One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, and he began to teach them.
“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
God blesses those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
God blesses those who are humble,
for they will inherit the whole earth.
God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they will be satisfied.
God blesses those who are merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
for they will see God.
God blesses those who work for peace,
for they will be called the children of God.
God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.”
We see here the Jesus was a prophet of peace. Jesus taught people to love others and to be kind and merciful to them at all times.
Jesus appeared to bring us peace with God
Jesus appeared on earth to teach us about God and to tell us that He would die on the cross for our sins. In this way Jesus would bring peace between us and God. God’s anger would be poured out on sin and God would be at peace with those who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, because Jesus paid the price for our sins. God would not longer be angry at us and for the sins that we committed because we would be free from God’s judgment and anger against sin.
The Bible talks about reconciliation. Reconciliation means to bring to people who have been fighting with each other back into a peaceful relationship. God was angry with our sins. But because Jesus died for our sins He made it possible for us to be reconciled, or brought back into a relationship with, God. This is what the Bible teaches us about the work that Jesus Christ did on the cross for our sins.
“And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” – 2 Corinthians 5:18-21.
Jesus was the sin-bearer for us
Jesus was the great sin-bearer for us. Jesus carried our sins to the cross for our sins. If we accept Him as our Lord and Saviour then we will have peace with God.
The Bible talks about Jesus and explains what He did for us in this way:
“Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
the sins of us all” – Isaiah 53:4-6.