A home of shalom (part 3)

God has been challenging us to let peace rule in our home.

Colossians 3:12-17 (NASB)

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

How can we cultivate peace when disciplining our children? How can we preserve peace during marital conflict? How can we enjoy peace when life is crazy?

First, God reminds us of who we are in Jesus. In Jesus we are chosen, holy, and dearly loved. Our identity in Christ then compels us to follow Christ and take on his attributes: compassion, humility, and gentleness by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Now God tells us to forgive like Jesus forgave us.
The word translated "forgive" is not the same word as in Mark 2:10, "the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins," which means to cancel a debt. While the word in Colossians 3 is similar, it also means to show favor, to demonstrate kindness, to bestow grace, to grant the gift of forgiveness - from the root word GRACE!

Think about the grace Jesus bestowed upon us when he forgave our sins. We were his enemies, we rebelled against him, we trampled his name and stole his glory. And yet, he willingly bore our sins on the cross. When he rose again from the dead, he offers us the gift of forgiveness. We can be pardoned of all our sins, we can have our sins blotted out, we can have our guilt removed, we can be free from the punishment of our sins, we can have relationship restored....because of Jesus.

Now, forgive like Jesus forgave you. Show favor to your enemies like Jesus did. Demonstrate kindness to those who hurt you like Jesus did. Bestow grace on those who sin against you, just like Jesus did to us.

In marriage and parenting and ministry we will be hurt and sinned against. The next step to peace is a choice to forgive. We don't forgive because people deserve it. We forgive because Jesus forgave us. We don't forgive in our own strength. We forgive by the power of the Holy Spirit living in us.

So...
If we want peace in our home we will confess sin to each other and ask for forgiveness (James 5:16).
If we want peace in our home we will repent of sin and bear fruits worthy of that repentance (Luke 17:3-4, 3:8).
If we want peace in our home we will joyfully grant forgiveness and refuse bitterness (Matthew 18:21-35).
If we want peace in our home we will remember that Jesus has forgiven us MUCH and that reminder will compel us to love MUCH: to love Jesus MUCH and to love our family members MUCH (Luke 7:40-50).