“Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.”
The words above were uttered by the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 12:51) and seem to be at odds with some of the other things that he said. The truth is that these words do not contradict Jesus’ other teachings, he does bring peace to those who trust him but that peace is given in a world that has rejected Christ. The result of this will inevitably bring division and hostility and almost two thousand years later, Jesus still divides opinion.
Jesus is universally acclaimed as a great teacher and a wonderful example to all. As evangelicals we want to shout that he is also Lord of all and Saviour, this receives much less approval from the world at large and so the divisions continue. The problem for us is that it’s possible to see Jesus as Saviour and nothing else.
Jesus did come to save (Luke 19:10), he also came to destroy Satan’s work (1 John 3:8), he came to teach the truth (John 18:37), to bring life (John 10:10) and to be our example (John 13:15). Of all the things that Jesus came to do, that last one is perhaps the most challenging for Christians since it demands something from us.
“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” (John 13:14-15)
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:” (Philippians 2:5)
“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21)
“Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:6)
Check out the video below it lasts less than three minutes.