[PRCo] 1.>--Peace--on--Earth____2.>--Political--Correctness

[James B. Holland]

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>Peace on Earth and Good Will Towards Men!
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1.>--Peace


This verse has been Very Widely MisUnderstood for many multiples of 
decades.       Let's look closer at the message of Peace which is offered.


It is important to note that a declaration and fulfillment in Scriptures 
can be millennia apart and fulfillment can come in stages as well.       
Several applications // definitions of Peace are applicable.


This Christmas message about the Birth of Christ is taken from Luke_2.14 
which reads:       ""...and on earth peace to men on whom his favor 
rests.""__NIV[1]

*His*  refers to God.       The Old Testament offering of a Sacrificial 
Lamb looked forward to the coming of Christ, God In Human Flesh and the 
Only Perfect Man, Who lived a Perfect Life that He might offer Himself 
as the Sacrificial Lamb.       Christ took upon Himself  ALL  Sin  --  
past, present, future  --  and offered up the required sacrifice for sin 
of His shed blood on the cross, died, yet Rose Victorious Over 
Death!       Sin entered the world through one man in the Garden of 
Eden  --  Adam  --  and  ALL  sin is forgiven through one man, Christ Jesus!


This is God's Gift to the World in
                the Person of Jesus Christ  --
Forgiveness of Sins and  *Peace__With__God*
                and the guarantee of Life Eternal in
the Presence of God which give the believer
                Peace of God here on earth.



A Gift needs to be received and accepted to be of value  --  the 
individual is lost in sin and needs to ask forgiveness for that sin and 
ask to receive Christ.       Those who see the need for a Savior and 
Accept Christ are those  ""....on whom his favor rests""  and are those 
who receive  *Peace__With__God.*

It was mentioned here before that in the eyes of God, ALL of mans 
righteousness is like filthy rags (from the prophet Isaiah) and the 
original Hebrew refers to menstrual rags, the refuse of the body.       
The depravity of man is emphasized over and over again in 
Scriptures.       So the need for a Savior is Real!


Now consider these very words of Christ Himself:::::::

"""Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace on earth.       I did 
not come to bring peace, but a sword.       For I have come to turn     
'''a man against his father, a daughter against her 
mother,...'''"""__Matthew_10.34-35a.

Notice that word  *suppose*  --  it is very easy to  *suppose*  from the 
Christmas message in Luke_2.14 that  *peace on earth*  is the mission of 
Christ.       In reality, those who embrace Christ, who receive his 
message, who receive  *Peace__With__God*  are hated by all others who do 
not accept Christ, who do not know God, who do not want to know God  --  
family, friends, and strangers.       This causes friction, hatred, even 
murder!       The movement to squash Christian values is really gaining 
momentum now and at the end of the age this momentum will be at fever 
pitch and the old Roman practice of sacrificing Christians will be revived.


In reality there are Only two types of people on this earth:::::::

1.>--   Those who know  *Peace__With__God*
             also known as being Born Again

2.>--   The Rest who ARE in reality at Enmity with God
             Those who Rebel against Him by not accepting
             His offer of Salvation.


With so many at enmity with God Himself  --  which is the very basic 
definition of sin  --  and with Scriptural exposure of the depravity of 
humans,  how is it possible to have peace on earth?


                It is always good to live the model to express peace to 
those around us but peace on earth shall Never be accomplished humanly  
--  peace on earth may be good words but they are hollow and empty and  
Shall  Not  happen until the New Heaven and New Earth are here and those 
who know  *Peace__With__God*  are in Paradise with Him on the New 
Earth    ----    At Least 1,007-years in the future.


                There  IS  a real message of Peace here in Luke 2.14, 
but it is selective  --  It  IS  an offer of  *Peace__With__God*  --  it 
is definitely not  peace on earth!!!!!!!



                Where do you stand as far as  *Peace__With__God*  is 
concerned?       Do you want to know more?       Don't hesitate to 
contact me directly by clicking here::       mailto:JBH at P-R-Co.com


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2.>--Political--Correctness


While  *Merry--Christmas*  has been a valid greeting for centuries if 
not millennia, it is all of a sudden Politically Incorrect  --  someone 
might be offended.       Being  *offended*  is a choice.       If an 
individual is well grounded in a set of beliefs outside of Christianity, 
how can this Christmas greeting offend him?       Such should be 
meaningless to him.       That individual either has many doubts about 
his own beliefs or he consciously wants to start friction by  
*being--offended!*

And why not state Christmas Greetings to all from within personal 
beliefs?       Why not share the joy personal beliefs bring  --  isn't 
the joy worth sharing?       It is not a fear of offending  --  it is 
more likely luke warm, indifference, or a total lack of belief so the 
presumed belief is a charade!       In reality, someone trying to be 
Politically Correct in his wishes is not saying a thing!

I am not offended when someone disparages Christianity  --  but I do 
feel pain  --  pain of empathy for that individual is revealing enmity 
toward God and his possible lack of Peace With God.       Christianity 
is the Only  *religion*  where one does not buy his salvation, where one 
does not work nor cannot work for his salvation, and where one cannot 
steal his salvation  --  it is Freely Offered to One and All and the 
price of that free offer  --  bearing the sins of  ALL  --  was paid by 
God Himself.       """How shall we escape if we ignore such a great 
salvation?"""__Hebrews_2.3a


Best  Wishes  for  a  Very  Merry  Christmas:::

May Those who do not  *Know*  God  be  Redeemed to Him in Christ to 
receive Peace With God and

For those who are Redeemed, may you be granted the Peace Of God in these 
troubled times.



Jim__Holland




What follows is a spoof on all this political correctness which is quite 
timely but really emphasizes the hollowness of such  *correctness*:::::::

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Subject: Have a Politically Correct Season


Hi All.

Please accept with no obligation, implied or explicit, our best wishes 
for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, 
non-addictive & gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice 
holiday.  (As practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the 
religious persuasion of your choice, or the secular practices of your 
choice, with respect for the religious / secular persuasions & / or 
traditions of others.  Or their choice not to practice religious or 
secular traditions at all.)

Please also accept our best wishes, (with no obligation, etc.), for a 
fiscally successful, personally fulfilling & medically uncomplicated 
recognition of the onset of the new calendar year, 2005.

But not, of course, without due respect for the calendars of choice of 
other cultures, & with regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical 
ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform, degree of 
rail-related interests / knowledge, or sexual preferences of the wishees.


 From D & I C.


Please note:-

By accepting this greeting you are accepting the following terms:-

This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal.  It is freely 
transferable (without alteration), to any 3rd parties.  It implies no 
promise by the wisher / wisher's to actually implement any of the wishes 
by him / herself to the benefit of others, & is void where prohibited by 
law or local custom.
It is revocable at any time at the sole discretion of the wisher / 
wisher's.  

This wish is warranted to perform as expected, within the usual 
application of good tidings, for a period of one year, or until the 
issuance of subsequent holiday greeting, whichever may occur first.  
Warranty is limited to replacement  of this wish, or the issuance of a 
new wish, at the sole discretion of the wisher / wisher's.


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[1]__KJV version does state  ""and on earth peace, good will toward 
men.""       This is not an incorrect translation but is apparently a 
word for word translation where a phrase for word is more accurate as in 
the NIV.