A Peace of the Truth

I went to church last Saturday. The closing hymm caught my attention for some reason. I've sung the tune before, but for it irked me this time around. The song is called "Let There Be Peace on Earth". For those unfamiliar, here are the words:

Let There Be Peace on Earth and let it begin with me.
Let There Be Peace on Earth, the peace that was meant to be!
With God as our Father, brothers all are we.
Let me walk with my brother in perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me. Let this be the moment now.
With ev'ry breath I take, let this be my solemn vow;
To take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally!
Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me!

The writers are well-intentioned, but misguided. Unfortunately, there will never be "peace on earth". It's certainliy a wonderful concept, but it's about as practical as socialism. Peace on earth was not even the goal of Christianity. Luke 12:51 is rather clear on this point: "Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division."

Christianity is not here to set up a Utopia. A Utopia is quite impossible. Clearly, Jesus is more then some moral teacher coming to clean things up here. C.S. Lewis puts it nicely:

"It is quite true that if we took Christ's advice we should soon be living in a happier world. You need not even go as far as Christ. If we did all that Plato or Aristotle or Confucius told us, we should get on a great deal better than we do. And so what? We never have followed the advice of the great teachers. Why are we likely to begin now? Why are we more likely to follow Christ than any of the others? Because he is the best moral teacher? But that is even less likely that we shall follow him. If we cannot take the elementary lessons, is it likely we are going to take the most advanced one? If Christianity only means one more bit of good advice, then Christianity is of no importance. There has been no lack of good advice for the last four thousand years. A bit more makes no difference."

Christianity is not here to "let there be peace on earth". It is here to let us live at peace knowing this world is temporary. With that comes an internal peace, a "peace that surpasses all understanding" (Philippians 4:7) will be ours.

And may that peace spread throughout the whole earth.