God the Peacemaker 3
Chapter Three: The great need: peace with God, with one another and for the cosmos
As the author of God the Peacemaker says, we live outside of Eden and therefore “our great need is peace…with God, with one another and for the cosmos itself.”
Do you agree with Graham Cole that in the West, peace with God is not such an obvious need? He explores in Chapter Three the barriers to enjoying shalom:
- problem of sin: we inherit a corrupt nature (its influence is seen in every part of our lives) and consequently we act in sinful ways. This creates “moral guilt before a righteous God” and “ought to cause shame before a holy God”
- problem of wrath: sin offends God personally and invites divine wrath – the expression of divine holiness against human sin
- problem of judgment: sin puts us in the wrong before a righteous God and invites judgment. The Bible reveals all facets of justice – deterrence, reformative, restorative and retributive (ie. we get what we deserve). “A universe without final retribution, even a hell, would be a morally indifferent one.”
- problem of the human other: our relationships with one another are spoiled because of sin
- problem of the god of this world: Satan uses our sin to hold us in bondage – as an instrument of fear and oppression. Our author gives a succinct summary of the ‘doings’ of the devil – he is “evil’s all too personal face.”
- problem of the groaning creation. The created order also needs liberation (Rom 1.21 cf. 8.20).
Graham leads us inevitably to the all-encompassing need for deliverance, as he asks:
- how can forgiveness and cleansing come?
- how can divine wrath be assuaged?
- how can anyone face the great white throne judgment?
- how can interpersonal hostility be removed?
- how can the evil one be defeated? and,
- how can the creation be set free?
We as individuals, nations and the material universe have a great, great need – and Graham Cole spends the remainder of his book unveiling “God’s project” – the reclamation of creation.
Bought God the Peacemaker yet?