Biblical Peacemaking
Applying the Gospel to Conflicts of Daily Life
An Introduction to Biblical Peacemaking
Putting It Into Practice
The Slippery Slope
The Four Gs: A God-Centered Response to Conflict
Glorify God-- How can I please and honor God in this situation?
Get the log out of your eye--How can I show Jesus’ work in me by
taking responsibility for my contribution to this conflict?
Gently restore-- How can I lovingly serve others by helping them
take responsibility for their contribution to this conflict?
Go and be reconciled--How can I demonstrate the forgiveness
of God and encourage a reasonable solution to this conflict?
A Different Harvest
The Blessing of Building a Culture of Peace
‘”Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a
harvest of righteousness.” James 3:18
The First G
Glorify God
How can I please and
honor God in this situation?
“Whatever you do, do it
all for the glory of God.”
--1 Corinthians 10:31
You can glorify God in the midst of conflict by
• trusting Him
• obeying Him
• imitating Him
Bring Glory to God by Being a Peacemaker
How do people typically respond to conflict?
•Escape Responses
•Attack Responses
•Peacemaking Responses
One Great Way to Glorify God
Ask Yourself, “Is This Worth Fighting Over?”
“A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his
glory to overlook an offense.” Proverbs 19:11
Pause for Thought
Which response on the Slippery Slope was used
most by your parents when growing up? Where
do you tend to slide off? How do you flip
between Escape and Attack?
The Second G
Get the Log
Out of Your Eye
How can I show Jesus’ work in me by taking
responsibility for my contribution to the conflict?
Getting to the Heart of Conflict
Idol Progression: Something you want too much, you will sin to obtain (or sin if it’s denied)
Some idol-revealing (“X-Ray”) questions:
• How would you respond to disappointment or barriers related to this area?
• Have you ever ‘stretched’ the truth in arguing for or against your desire?
• How are your opponents being treated in this area?
The cure for an idolatrous heart:
• Confess your sin and trust in God alone for everything you need (Acts 3:19).
• Replace idol worship with worship of the true God (Ps. 37:4).
Pause for Thought--How to Spot a Heart Idol:
• Self-examination
• Prayer
• Scripture
• Godly counsel
Make A Good Confession (Seven A Words)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Address everyone involved
Avoid “if,” “but,” and “maybe”
Admit specifically
Acknowledge the hurt
Accept the consequences
Alter your behavior
Ask for forgiveness (allow time)
The Third G
Gently Restore
How can I lovingly serve others by helping them take
responsibility for their contribution to this conflict?
Restore Gently—Speak the Truth in Love
“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But
watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will
fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.”
Galatians 6:1-3
The Governing Dynamic is Love:
• Step One: Talk privately to resolve personal issues
• Step Two: Take two or three others along
• Step Three: Tell it to the church
• Step Four: Treat the other person as a non-believer
• Step Five: Forgive and restore the repentant
A helpful approach to difficult conversations
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than
yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of
others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus::” Phil. 2:3-5
The PAUSE Principle:
• Prepare: Pray, seek godly counsel, study scripture, develop options, plan your remarks
• Affirm Relationships: The people and the problem
• Understand Interests: The underlying motivations for positions
• Search for Creative Solutions: Don’t get stuck
• Evaluate Options Objectively and Reasonably
The Fourth G
Go and Be Reconciled
How can I demonstrate the forgiveness of God and
encourage a reasonable solution to this conflict?
Forgiveness
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other,
just as in Christ God forgave you.” Eph. 4:32
What forgiveness is not:
Forgiveness is neither a feeling nor forgetting, nor is it excusing.
What forgiveness is:
Forgiveness is a decision modeled after God’s forgiveness of us.
Four Promises of Forgiveness
•
•
•
•
I will not dwell on this incident
I will not bring this incident up and use it against you
I will not talk to others about this incident
I will not allow this incident to stand between us or
hinder our personal relationship