Where Is the "Peace On Earth?"

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:14 ESV)

These were the first words from the angels to the shepherds after they had announced Jesus’ birth. Speaking to men of one of the lowest social stations in one of the most oft conquered and oppressed nations in the ancient world, the angels proclaimed a message of timeless beauty and unimaginable hope. There is a God worthy of our glory who has chosen to come to us, and with Him he has brought peace!

Into the 21st century, this message remains a favorite of Christians, and for good reason. The hope and comfort of the passage speaks to our hurting world now just as it spoke to theirs then. But where is the peace?

The angels proclaimed peace but within only a few years Jesus himself would be carried to Egypt as his family fled Herod’s slaughter. Jesus’ own life was marked by pain and strife, and so were the early years of the Church. The rest of Church history and secular history alike would come to be just as marred by pain, suffering, trial, etc. 

Where is the peace?

Many Christian readers are likely thinking at this point that the peace promised by the angels is a spiritual peace. An eternal one. We may be at peace with a just God despite our shortcomings because of His abundant love poured out for us in a beautiful story – the beginning of which we are celebrating this Christmas season. 

Christmas does mark spiritual peace, but the angels said, “. . .on earth peace. . .” And so we return to our earlier question, where is that peace on earth?

Paul sheds light on this question in Ephesians 5 where he gives a practical blueprint for the uplifting hope proclaimed by the angels in Luke 2. In Ephesians 5:15-30, Paul paints a portrait of Christian life in the context of our individual behavior, our interactions within the Church, and our interactions with our own families. 

To every member of the Church, Paul commands us to submit to one another. Paul’s charge does not carry with it the same sentiment of hope as the proclamation of the angels. His words do not carry the same melodic ring and soothing reassurance. Rather, his words are quite convicting and rather unpleasant for our human nature.

Submitting to another means that we are to put their interests before our own. It means that we are to temper our desires with concern for the desires of our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are to have a posture of respect towards the will of others in the Church. What better blueprint for having peace among men?

The angels were under no illusion that war and temporal strife on earth would cease after Jesus’ birth. But they knew that the birth of Jesus promised the rebirth of humanity as beings with an entirely new purpose which is love for our God that gives rise to love for our neighbors. Christians do not always uphold their new purpose. But when they do, peace among them and those who share their goodwill follows. 

The lofty hope of earthly peace promised by the angels entails the unsparing conviction of Paul’s commission to submit to one another. Paul gives the plan of action for the envied treasure of earthly peace promised by the angels.

Peace on earth is made possible by the birth of individuals into the Church where they act out of love and virtue rather than the selfishness that had defined their empty life before they came to Christ. The greatest gift of Christmas is eternal life which is so unfathomably merciful that it deserves all of our thought and adoration. But God in His goodness did not stop there, and the angels in their excitement could not help but mention the temporal blessing of our eternal rebirth brought on by the birth of the one we celebrate this Christmas. 

When Christians walk with a full view of the eternal gift of Christ, we facilitate temporal peace.