If It Is Possible

I need to balance the previous post Obey God - Not Man! with the following statement. It is taken from Romans 12 right before the controversial Romans 13 passage.

Romans 12:18 - If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

Although we are to obey God and not man, we may not use that as an excuse to take advantage of our fellow man. We are bonded still to obey God and His law. The whole law can be summed up in two laws found in Matthew 22. We are called to love God first, and then to love our neighbor as yourself.

Matthew 22:36-40 - 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

This law is repeated in Romans 13 in the following way:

Romans 13:8-10 - 8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Obedience to God is not seeking a fight with the state, but may require fighting. "As much as it is possible within you, live at peace with all men." However the verse suggests that there may be times when it simply is not possible to live at peace with all men. Times where men who may be in power that require us to act in ways contrary to the law of God. Times when due to life's circumstances we may find ourselves in a position to defend our life or the lives of those we love. It is during these times that we must call on the Prince of Peace to come.

Striving to live at peace with all men constrains me. I do not want to be at enmity with anyone, therefore I will govern my actions accordingly. Just because it is not a sin for me to speed, I need to question whether speeding would be a loving action toward my brothers and my enemies. For though Jesus came and died to set me free, though I live as free, yet I will not use that liberty as a cloak for vice, for I am a bondservant of God (1 Peter 2:16.)