"My Kingdom Is No Part of This World" - Conclusion of "RETURN YOUR SWORD TO ITS PLACE"

The sister in southern Europe mentioned earlier learned this same lesson.  "I have seen that violence does not bring justice," she observes.  "I saw that those who resort to violence often end up dead.  And many others become embittered.  I was so happy to learn from the Bible that only God can being true justice to the earth.  For the last 25 years, that is the message I have been preaching."  The brother in southern Africa has replaced his spear with "the sword of the spirit,"  God's Word, as he preaches a message of peace to his neighbors, whatever the tribe. (Ephesians 6:17)  And after becoming one of Jehovah's Witnesses, the sister in central Europe married a brother from an ethnic group she formerly hated.  All three made these changes because they desired to be like Christ.

And how important these changes are!  The Bible likens humanity to a sea that tosses and turns, a sea that knows no peace.  (Isaiah 17:12; 57:20; Revelations 13:1)  While political issues stir people up, divide them, and provoke senseless violence, we maintain our peace and unity.  And as Jehovah observes our divided world, it must warm his heart to see the unity exists among his people. -Read Zephaniah 3:17. 

We have seen that we can promote Christian unity in three ways:  (1 ) We put our trust In God's heavenly Kingdom to correct justice,  (2) we refuse to take sides in political issues, and (3) We reject violence.  Sometimes, however, our unity can be threatened by prejudice.  The following article will look at how we can successfully face this challenge, as Christians did in the first century.  

Next time: May We All Be One  as Jehovah and Jesus Are One

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