Christians in a World of Conflict_1
Stacy Ikard & Karl Slaikeu

Christians in a World of Conflict_1

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Christians in a World of Conflict - The Text

           Acts Chapters 13-14 – Paul’s First Journey

48 When the gentiles heard this, they were glad and praised the word of the Lord, and as many as had been destined for eternal life became believers. 49 Thus the word of the Lord spread throughout the region. 50 But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their region. 51 So they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

14 The same thing occurred in Iconium, where Paul[a] and Barnabas[b] went into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So they remained for a long time speaking boldly for the Lord, who testified to the word of his grace by granting signs and wonders to be done through them. 4 But the residents of the city were divided: some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. 5 And when an attempt was made by both gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, 6 the apostles[c] learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region, 7 and there they continued proclaiming the good news.

Galatians Chapter One  - Greetings

1 Paul an apostle, sent neither by human commission nor from human authorities but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers and sisters with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Wow – Paul Gets Right Into It…

u  I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel, 7 not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel[a] from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so now I repeat, if anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let that one be accursed!

u 10 Am I now seeking human approval or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Defending the Gospel or Paul?

u 11 For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin, 12 for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.13 You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it. 14 I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. 15 But when the one[b] who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace was pleased 16 to reveal his Son to me,

u so that I might proclaim him among the gentiles, I did not confer with any human, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before me, but I went away at once into Arabia, and afterward I returned to Damascus.

All About Paul…

u 18 Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days, 19 but I did not see any other apostle except James the Lord’s brother. 20 In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie! 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, 22 and I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea that are in Christ; 23 they only heard it said, “The one who formerly was persecuting us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God because of me.

The Conflict – Reading Between the Lines

u Paul establishes churches 46-48 AD in the Galatia Province of Asia Minor

u Paul establishes at least 4 churches, probably more.

u Paul moves on quickly

u Within two years, Jewish Christian Missionaries have entered the area with an “alternative gospel”

u Paul has been advised of this and is responding.

u What is at stake here?

u What is the true Gospel?

u Who are the true teachers of the Gospel?

u How exactly are we made righteous or saved?

u What was the purpose of the death and resurrection of Christ?

u What is Christianity’s relationship to Judaism?

The Danger of Psychologizing Paul

•       Respecting what we can’t know

•       Respecting Paul’s humanity

•       Biblical Interpretation and Growth

     of  an Author/Figure

•       Fools Rush In…

Look at Paul Deal with the Philippians

u Written 5-10 years later.

u Written to a group of people with deep relationships and experiences with Paul.

u Written regarding the exact same theological issue that faced the Christians in Galatian – but now Paul has been dealing with the issue for many years.

Written with more insight

Philippians 3

2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh![a] 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God[b] and boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh— 4 even though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh.

If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law but one that comes through faith in Christ,[c] the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 I want to know Christ[d] and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal,[e] but I press on to lay hold of that for which Christ[f] has laid hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have laid hold[g] of it, but one thing I have laid hold of: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal, toward the prize of the heavenly[h] call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us, then, who are mature[i] think this way, and if you think differently about anything, this, too, God will reveal to you. 16 Only let us hold fast to what we have attained.

          A Closer Look at Conflict Cases

u Home?

u Work?

u School?

u Church?

u With Neighbors?

        What is the “Hard Part”?

u Dealing with Anger?

u Confronting Without Offending?

u Understanding Hidden Agendas?

u Discovering True Interests?

u Dealing with Political Differences?

       Guiding Principles
       for “Christians in a World of Conflict”

u Scripture

u Conflict Resolution, Negotiation and Mediation Practice

Lessons From Scripture

u Matthew 5:44

“Love Enemies”

u Matthew 18:15-17

“Brother or Sister Sins Against You”

u Matthew 5:23-24

“Go and Be Reconciled”

u Matthew 18: 21-22

“Forgiveness”

u I Corinthians 6: 1, 7

“Lawsuits” Among Believers

Lessons From Scripture
(continued)

u Colossians 3:14

“Love Which Binds in Perfect Unity”

u Philippians 2:4

“Interests of Others”

u Philippians 4:7-8

“Don’t Be Anxious”

u Romans 8:28

“The Holy Spirit Intercedes”

Lessons from
Conflict Resolution,
Negotiation and Mediation Practice

u High Stakes: Good and Bad Outcomes

u Multiple Causes of Conflict

u Four Ways to Resolve Conflict

u Collaboration is Best Way to Peace, Healing, Justice, Reconciliation

u Order Options to Save Time, Money, People

Good and Bad Outcomes

Bad Outcomes:

u Broken Relationships

u Emotional Wear and Tear

u Financial Loss

u Bodily Harm or Death

u Lowered Morale

Good Outcomes:

u Policy Changes

u Improved Relationships

u Enhanced Teamwork

u Tools for the Future

u Spiritual Growth

Multiple Causes

u Differing Interests

u Communication Breakdown

u Personality Differences

u Negative Treatment

u Lack of Negotiation Skills

u Pressure or Neglect

u Evil

u Psychopathology

Four Ways to Resolve Conflict

Avoidance, Collaboration, Higher Authority, Power Plays

The Rub

u Issues that might be resolved collaboratively aren’t,

u And instead go to court, avoidance, or force.

u How can you protect against this?

Preferred Path Summary

u Situations at Home, Work, School, Church, Neighborhoods

u When the Hard Part is Emotions, Broken Relationships, Violence

u The Preferred Path Offers a Way to

  Justice, Peace, Healing, and Reconciliation

Collaboration as Way to Peace, Justice, Healing, and Reconciliation

u Lasting Change Often Requires

u Private Confrontation

u Acknowledgement/Apology/Repentance

u Corrective Action

u Accountability

u Limitations of Court and War