Can Fundamentalists Be Peacemakers?

“As much as lieth within you live peaceably with all men.” Romans 12:18

It’s not the role we normally consider for Baptist Fundamentalists — peacemakers. Nevertheless, there can be no doubt that scripture calls us to that role and we must obediently embrace it.

Frankly, we are not very good at it.

We have all these commands in our life manual. Love one another. Live in unity. Think the best of people. Make things right with your brother. On the other hand, we have these other commands. Contend for the faith. Mark and avoid schismatics. How can we be both fundamentalists and peacemakers?

Be very sure: It is not only possible — it is required.

Peacemaking is not compromise or hypocrisy. At least it is not disobedient compromise. We cannot, must not, compromise with sin or false teaching. But other people are not in sin just because they don’t do what I want. When we have genuine disagreements with others, giving deference out of love is not hypocrisy, weakness, or compromise.

Peacemaking rests on genuine love (Romans 12:9). 1 Corinthians 13 has to characterize our interactions with other believers ON ALL LEVELS — blogs and internet posts count too. Even the comments following posts count. Love requires that we give Christian brothers the benefit of the doubt. It requires that we do not jump to conclusions. It requires that we hope the best of others.

Love means that we do not demand that Christian brothers pay for the sins of others in our own past. Every pastor understands this. Someone new in your church objects to a genuinely good thing that is going on (a building program comes to mind). Their objection is that there was once this church they were in where the building program was a disaster. Consequently, they are against building programs. Beware every time you find yourself saying, “Here we go again.” This guilt by association judgment is often inaccurate and unbiblical. I have found that the conclusions to which I jump are often completely wrong. Even if, in the end, I find that I am right, it is still much better to hear the whole matter first (Proverbs 18:13).

Peacemaking demands patience (Romans 12:12-13). It is my human nature not only to jump to a conclusion when I see a problem; I also usually want to complain about it immediately to others. Right now, while I am worked up about it, I want to respond. I remember an incident a number of years ago getting a bit worked up about a discipline situation in our Christian School. I headed immediately to a classroom to register my displeasure with the man who was our School Administrator at the time. He was a friend and man I had a part in discipling. He looked at me and said, “Pastor, it’s not how you think it is and I am not used to you responding in this way.” I was smitten. I had become an instigator rather than a peacemaker. I will be honest. I apologized. But it wasn’t until later, after I had cooled down.

Peacemaking requires communication (Romans 12: 16, Matthew 18:15). Non-peacemakers (for lack of a better term) come in two extremes. The first extreme is the “shoot anything that moves” attitude (thanks to Dale Seaman for the analogy). If we see a problem, we decide where the error is immediately and take action immediately. When we do this, typically we make the problem worse, not better. The second extreme is the “Why are we even talking about this?” attitude. Let’s just all get along and pretend there is no problem at all. If we take this attitude, we will get increasingly agitated under the surface and will not help the brother with whom we have conflict.  We cannot ignore the reality before us.

Communication in peacemaking requires asking questions and getting the best understanding of the situation at hand as possible. It might include challenging the thinking of another person biblically and working through the perceived differences. It often requires loving personal confrontation. This kind of communication will have an impact on the other person, even if we do not come to complete agreement.

Because communication is necessary, restraint is also necessary (Romans 12:17). Communication takes time and waiting until the communication process has run its course before taking other, more drastic actions is essential.

Peacemaking requires kindness, even with those who would be considered our enemies (Romans 12:18-21). Paul is not demanding we HELP our enemies do us damage. However, it is possible to stand, even contend for the faith, without being ungracious or unkind. People used to be good at this. Unfortunately, our present cultural environment knows nothing of it. Either you love and accept everything about everyone, or you treat them with vicious animosity. Neither approach is scriptural.

We are fundamental Baptists. The doctrine of biblical separation is clearly taught in scripture. But, remember, it is no more biblical than peacemaking. In the overall scheme of things, peacemaking should be the first response. When it is clear that there is no obedient remedy, separation is the last sad step.

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Dr. Kevin Schaal serves as the pastor of Northwest Valley Baptist Church in Glendale, Arizona and as the President of the FBFI.