How Can We Establish Peace?

There is a further aspect of the problem that cannot be ignored. It is evident that, in the ultimate analysis, the sense of responsibility is the only force that can keep a person under restraint. If a person is convinced that there is nobody to call him to account, and that there is no power that can punish him, then he will naturally tend to lose all sense of discipline and lead a life of license and irresponsibility, with no respect or concern for others.

This is as true of families, nations and mankind at large, as it is for individuals. A family will lose control and exceed the limits of responsibility and authority when it finds that there is nobody to question it and bring it to book.

A socio-economic class will not hesitate to oppress other classes when it finds that it is not answerable to anybody.

When a nation finds that it is strong enough to assert itself with impunity, it sets out to overrun and destroy weaker nations, just as the wolf will attack the sheep.

Much of the disorder that plagues the world today is due primarily to the fact that most people do not recognize the sovereignty of a Being superior to all of them, and that there is a Being to Whom they will all have to answer for their deeds one day, Who has the power to punish them. Unless they come to recognize and believe in such a Being, oppression and injustice will continue, and true peace cannot be established.

Who could this Supreme Being be, but God Almighty, the Lord and Master of the Universe. He could not be any human being, for any individual or group invested with supreme power would become irresponsible and capricious, like a Pharaoh, acting selfishly and partially, unfairly favouring some over others. “Absolute power corrupts absolutely”.

Earlier this century, the League of Nations was set up by the European powers to solve the problem of international disorder, but it soon degenerated into an association of White Nations and was used as a tool in the hands of a few Great Powers who began to treat smaller and weaker nations unjustly.

These and other lessons of history should have taught us that we cannot expect man to provide an ideal power the fear of which can keep all individuals, groups, nations and empires under restraint, and ensure proper conduct at all levels from the individual to the international. Such a power has to be outside, and above, the human world.

It can only be the power of God. If we are concerned about our own welfare and progress, there is no alternative for us but to believe in God, submit to His sovereignty, obey His law, and realise that He sees and knows all that we do and think, and that we will one day have to appear before Him to render a full account of our lives on this earth. This is the only way in which we can hope to become good, peaceful and law-abiding men and women. This is the only way in which we can attain peace in this world and salvation in the Hereafter.

There remains one more doubt to be dispelled. If God’s sovereignty over the Universe is so absolute, if everything from the sub-atomic particles to the mighty heavenly bodies is under His control, and if man is merely a humble subject of the realms of the Almighty, how then is man able to rebel against the Divine sovereign and set up his own dominions in which he rides roughshod over others through man-made laws? Why does the Almighty not put a stop to it immediately and punish them?

Let us take the example of a country where the ruler posts one of his subjects as the governor of a particular province. The whole country is under the control of the ruler; the citizens are his subjects, the roads, railways, telecommunications, armed forces and all other means of control are at his disposal; and the province in question is surrounded on all sides by the dominions of the ruler. If he so wished, the ruler could compel the governor by force into complete loyalty and unquestioning obedience, but he wants to test the man’s intelligence, loyalty, sense of duty and ability. So he gives the governor free rein in the province - to such an extent that the governor ceases to feel the controlling authority and power of the supreme sovereign.

If the governor is wise, loyal and dutiful, he will never lose sight of his position as a subject and subordinate of the ruler, and will run his province within the limits of his jurisdiction in accordance with the authority of the sovereign. He will exercise his authority within the framework of the sovereign’s commission and according to the latter’s wishes. This loyal and dutiful conduct will prove his ability and competence, and he will be in line for promotion to higher positions.

On the other hand, imagine that the governor is foolish, disloyal and wicked, and that the people of the province are ignorant and naive. Taking advantage of the free rein given to him by the sovereign, the governor decides on rebellion. He takes it into his head to rule independently as the lord and master of the province, and the people begin to obey him, because they see that he pays them, he controls the local police and courts, and he has the power to punish and execute, and to make or break the lives of people in the province.

The sovereign is aware of the treason committed by the rebellious governor, and of its acceptance by the short-sighted local populace. He is surely powerful enough to put an end to the rebellion and inflict a severe punishment on the guilty parties, but he does not do so. He wants to put the governor and people to a thorough test. He continues to give them free rein, and looks on as they pursue their disastrous course. He wants all their evil to be fully expressed.

He enjoys absolute power, and has no fear that the rebellious governor may eventually march on the capital and overthrow him. He is certain that the rebels would never be able to leave their province, which is surrounded by loyal territory. He is, therefore, in no hurry to force the issue. He can continue to tolerate the situation for years on end. But ultimately, when all the evil latent in the offending governor and people has fully manifested itself, he swoops on them and his punishment is so severe that no stratagem on their part can avert it.

Each and every one of us, from the rulers and men in authority to the humblest peasants and slum-dwellers, is on trial. Our intelligence and wisdom, our sense of duty, our integrity and loyalty, are being put to a severe test. Each of us has to decide whether he wants to be loyal or disloyal to the real Lord. This is the most vital question, the most important issue in life. Success or failure depends on this alone. Let each of us engage in some deep and sincere soul-searching.

Have we really chosen to be loyal to our Lord, or are we following the road that leads to disloyalty, betrayal, and ultimate disaster...?