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“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).
It is a good thing for us, as Christians, to do everything possible to “follow peace with all men.” This means that we do not do things that irritate other people, or things that cause hard feelings and provoke fights. As Christians we still have our old sinful nature, and we can certainly do things that cause problems, if we are not watchful.
On the other hand, we are also to follow holiness. We must not give up holiness in order to live in peace with people in this world. Many years ago, some of those with whom I went to university wanted me to do something that would have displeased the Lord. When I refused they became upset with me, but I was thankful for the courage the Lord gave me to refuse to do something that was wrong.
When it says, “Without which no man shall see the Lord,” it means that we will not be able to walk in fellowship with the Lord, if we do not follow holiness. It is more important to follow holiness than to be at peace with all men.
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