59 Ways to Have Peace on Earth and Good Will to Men (and Women)

Now that the Christmas season is in full swing, there’s a lot of talk (and song lyrics) wishing “peace on earth and good will to men.”

[Side Note: This phrase comes from the King James translation of Luke 2:14. However, nearly all modern Bible versions correct the Greek translation to some version of “on earth peace to those on whom God’s favor rests.” Here is a good discussion of the change.]

While the phrase is heart-warming and makes for a great Christmas card, there’s minimal elaboration on HOW we should create all this peace and goodwill.

This is where the Bible can help. Scripture has a lot to say about how we are to treat others. Check out this list for a picture of how God calls Christians to treat others.

Imagine if those of us in the Church practiced even a fraction of these over the next few weeks. We might actually end up with more peace on earth and goodwill to others this Christmas season

1. Be at peace with each other (Mark 9:50)

2. Wash one another’s feet (John 13:14)

3. Love one another (John 13:34)

4. Love one another (John 13:34)

5. Love one another (John 13:35)

6. Love one another (John 15:12)

7. Love one another (John 15:17)

8. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love (Romans 12:10)

9. Honor one another above yourselves (Romans 12:10)

10. Live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16)

11. Love one another (Romans 13:8)

12. Stop passing judgment on one another. (Romans 14:13)

13. Accept one another just as Christ accepted you (Romans 15:7)

14. Instruct one another (Romans 15:14)

15. Greet one another with a holy kiss (Romans 16:16)

16. When you come together to eat, wait for each other (I Cor. 11:33)

17. Have equal concern for each other (I Corinthians 12:25)

18. Greet one another with a holy kiss (I Corinthians 16:20)

19. Greet one another with a holy kiss (II Corinthians 13:12)

20. Serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13)

21. If you keep on biting and devouring each other…you will be destroyed by each other (Galatians 5:15)

22. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other (Galatians 5:26)

23. Carry each other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2)

24. Be patient, bearing with one another in love (Ephesians 4:2)

25. Be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32)

26. Forgiving each other (Ephesians 4:32)

27. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19)

28. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21)

29. In humility consider others better than yourselves (Philippians 2:3)

30. Do not lie to each other (Colossians 3:9)

31. Bear with each other (Colossians 3:13)

32. Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another (Colossians 3:13)

33. Teach…[one another] (Colossians 3:16)

34. Admonish one another (Colossians 3:16)

35. Make your love increase and overflow for each other (I Thess. 3:12)

36. Love each other (I Thessalonians 4:9)

37. Encourage each other (I Thessalonians 4:18)

38. Encourage each other I Thessalonians 5:11)

39. Build each other up (I Thessalonians 5:11)

40. Encourage one another daily Hebrews 3:13)

41. Spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24)

42. Encourage one another (Hebrews 10:25)

43. Do not slander one another (James 4:11)

44. Don’t grumble against each other (James 5:9)

45. Confess your sins to each other (James 5:16)

46. Pray for each other (James 5:16)

47. Love one another deeply, from the heart (I Peter 3:8)

48. Live in harmony with one another (I Peter 3:8)

49. Love each other deeply (I Peter 4:8)

50. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling (I Peter 4:9)

51. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others (I Peter 4:10)

52. Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another (I Peter 5:5)

53. Greet one another with a kiss of love (I Peter 5:14)

54. Love one another (I John 3:11)

55. Love one another (I John 3:23)

56. Love one another (I John 4:7)

57. Love one another (I John 4:11)

58. Love one another (I John 4:12)

59. Love one another (II John 5)

Merry Christmas!

Adapted from Carl F. George, Prepare Your Church for the Future (1991), 129-131.