Peace: Is It Yours?
PEACE UNKNOWN
The current war and strife amongst the nations, the increasing violence and riots in our cities, and the general rise of crime in all levels of society only prove what the Bible has always declared concerning men: "The way of PEACE have they not known." [Romans 3:17]
Peace negotiations, peace-corps programs, anti-war demonstrations, and the well-meaning efforts of many to achieve a just and lasting peace all miserably fail for the simple reason that the root of the problem is not dealt with.
Peace unknown on the national and international levels only proves that Peace is unknown in the individual hearts of men.
God alone has the solution to the problem of peace for nations, for individuals, --- for YOU, dear reader.
He has successfully dealt with the root-cause of all distress --- sin in the heart of man. He has procured and now offers a sure and lasting Peace for the heart and conscience in the Person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ Who says:
"Peace I leave with you, My Peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." [John 14:27]
PEACE MADE
"Having made peace through the blood of His cross." [Col. 1:20]
What a blessed thing it is that what man could never do, God has done perfectly and eternally!
What is it that has made peace?
It is the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, where He bore "the chastisement of our peace"; where the full penalty of God's judgement against sin was borne and the cloud of divine wrath burst upon the Spotless Substitute.
Here peace was made, so effectually that God raised up Christ from the dead in token of His acceptance of His perfect work.
PEACE PREACHED
"And came and preached peace to you which were afar off and to them that were nigh." [Eph. 2:17]
After His resurrection, our Lord Jesus appeared in the midst of His disciples and said: "Peace be unto you," showing them the wounds in His hands and His side. This was the preaching of peace.
He showed the grounds upon which He could declare peace, the witness of His finished work on the cross, and He pronounced that peace upon those who were His. This blessed work of proclamation of peace has been going on ever since.
The Holy Spirit was sent down from heaven, energizing the people of God to proclaim peace to all mankind. Peace is only being preached today wherever the gospel is made known.
PEACE POSSESSED
"Therefore, being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." [Romans 5:1]
It is one thing for peace to have been made by His death on the cross, and to have been proclaimed by our blessed Lord and by the Holy Spirit in the gospel of His grace, but it is another thing to be possessors of this peace.
It is peace for all mankind, but not possessed by all mankind. To be possessed, it must be received, and here is where faith comes in.
Faith takes God at His Word, acknowledging one's lost and ruined condition because of sin in his heart and life, and accepts Jesus Christ as personal Saviour and Lord.
Faith is putting one's trust in Him Who died and rose again to put away sin which has caused the war in his heart against God.
All such as believe on Him receive now the blessed peace which has been made and preached. It is theirs now, not merely for them, but a possession.
Notice here that it is not a feeling of peace that is spoken of, but a relationship with God.
Instead of being under wrath, subject to judgment, we are in the place of acceptance, the object of His delight, looked upon as just before Him.
Dear reader, can you say with all assurance: " I have peace with God!"
PEACE CENTERED in CHRIST
"He is our Peace." [Eph. 2:14]
Peace is not in ourselves and we are not to look within our hearts for the measure of it. We do have the enjoyment of it there, and the more simply we believe the Word of God, the fuller such enjoyment will be, for peace is in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Possessing Him as Saviour and Lord, the believer has peace of conscience as to his sins, and peace of heart as to his circumstances.
Jesus said:
The current war and strife amongst the nations, the increasing violence and riots in our cities, and the general rise of crime in all levels of society only prove what the Bible has always declared concerning men: "The way of PEACE have they not known." [Romans 3:17]
Peace negotiations, peace-corps programs, anti-war demonstrations, and the well-meaning efforts of many to achieve a just and lasting peace all miserably fail for the simple reason that the root of the problem is not dealt with.
Peace unknown on the national and international levels only proves that Peace is unknown in the individual hearts of men.
God alone has the solution to the problem of peace for nations, for individuals, --- for YOU, dear reader.
He has successfully dealt with the root-cause of all distress --- sin in the heart of man. He has procured and now offers a sure and lasting Peace for the heart and conscience in the Person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ Who says:
"Peace I leave with you, My Peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." [John 14:27]
PEACE MADE
"Having made peace through the blood of His cross." [Col. 1:20]
- Man can never 'make his peace with God.
- It cannot be bought, nor can it be worked for.
- Tears, prayers and resolutions are all unavailing to make peace with Him.
- No human friend can make that peace.
- Though government leaders who love their nations and parents who love their children and would lay down their lives for them, they cannot make peace with God for them.
What a blessed thing it is that what man could never do, God has done perfectly and eternally!
What is it that has made peace?
It is the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, where He bore "the chastisement of our peace"; where the full penalty of God's judgement against sin was borne and the cloud of divine wrath burst upon the Spotless Substitute.
Here peace was made, so effectually that God raised up Christ from the dead in token of His acceptance of His perfect work.
PEACE PREACHED
"And came and preached peace to you which were afar off and to them that were nigh." [Eph. 2:17]
After His resurrection, our Lord Jesus appeared in the midst of His disciples and said: "Peace be unto you," showing them the wounds in His hands and His side. This was the preaching of peace.
He showed the grounds upon which He could declare peace, the witness of His finished work on the cross, and He pronounced that peace upon those who were His. This blessed work of proclamation of peace has been going on ever since.
The Holy Spirit was sent down from heaven, energizing the people of God to proclaim peace to all mankind. Peace is only being preached today wherever the gospel is made known.
PEACE POSSESSED
"Therefore, being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." [Romans 5:1]
It is one thing for peace to have been made by His death on the cross, and to have been proclaimed by our blessed Lord and by the Holy Spirit in the gospel of His grace, but it is another thing to be possessors of this peace.
It is peace for all mankind, but not possessed by all mankind. To be possessed, it must be received, and here is where faith comes in.
Faith takes God at His Word, acknowledging one's lost and ruined condition because of sin in his heart and life, and accepts Jesus Christ as personal Saviour and Lord.
Faith is putting one's trust in Him Who died and rose again to put away sin which has caused the war in his heart against God.
All such as believe on Him receive now the blessed peace which has been made and preached. It is theirs now, not merely for them, but a possession.
Notice here that it is not a feeling of peace that is spoken of, but a relationship with God.
Instead of being under wrath, subject to judgment, we are in the place of acceptance, the object of His delight, looked upon as just before Him.
Dear reader, can you say with all assurance: " I have peace with God!"
PEACE CENTERED in CHRIST
"He is our Peace." [Eph. 2:14]
Peace is not in ourselves and we are not to look within our hearts for the measure of it. We do have the enjoyment of it there, and the more simply we believe the Word of God, the fuller such enjoyment will be, for peace is in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Possessing Him as Saviour and Lord, the believer has peace of conscience as to his sins, and peace of heart as to his circumstances.
Jesus said:
- "These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace." [John 16:33]
- Therefore, "Acquaint NOW thyself with Him and be at PEACE: thereby good shall come unto thee." [Job 22:21]
- "... MY peace I give unto you ..." [John 14:27]