"No Jesus, no peace.
Know Jesus, know peace."
It is truth.
For the person who truly knows Jesus it is unthinkable for a person to choose turmoil, chaos, anger, and suspicion instead of the peace, joy, and love that comes with knowing Jesus.
FIVE ANGLES ON PEACE
This morning I addressed five angles concerning peace.
1. Being forgiven and made righteous by faith, believers have peace with God through Jesus Christ.
2. Believers can have the peace of God rule in their hearts.
3. When we please God, even our enemies can be at peace with us.
4. We are to follow peace with all men, and holiness, which is essential to eternal life.
5. As much as it is possible, we are to live in peace with others.
PASSAGES...
1. Romans 5:1
(1) Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Romans 5:19
(19) For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
DLG note... I could post the entire chapter, but it is not necessary. I only quoted Romans 5:1 and 5:19. We are not simply, "called righteous" or "seen as righteous," we are forgiven and MADE RIGHTEOUS (that is, "just" or "justified").
2. Colossians 3:14-15
(14) And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
(15) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
DLG note... The result of the believer putting off the "old man" (carnal man, sinful nature, evil heart of unbelief) and putting on the "new man," (which is, "created in righteousness and true holiness") is the bond of perfectness, causing the believer to submit to the rule of God, producing peace. When that peace is disturbed, then the rule of God has been challenged. This rule is like a referee in a sporting event. He blows the whistle when there is an infraction. In fact, the referee may give a warning to the participant before an actually infraction is committed. When we do not have the peace of God ruling in our heart, it is because we have not coming under the authority of God.
Ephesians 4:24
(24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
3. Proverbs 16:7
(7) When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
DLG note... This does not eliminate all human resistance and persecution that believers encounter. However, when a person lives in such a way as to please God, he lives without offending the normal and healthy sensibilities of sinners. When a man's ways please the Lord, he is living unselfishly and inoffensively. In fact, when a sinner, an enemy of a believer, is antagonistic or negative toward a God pleaser, it reveals the terrible condition of the sinner rather than the God pleaser.
4. Hebrews 12:14-15
(14) Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord:
(15) looking carefully lest there be any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby the many be defiled;
DLG note... The christian responsibility is to pursue peace with all men and holiness, which is essential to eternal life. The person who does not pursue peace with other people and the sanctification, which is necessary for eternal life, is actually changing the direction of his life and is in danger of falling away from the grace he has attained to.
5. Romans 12:18
(18) If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
DLG note... Paul gave this directive in the middle of his instructions to the Roman believers, concerning the proper relationship that believers have with other people. We are expected to do everything possible, short of disobeying God, in order to be at peace with other people. It is also true that some people cannot be drawn into a peaceful relationship. At that point, we are not responsible for a failed relationship.
1. Being forgiven and made righteous by faith, believers have peace with God through Jesus Christ.
2. Believers can have the peace of God rule in their hearts.
3. When we please God, even our enemies can be at peace with us.
4. We are to follow peace with all men, and holiness, which is essential to eternal life.
5. As much as it is possible, we are to live in peace with others.
PASSAGES...
1. Romans 5:1
(1) Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Romans 5:19
(19) For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
DLG note... I could post the entire chapter, but it is not necessary. I only quoted Romans 5:1 and 5:19. We are not simply, "called righteous" or "seen as righteous," we are forgiven and MADE RIGHTEOUS (that is, "just" or "justified").
2. Colossians 3:14-15
(14) And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
(15) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
DLG note... The result of the believer putting off the "old man" (carnal man, sinful nature, evil heart of unbelief) and putting on the "new man," (which is, "created in righteousness and true holiness") is the bond of perfectness, causing the believer to submit to the rule of God, producing peace. When that peace is disturbed, then the rule of God has been challenged. This rule is like a referee in a sporting event. He blows the whistle when there is an infraction. In fact, the referee may give a warning to the participant before an actually infraction is committed. When we do not have the peace of God ruling in our heart, it is because we have not coming under the authority of God.
Ephesians 4:24
(24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
3. Proverbs 16:7
(7) When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
DLG note... This does not eliminate all human resistance and persecution that believers encounter. However, when a person lives in such a way as to please God, he lives without offending the normal and healthy sensibilities of sinners. When a man's ways please the Lord, he is living unselfishly and inoffensively. In fact, when a sinner, an enemy of a believer, is antagonistic or negative toward a God pleaser, it reveals the terrible condition of the sinner rather than the God pleaser.
4. Hebrews 12:14-15
(14) Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord:
(15) looking carefully lest there be any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby the many be defiled;
DLG note... The christian responsibility is to pursue peace with all men and holiness, which is essential to eternal life. The person who does not pursue peace with other people and the sanctification, which is necessary for eternal life, is actually changing the direction of his life and is in danger of falling away from the grace he has attained to.
5. Romans 12:18
(18) If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
DLG note... Paul gave this directive in the middle of his instructions to the Roman believers, concerning the proper relationship that believers have with other people. We are expected to do everything possible, short of disobeying God, in order to be at peace with other people. It is also true that some people cannot be drawn into a peaceful relationship. At that point, we are not responsible for a failed relationship.
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