Matthew 5:6-9. Happy are those who hunger and thirst for what is right:they will be satisfied. Happy are those who are pure of heart:they will see God. Happy are the peacemakers:they will be called sons of God. (TJB)
Psalm 85:10. “Love and Faithfulness meet together and righteousness and peace kiss each other. (NIV)
PEACE is among the firsts in my understanding of the Wholeness Nature of God. Peace is the creation of a bond that places us within the will of Jesus. Even before I lost my Faith, we saw that Jesus was a pacifist. That was a primary cause for my seeing Christianity as a failure. Christ sought peace and in his name we made war upon each other. For any church that claims Christ as its authority to initiate armed conflict is, in my mind, using Christ unjustly. The use of war to protect and defend is one thing, but to start war is always wrong.
Jesus called us to be peacemakers. We are to turn the minds of man from war and enjoin them to take up the cause of harmony and cooperation with each other. If we are to be the peacemakers that Jesus died for, we must first be at peace with each other. We seek to grow in Christ, so we are to grow in peace, first with mankind and the land then we can enjoy the peace of God. Psalm 119:165 reads: ‘Those who love your Law have great peace and do not stumble.’ (NLT) Loving God’s perfect Law prevents us from stumbling, keeping His decrees and living in His way gives not only a spiritual peace but also a real peace. Peace is nor a illusion, it is a tangible thing. Before I knew Jesus, I was in a constant state of war within myself. It was His peace that gave True Peace, not a cease fire or a treaty but a peace of understanding that resulted in unconditional surrender. I was called in peace to have perfect peace and to cast aside the world of war. Many times I have dreams of giving my life for others. Yet each dream did not cause me to wake in fear but in calmness. I know in my heart that if called to die for the safety of others or to die in the service of God, I would do so willingly and with out regret. The only defense I would offer up is my Salvation. Loving the Law of God , the will of Christ is the means of Great Peace. We are to have the heart of peace, to stay in the Word, to serve it in all areas of our lives and to desire full understanding. In doing so we will not stumble, but find that Perfect Peace that is Jesus. Wholeness demands that we share that perfect peace so we add to the Love of the Law of God. One of my favorite Psalms is 122. We can compare David’s Jerusalem with the Church. in vs. 6 He “PRAY for the peace of Jerusalem.” Vs. 8 reads, “For the sake of my family and friends, I will say ‘Peace be with you’. ”
When Paul wrote to the Roman Christians he was faced with a problem of Jewish and Gentile Christians. He wrote, “But Glory, Honor and PEACE for everyone who does good; first to the Jew then to the Gentile.” Rom 2:10 (NAS). He was speaking to us today in the same vein. First to the the Traditional churches then to the evangelical churches could be inserted just as easily. He goes on to saying vs. 13, “For it is not merely knowing the law that brings God’s approval. Those who obey the law will be declared right in God’s sight,” (NLT). So it isn’t just a matter of knowing what is right, it is living what is just. We must seek in our lives what is righteous, what gives peace and what provide joy and harmony among the believers. In this way we can add daily to our numbers.
In 1 Cor. 14:33 Paul writes; For God is not a God of disorder but of Peace. As in all the congregation of the saints.” (NIV) We are to remove the aura of confusion in the churches and start to build on the foundations of Peace and Understanding. Lovingkindness is the Peace that prefects us. We need to put away the ideas that create disharmony and malice among those who seek to serve and love Jesus. If we can see the works of Jesus in others, no matter where they worship, then we can see perfected peace within the greater church that is Jesus. When we are able to bring about a age of peace between each other in our walk with God, then we can enjoy the age of God’s Peace.
Sometimes I think that those who are eagerly waiting for the end days don’t want an age of Peace. They feel that they can control God’s plan. I don’t know how it will all play out in the end days but I’m confident that there is enough evil in the world that even if all the churches of the Christian world joined under one leadership it would nor hasten nor delay the judgement of God. He is looking into our hearts not our buildings to find those who reject Satan and the Anti-Christ. Besides, my end of the world could be today if God so chose. I worry if I am ready today for His righteous judgment.
In Galatians 6, Paul wrote that he wants no more trouble with the legalisms. He says in verse 14, “As for me, the only thing I can boast about is the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ.” (TJB) and ends in verse 15 with, “What matters is for him to become an altogether a new creature.” verse 16 continues with the promise, “Peace and Mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the the Israel of God.” Let it be understood that we are the new Israel of God. When we were accepted God’s promise we were added to the family of Abraham and are in the Family of the chosen of Israel.
The very form of greeting Paul uses in his letters was Grace and peace to you from God. I have found that Paul was not just using this term as a formal greeting but as a prayer and testimony of God’s harmonious relationship He sought for us. While Paul hated the “Law Keepers” he loved the the people of God and wanted them to be at ease in the Spirit of Christ. Eph. 2:11-12 clearly states: “But now in Jesus you that used to be so far apart from us have been brought very close, by the blood of Christ. (vs13) This is the key verse. Unity in Jesus was to create a new single man out of the separated Jews and gentiles. Jesus sought to bring peace to the gentiles by giving them the peace of His Loveingkindness. In His own person he destroyed hostility and brought the peace of the Good News, that God so Loved us that Jesus died that we would enjoy life eternal. Eph 2:18 completes this with: “For though Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” (NIV)
Eph. 4 is one of the best chapters of Unity through peace lessons. It calls us to be diligent in faith, walk worthily, practice humility and gentleness, patience and preserving the spirit of unity and peace. Every effort is to be made in keeping Christian peace with one another. Where there is no peace we are to create peace. If we are to be new creations in Christ, the new Israel, then we are to create the Peace of Christ around us. We can not do this if we, like the old Israel become divided and lost in our “laws” and dogmas. we must reach out to each other to uplift and encourage so that we can truly be One in the Spirit of Unity as Paul envisioned.
Let the Peace of Jesus rule in your hearts to each other and to the churches. We are not here to gain members into a secret club, but to gain members to the Family of God. We won’t get points in heaven for increasing church membership, we get blessing from God by finding the lost sheep. We are graced with peace each time one person comes to redemption. Col 3:15, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which is the indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.” (NAS) Vs. 14 to put all things in love, which is the bond of unity. Give thanks and praise to God that we have the opportunity to Worship Him in the manner we choose. BE grateful that we are not told by others how to pray or to whom we are allowed to pray. Most importantly, be glad that we have the peace of God and the Spirit to share the Peace of Christ, the peace that passes all understanding. Let us willingly and even to the point of pain, reach out to give to others this peace. Put aside that which separates us from total Peace and dwell on that Grace of Christ that each of us have. May the Peace of the Lord give you peace to walk hand in hand with others in peace. Let every thing be as one family, one Love and one peace through Jesus Our Redemption.
Flee from the desires of our youth and pursue right living through Jesus. Reject the hates and fears of how others seek Christ and embrace Faith, Love, gentleness and acceptance with the others who count on the Lord to bring about a pure heart. What greater goal can we aspire to than to have a pure loving Heart in Jesus? We can only achieve a pure heart if we cast out that which separates us from God’s mercy. When we cast down, mock or deny Christ in others, we do the same to ourselves. In doing so we cast aside the Peace that Christ so much wants us to enjoy.
God determines who has His Grace, we only see the results of that Grace. Consider that Jesus, who is all grace, suffered at the hands of the very people who the Father had called the chosen on God. They who thought they had all the answers, know all the arguments and held the keys of the holy of hollies are the very ones who rejected Salvation. Those who believed that they where the best and most righteous, are the very ones that denied the message of Peace of Jesus. They even put Him to death. Of course that was in God’s plan, for without the sacrifice, there is no redemption, but still it was the Children of God that denied God’s Grace.
They that we cause suffering and abuse are called to the Peace of Christ, the same peace that we are called to. Are we then no better that the Jewish leaders of Christ’s day? Do we let our righteousness get in the way of God’s? What we should do is to let God’s Love show through us by caring for the brethren of our Lord so that the Fruit of His Harvest will be one that shares goodness, mercy and peace for those who are brought into the discipline of Jesus.
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14 (NIV) I would hope, that in the Love of Jesus, we would seek holiness, not for our sakes, but because it is a response to the Love that Jesus gave to us. As James says, “Be doers of the word, not hearers only…if any one thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is in vain. Religion is pure and undefiled before God.” WE are told by Paul and by James not to make distinctions between the believers but to embrace each other with great Love. As Paul and Peter both say, greet each other with a kiss of love.
In seeking the Perfect Love can we do anything less that to make every effort to create Peace among those who love Jesus as much as we do? Pursue righteousness. faith and peace along side of those who call on the Lord Jesus. It is in a spirit of experience of a fullness of Christ’s Pure Love and a lack of His Peace that draws into the gossips and slanders of religious thought. It is by the healing power of the Holy Spirit that we can be reconciled in the matter of graciousness toward the brethren of other walks. Because it is in Christ that we have reconciliation in all things on earth and in heaven, and it is by Him that we can enjoy Peace with those who love Him. Let the Peace of Jesus rule in your heart toward all since you, as members of the One Body, are called to life with Christ Jesus.
As Paul states; Aim for perfection, be of One Mind, live in peace. God of Love and Peace be with you. The hard part must be in being of one mind. But the Mind of God is supposed to be in our hearts. WE may not understand how but God does, and it is in His power to make it possible. To God there is understanding where we find conflict. That is why I try to grasp what other faiths cling to. If I can know the how and why of their belief, perhaps it will increase mine. To this purpose, where you find conflict, give peace, where you find conflict, give peace and where is separation, give peace. In that grace will be shared. That peace that give to each other will be shared by both. That peace you share will crush Satan under your feet. The Grace of God the Father and the Power grace of the Holy Spirit will be with you. I know this to be true because I was present when Southern Baptists cast out demons as readily as pentecostals while laying on hands in a prayer meeting I attended. No one should refuse to accept one who loves the Lord, we should bless them on their way with the Peace of Jesus so that they can in return bless us and can be filled with a greater grace and sharing of Christ.
As we are called into Faithfulness and strive to be made Whole in Christ Jesus, we are called with peace to give and share the Peace of Jesus. To fail to seek out the means of peace with each other is to fail in Christ and distracts from the faithfulness we are called to. Live in Peace, Love with Peace.