JESUS, THE GREAT ACCOMPLISHER It is unfortunate that a variant strain of religion has risen in the land that does not make much of the peace that God made through Christ. This failure is directly traceable to the insipid views of sin and transgression that are being hawked by religious leaders. When sin is attributed to disease, social maladjustment, physiological disorders, and other such things, the peace made through Jesus no longer has any significance. However, when sin is seen as rebellion against God, creating hostility and enmity, and causing the wrath of God to rest upon sinners, the peace of reference is seen as precious. Notice what is said of this peace. -- Tomorrow:
"And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled, in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight." (Colossians 1:20-22)
Devotion 6 of 32
1. God is on the initiative "give" peace (Rom 1:7).
2. Being justified by faith, "we have peace with God" (Rom 5:1).
3. The Gospel is called "the Gospel of peace" (Rom 10:15).
4. The kingdom of God "IS" in peace (Rom 14:17).
5. God can "fill" us with peace through our faith (Rom 15:13).
6. This is a peace that "keeps" both heart and mind (Phil 4:7).
7. The peace of God can "rule" in our hearts (Col 3:15).
8. God can give His people peace "always by all means" (2 Thess 3:16).
This is not a mere psychological tranquility, which is nothing more than the absence of agitation. This is a peace that sustains one in the very presence of God – a peace that even compels one to come confidently into the presence of God.
The point of our text is that this peace was "made" – made by God in Christ Jesus. God could not make this peace by means of the Law. Nor, indeed, could it be created by simply overlooking the hostility that existed between fallen man and Himself. Hostility cannot be eliminated by simply ignoring it. Therefore, the means through which this peace was made will be powerfully declared, because it was effectively made to the glory of God.
THE NECESSITY OF THIS PEACE
It ought to be noted that "peace with God" is absolutely essential. In fact, it is the confirmed result of being justified by faith. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom 5:1).
"Peace with God" results from no longer being His "enemies" – a status into which sin had thrust us. As it is written, "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life" (Rom 5:10). In the state of nature, dominated by "the carnal mind," we were at "enmity against God" (Rom 8:7). That condition kept us from the Lord, raising an impenetrable wall between us and God – a wall only God could remove.
Not only that, we had no desire to come to Him, but were rather repulsed by His presence, drawing back from Him. Jesus "made peace" in order to correct that situation. Had He not "made peace," we would have forever remained in that alienated condition.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You that in Jesus, I am no longer alienated from Your life, and can come into Your presence.