Christ Our Peace

The Bible begins with a picture of peace and ends with a picture of peace. The garden of Eden was a paradise (garden) of God. But, between these two extremities there has been no peace. Sin is the reason. "There is no peace, saith the Lord, for the wicked" (Isaiah 48:22). Satan has brought to man corruption, depravity, and defilement. Sin separates from God (Isaiah 50:1-2). Man is in a state of enmity with God (Ephesians 2:15,16).

Jesus came to make peace. At the cross He reconciled all things, making peace through the blood He shed on the cross. At the cross, the hostility and enmity was destroyed. Everyone who comes to God by the cross has his sins removed and thus makes peace with God. Every Christian is a monument of His peace. "God has called us to peace" (I Corinthians 7:15). "The peace of God rules our hearts" (Colossians 3:15). "And the peace of God that passeth all understanding shall keep your mind and heart" (Phil. 4:7).

Those who have known His peace are called to be His agents to bring peace to the hearts and lives of others. What a sobering task - to be peacemakers! Three things should be in place if our work is done well.

1. First, we must be sure we are at peace with God. Our own conversion must be real, not a sham. To know His peace enables us to share it with others. You cannot give what you don’t have! When we know peace, our feet can be "beautiful feet" shod with the "the preparation of the gospel of peace" (Ephesians 6:15).

2. Second, a peacemaker will lead others to make peace with God. When another is brought to taste of that peace, you have made a brother. The church is a community of people at peace with God, who sees their mission as peacemakers. The gospel taught is called "the gospel of peace" (Acts 10:36). Evangelism is peacemaking.

3. Third, a peacemaker helps to make peace with others. When he sees something is wrong, he acts to make it right. He builds bridges and mends broken relationships. Being a peacemaker is risky business. People won’t always cooperate in the peace process, but try anyway (Romans 12:18). Peacemaking cannot be done through passivity. He is not content to keep the status-quo. He raises questions, arouses thinking, confronts issues and may disrupt others.

The reward is great! "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the Sons of God" (Matthew 5:9).

Clarence DeLoach

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