Abiding Peace
Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”
We have been considering the components of the singular fruit which is to be seen in our lives as we walk with Christ. In Galatians 5:22-23 we read, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” In weeks past we have considered the nature of this fruit and specifically, the components of love and joy in this fruit. This week we consider the peace element of the fruit we are to exhibit in our Christian walk.
This element of the fruit speaks to the harmony in which we live. This harmony did not exist within us nor was it our experience prior to our receiving the gift of salvation from God through Jesus Christ and our beginning to walk by faith with Him. While we may have had some peace in our lives before salvation, it had to be incomplete because there was no resolution to our issues with God and eternity. Prior to that salvation experience we did not have harmony with God. We were distant to Him, even though as beings He created, we, like all humans, have a desire to go “to heaven”. Despite that desire, we cannot become heaven bound until we make peace with God.
There is a major difference in life which comes by knowing that matters are settled with God versus a life that has no idea of whether they will make it to heaven or not. There is a tranquility which arises once we know that we have accepted the invitation of God to go to heaven by accepting salvation in Jesus Christ. Once that matter is settled, there arises a new level of comfort previously not experienced. That newly found level of comfort or harmony with God (because the issue is settled) will be noticeable to those around us.
Perhaps you have had the experience of visiting with a family member or a close friend and as the visit continues you are able to tell that something is wrong. They may not be crying or voicing any complaint but nonetheless, you know that something is wrong. You can sense it in them.
From an opposite perspective, you and I have likely had the experience of seeing the relief in the life of someone who was struggling with a very important decision and who finally makes a decision. The decision seemed to interrupt most of their life and seemed to be ever present. However, once the decision is made the relief is evident.
So it is when we decide to walk faithfully with Christ and make Him Savior of our souls and Lord of our lives. The relief which comes from harmony with God ought to be palpable.
There are many church-attenders who are not experiencing or exhibiting the peace to which we refer and which God wants us to experience. Please know that I believe that all who are true followers of Christ will be a part of the local church which is a part of the body of Christ. However, not all people attending church are followers of Christ. Many have only made a partial decision. For example, many have made the decision to follow Christ on Sundays and they do pretty well on that day of the week. But the other days of the week are not spent following Christ and His commands. Complete and abiding peace does not come when we are only partial followers. Abiding peace and harmony comes not from attending church but from surrendering fully to Christ.
God’s desire is that we live in abiding peace because we have settled all accounts with God and are heaven bound by our decision to accept salvation in Christ Jesus.
Abiding peace-may it be our experience, visible to a world in desperate need of peace.
eMullins
