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Pastor Chris White says to all of you: HELLO MY FRIENDS. May the Lord bless you today.
HOLA MIS AMIGOS. Que el Señor los bendiga.
In Isaiah’s prophecy about the coming Messiah, he says:
“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).
In a world filled with war and violence, it’s difficult to see how Jesus could
be the all-powerful God who acts in human history and be the embodiment of
peace. But physical safety and political harmony don’t necessarily reflect the
kind of peace He’s talking about (John 14:27).
The Hebrew word for “peace,” shalom, is often used in reference to an
appearance of calm and tranquility of individuals, groups, and nations. The
Greek word eirene means “unity and accord”; Paul uses eirene to describe the
objective of the New Testament church. But the deeper, more foundational
meaning of peace is “the spiritual harmony brought about by an individual’s
restoration with God.”
In our sinful state, we are enemies with God (Romans 5:10). “But God demonstrates His own
love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we
are restored to a relationship of peace with God (Romans 5:1). This is the deep, abiding peace
between our hearts and our Creator that cannot be taken away (John 10:27–28) and the ultimate fulfillment of
Christ’s work as “Prince of Peace.”
But Christ’s sacrifice provides more for us than eternal peace; it also allows
us to have a relationship with the Holy Spirit, the Helper who promises to
guide us (John 16:7, 13). Further, the Holy Spirit will manifest
Himself in us by having us live in ways we couldn’t possibly live on our own,
including filling our lives with love, joy, and peace (Galatians 5:22–23). This love, joy, and peace
are all results of the Holy Spirit working in the life of a believer. They are
reflections of His presence in us. And, although their deepest, most vital
result is to have us live in love, joy, and peace with God, they can’t help but
to spill over into our relationships with people.
And we desperately need it—especially since God calls us to live with
singleness of purpose with other believers, with humility, gentleness, and
patience, “being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace” (Ephesians 4:1–3). This
unity in purpose and gentleness would be impossible without the work of the
Holy Spirit in us and the peace we have with God thanks to the sacrifice of His
Son.
Ironically, the lightest definition of peace, that of the appearance of
tranquility in a person, can be the most difficult to grasp and maintain. We do
nothing to acquire or maintain our spiritual peace with God (Ephesians 2:8–9). And, while living in unity
with other believers can be extremely difficult, living in peace in our own
lives can very often feel impossible.
Note that peaceful doesn’t mean “easy.” Jesus never promised easy; He
only promised help. In fact, He told us to expect tribulation (John 16:33) and trials (James 1:2). But He also said that, if we
called on Him, He would give us the “peace of God, which surpasses all
comprehension” (Philippians 4:6–7). No
matter what hardships we are faced with, we can ask for a peace that comes from
the powerful love of God that is not dependent on our own strength or the
situation around us.
Thank you to Got Questions. Copyright 2002-2019
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