PEACE – Mark Of A True Christian

John 14:27
‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’

In the above verse, we hear our Lord and savior telling the disciples who would later become the apostles how he was leaving them a very important commodity needed to run the race; His Peace. The peace being talked about here is different from the peace the world offers. In fact, our Lord was aware of this hence his statement that ‘…..not as the world giveth…’ in the verse above. The world offers peace but the peace of the world falls far short of that which our Lord and master made available to us. The world has different definitions for peace. Some say peace is the absence of war while others say it is the presence of justice. This is not the type of peace promised us by Christ. What then is that peace given to us by Christ?

The peace offered us by our Lord is an unencumbered peace. Peace that is not dependent on circumstances or status. Peace that remains peace in the midst of troubles and situations that call for fear. This peace is not based on your reserves in the bank or the tranquility you have around your environment. This peace spoken of by the Lord is that which made it possible for Paul and Silas to sing praises to God almighty while imprisoned in the dark recesses of a roman dungeon in the city of Philippi(Acts 16:23-25). It’s this peace that enabled Paul to tell the Philippians in Phil 4:4 ‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice’ even while he was in prison in Rome, going further to pray for them thus in Phil 4:7 ‘And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus’. He wrote this verse under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit just after asking them in verse 6 to ‘be anxious for nothing…’. It is only the peace of God that could have made this man write this to a group of free believers while he himself was in prison awaiting execution. In the old testament, Isaiah talked about this peace in Isa 26:3 ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee’ and it was displayed by Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego when they relaxed in God’s faithfulness and refused to bow to Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image(Dan 3:16-18). They were at peace even though the threat of the furnace was hanging on them. What then brings about this peace in Christians?

This peace overflows in the life of Christians when they know and believe they are washed from sin by the blood of the lamb and have had their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience(Heb 10:22). When they know they are guiltless hence they have peace with God through faith(Rom 5:1) and God is not condemning them. This inner peace is manifested when Christians realize they are joint-heirs with Christ(Rom 8:17) and Christ is seated far above all powers; good and evil(Eph 1:20-21) which makes them superior to powers of darkness. Christians have the spirit of God working in them to do of God’s good pleasure(Phil 2:13). They are those led by the Spirit of God and they manifest the fruits of the Spirit. Gal 5:22-23 enumerates the fruits of the Spirit and we find peace is one of them. Christians are able to exhibit this fruit or attribute because being led by the Spirit, they do not operate by the physical senses. Phil 3:20 says ‘For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ:’ A Christian has the peace described by Christ because his hope is not based on earthly things or considerations. He is in the world but he is not a part of it as he has been translated into the kingdom of Christ(Col 1:13). Therefore being citizens of heaven, we Christians should have peace even if we suffer afflictions because ‘..our light affliction,…….worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.’ (2Cor 4:17-18).

Are you a Christian troubled by guilt? Be at peace because your heavenly father has forgiven you all sins(Col 2:13). Are you troubled by fear of attacks from dark powers? Be at peace because God in you is greater than the world(1John 4:4). Are you anxious about your needs being met? Be at peace for your father has promised not to forsake you(Heb 13:5). Allow the peace of God pervade your life and affairs. Let the peace of God be evident in your speech, demeanor, thoughts, actions etc. Let the story of your life be expressed in terms of the peace which God alone gives. Be encouraged by the words of the chorus below. See it as your master assuring you of his power to subjugate all concerns confronting you.

‘They all shall sweetly obey my will,
peace be still, peace be still.
They all shall sweetly obey my will;
peace, peace be still.’

God bless you richly

May his peace envelope us all.

Amen