No Peace

Collins Concise Dictionary defines the word peace as:

1. (noun) the state existing during the absence of war.

2. A treaty marking the end of war.

3. A state of harmony between people or groups.

4. Law and order within a state: a breach of the peace.

5. Absence of mental anxiety (often in peace of mind).

6. A state of stillness, silence or serenity

7. At peace. (a) In a state of harmony or friendship.

    (b) In a state of serenity.

8. Hold or keep one's peace; to keep silent.

9. Keep the peace; maintain law and order.

The above definitions give us a general overview of the word peace. Looking at these definitions, we could also state that peace is an absence of conflict. A period of peace following war is an absence of conflict. If there is harmony between people or groups there is no conflict between them. If there is an absence of mental anxiety then there are no conflicting thoughts or issues disturbing a person's mind. To be at peace and to keep the peace means there is no attempt to stir up conflict between parties.

If countries are at war, and peace negotiations are being sought; the major stumbling block is often that neither party wants to give in to the conditions that the other party is demanding to be fulfilled. So the conflict continues, even at the negotiating table. What is behind this? It is mankind's desire to have the upper hand and be in control!

Men, women and children will never know true peace until they are at peace with God!

Let's look at some verses in Psalms 53:1-3:

"(1) the fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none who does good.

(2) God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God.

(3) Every one of them has turned aside; they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, No, not one."

No one does any good in God's eyes because, "They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none who does good."

Isaiah 57:20-21:

"(20) ...the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

(21) "There is no peace," Says my God, "for the wicked."

Isaiah 59:2:

"But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear."

Our iniquities separate us from God and our sins hide His face from us. So how can we achieve peace with God? There can be no grounds for peace until the issue of our iniquities and sins are dealt with. Thankfully, the true and living God has the answer!

Let's look in the Epistle to the Colossians for some answers.

Colossians 1:13-22:

"(13) He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,

(14) in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

(15) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

(16) For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

(17) And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

(18) And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the pre-eminence.

(19) For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,

(20) and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

(21) And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled

(22) in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight."

Who is the Son of His love? It is Jesus Christ - the Son of God - God the Son! Let's take note of some of the points raised in these verses.

Verse 13

God delivers us from the power of darkness and brings us, "...into the kingdom of the Son of His love,"

Verse 14

We are told that, "...we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” God had paid the ransom for our souls - redeemed us - through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Since the ransom has been paid through the blood of Christ we can have forgiveness of sins.

Verses 15-17

In these verses the glory and majesty of the Son are revealed to us. The Son is the image of the invisible God. All things were created through Him and for Him. He is the head of all creation. All creation is held together in the Son.

Verse 19

A more literal translation of this verse can be found in the Darby Translation of the Bible. "For in Him all the fullness [of the Godhead] was pleased to dwell." All the fullness of the Godhead dwells in the Son.

Verse 20

Here we find the crux of this blog post. All things will be reconciled through the Son. In business all the ledgers and all the accounts have to be reconciled. There can be no discrepancies for it must all balance. Here in this verse is also something most precious, "...having made peace through the blood of His cross."

Verse 21

We who are alienated and enemies to God through our evil mindset and wicked works can be reconciled to God.

Verse 22

The reconciliation can take place because Jesus the Son of God paid the ransom price for our sins at the cross at Calvary. Only a dead sacrifice has value in God's eyes. Romans 6:23 tells us that, "...the wages of sin is death ... " 1 Peter 2:24, "who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed." Jesus Christ the Son of God voluntarily died on a wooden Roman cross to pay the ransom price of our sins.

There is no peace for the wicked person in his, or her, natural sinful condition. God chose to send His Son to be born of a woman, to grow to manhood in a flesh and blood body like ours. Yet, Jesus was sinless and incapable of sinning. So a perfect man, offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice to God at Calvary for our sins and His perfect sacrifice was accepted by God. "...having made peace through the blood of His cross."

Do you want true peace in your life? Do you want to be at peace with God? If you do then you need to receive Jesus the Son of God as your Lord and Saviour. He knows all about your sins - He died to clear the debt of your sins. He has made peace with God on your behalf. He can give you the full enjoyment of that peace today!

Jon Peasey

Words of Life blog www.jrpeasey.blogspot.com

Ebooks author page https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JRPeasey

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version; unless otherwise noted. Words enclosed in [ ] are inserted for clarity. Words in bold type emphasise a point. You may notice some verses are quoted with ... at the beginning, ending or elsewhere in a verse. Only the relevant part or parts of the verse, that relate directly to the current subject matter is quoted.]

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