At Peace With God

 •  6 min. read  •  grade level: 7
During one of the most severe thunder storms that had visited G, where I was residing some time since, it happened that I had stopped to converse with a man in the street; and as the rain was falling in torrents, we stepped into an unfinished house for shelter. While standing in the window watching the fearfully vivid lightning, and listening with solemnized feelings to the crashings of the peals of thunder, he remarked to me, “What a precious thing it is to be at peace with God at a time like this.” Having through God’s unspeakable mercy and grace, been given to know in my own soul the priceless value of “Peace with God,” I was enabled at once to unfold to him the full and perfect redemption there is in Christ Jesus for all who believe. For long we stood and conversed on that vital and precious subject. I found he was a child of God, but that like many others, he had not been brought to see that the Blessed One, in whom he had put his trust, had “made peace” with God for him: had completely and entirely perfected the work which he came to do; and now tells us in His word that “He is our peace;” (Eph. 2:1414For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; (Ephesians 2:14),) that He had made peace by the blood of His Cross (Col. 1:2020And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (Colossians 1:20)). So that instead of having to try, as so many do, to make their peace, with God; it is and has been done as perfectly as it could be, more than 1800 years ago on the cross of Christ. “Peace be unto you,” (John 20:1919Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. (John 20:19)), were almost His first words, after He had risen from the dead; after having wrought the work whereby he might pronounce those precious words. Did He leave His disciples in doubt or uncertainty as to the ground on which He could do so? By no means. “He showed unto them His hands and His side,” (John 20:2020And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. (John 20:20),) bearing the tokens of the finished work, whereby he had a right to speak of peace, full and complete as He Himself had made it.
Reader, you may be a quickened soul in God’s sight, and yet still be in uncertainty as to your peace with God. Still going on with the thought that you have something to do in making that peace which you so long to enjoy. Let me affectionately ask you, Had the disciples anything to do with those holy but sorely wounded hands? Had they anything to do with that pierced side? No, beloved reader, further than that their sins (as ours) had caused them, and made them necessary. He Himself had suffered alone for what was our due for those sins, so that his loving and compassionate heart might be able to give us that peace which He had wrought. Blessed be His name, we have no more to do with making our peace with God, than with doing anything else toward our salvation. It is all from, through, and by Him, flowing from the full, free grace of God through Him. Our part is to believe.
Then comes the difficulty one hears so often expressed, “If I am at peace with God, how is it that I do not enjoy it more?” This is another thing altogether, dear reader; this is a question as to enjoyment of the thing—not as to the thing itself, as to our portion and possession of it. It will be found that it is by looking at our own wicked, sinful hearts, and expecting to find somewhat there on which we can rest as a ground of peace. This causes the want of enjoyment of peace. If we by faith take God’s view of the case-believing that Christ has made, and is Himself our peace, the scene is completely changed. Our position before God and by faith is so perfect that, “as He is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:1717Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (1 John 4:17)). And further, we find ‘that He must change in His position and acceptance before God, before our position and acceptance can change. This is impossible, for we know that it is “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and forever.” (Heb. 13:88Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8)) It is just as impossible for our peace with God to alter, as for Christ Himself to change.
And now, my dear reader, Are you at peace with God? If you can say, yes! then blessed and happy is your lot; worlds could not equal in value your portion. But ah! if you are one who has trusted in Him in some measure, and are still in doubt and uncertainty as to the possession of this “Peace;” I pray you, continue so no longer. No longer say in your thoughts, if not by your words, “Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe (John 20:2525The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. (John 20:25)). No longer act as Thomas to the dishonor of the word of the Blessed One, who has done all, and completed the work, by which He is able now to pronounce to your soul this “Peace.” Thomas’ unbelief could not alter the fact that Jesus had given them “Peace;” but he lost the enjoyment of it in his own soul for the time. “Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee” (Isa. 26:33Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. (Isaiah 26:3)).
But, ah! dear friend, have you refused to trust in that blessed Jesus who has done so much for you of His own free grace and love? If so, well may you fear and tremble when God, whose love and grace you cast from you, displays His wondrous power in thunderings and lightnings. But of how little moment are these His wonders of nature, when compared with the thunderings and lightnings of His great wrath, which will be poured forth on this world; and on those sinners who have refused His grace and love, slighted the offers of His great mercy. Now is the day of salvation. “Behold now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)). We know not how soon it may end, how soon “the Lord Jesus may be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord.” (2 Thess. 1:7-97And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; (2 Thessalonians 1:7‑9)) Delay no longer, I beseech you, as you value your immortal soul. Think how much and how wondrously God loved poor sinners, when He spared not His own, His well-beloved Son. The heavens ring with joy over one sinner that repents. Jesus is glorified when a sinner believes in Him; each one adds new luster to His already resplendent glory. Will you not do so? God is glorified in the glory of Jesus.
May God in His grace own this little word; by the grace of His Holy Spirit, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
G. S. P.