A mind at "perfect peace" with God—
Oh, what a word is this!
A sinner reconciled through blood:
This, this indeed is peace.
Peace with God is a priceless boon; peace apart from God a Satanic delusion. That the latter exists is clear from the Lord's own words, "When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace." Luke 11:21.
Satan is the "strong man"; the world is his "palace"; among his "goods" you are numbered, my unconverted reader; and "in peace" describes your state, if you have never yet been awakened by the Spirit of God to see your lost condition as a guilty sinner. Forgetful of the sins of the past, heedless of the calls of the gospel to repent and turn to God in the present, and oblivious to certainty of eternal judgment in the future, you carelessly pass along! No fear of God is before your eyes by day, as you do your own will, and take your own pleasure. No conscience-pangs disturb you at night; unawakened, unblessed, unsaved, unconverted, the slave of sin, you move along "in peace,"-and Satan will do his best to prevent that peace from being disturbed.
But, dear soul, forget not, this peace is false. It is founded in sin, fostered by the devil, finds its sphere in the world and has no link with God, I would not have your peace for ten thousand worlds!
Peace with God, on the contrary, is true peace because it is Divine in its nature and source. It is the blessed portion of every believer in Jesus. The reason is simple: on the cross, Jesus, our blessed Substitute, sustained all the judgment of God against our sins. He "who knew no sin" was "made sin for us." God's claims were all met in righteousness. The result is thus stated: "Having made peace through the blood of His cross" (Colossians 1:20), "the God of peace brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant." Hebrews 13:20.
The first moment the risen Savior came among His own, He said: "Peace be unto you." John 20:19. He is ascended now to the right hand of God, and Scripture positively declares, "He is our peace." Ephesians 2:14. The Holy Spirit, sent from heaven, is now "preaching peace by Jesus Christ," and the believing sinner can say in truth, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5: 1.
Reader, which peace is yours? If you are yet in uncertainty, and long to have God's peace, your desire, and mine for you, as well as the way such a desire is to be realized, is given in the following sweet words of the apostle Paul: "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." Romans 15:13.
Oh! the peace forever flowing
From God's thoughts of His own Son,
Oh, the peace of simply knowing
On the cross that all was done.
Peace with God; the blood in heaven
Speaks of pardon now to me:
Peace with God! the Lord is risen!
Righteousness now counts me free.
Peace with God-is Christ in glory,
God is just and God is love;
Jesus died to tell the story,
Foes to bring to God above.