PEACE! Present peace with God! Inestimable blessing! Reader, do you enjoy it? Perhaps you think, like thousands more, it is impossible to have it in this world; we must wait till we go to the next for that. But what does God Himself say? Are we to follow the thoughts of men, or the Word of God? "Let God be true, but every man a liar" (Rom. 3:44God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. (Romans 3:4)). Let us, then, hear what God says. Do you desire peace? Listen.
“There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." "The wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked" (Isa. 57:20, 2120But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. (Isaiah 57:20‑21)). No peace. No peace. No peace to the wicked. Thus saith the living God; and this world which lieth in wickedness (or the wicked one) abundantly proves the truth of it. Where do you find the wicked enjoying peace? The world in their sins are total strangers to it. Have you ever watched the sea-the restless waves? Did you ever see it still? Never. Sometimes more disturbed than others by the power of the mighty wind, but never at rest. And the wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest.
But maybe, you reply, "Yes, yes, but those are the wicked who are going on in all kind of sin and rebellion against God. I am not one of them. I hate all that kind of thing, and would not follow such a course on any account. I quite see how such people as that have no peace. But I am not like that; I'm peaceful enough. I always go to a place of worship, and seek to do my duty in this life. No one can lay anything particularly wrong to my charge. I don't believe in making myself miserable, pulling a long face, and making a great show of one's religion. There are some people so mopish, they won't go here, they won't go there, they won't do this, they won't do that; I've no patience with them. I believe God meant us to enjoy ourselves a bit here as well as hereafter. I'm very happy and peaceful. I don't think God is quite so hard as some of you folk seem to make out.”
My dear friend, we don't want to make out anything but what is true; all we desire is that you should bow to God's Word. What you have just uttered shows plainly the condition you are in. "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh" (Matt. 12:3434O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. (Matthew 12:34)). It is all I, I, I, your righteousness, your thoughts from beginning to end. You are joining in the wide-spread cry of "Peace, peace, and there is no peace" (Jer. 8:1111For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. (Jeremiah 8:11)). Your foundation is false from beginning to end, and therefore your peace is A FALSE PEACE too. You are propping yourself up in your own righteousness, clothing yourself in your own filthy rags (Isa. 64:66But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)), and crying with the Pharisee, "I am not as other men are" (Luke 18:1111The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. (Luke 18:11)). Vain delusion. Satan will not disturb you as long as you rest there; you will have peace with him, but surely not with God. Oh! sinner, hast thou not read that "men shall cry, peace and safety: then shall sudden destruction come upon them" (1 Thess. 5:33For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:3)).
Thousands, and tens of thousands, yea, millions, are passing rapidly down the broad road to hell, clad in the Pharisee's garb, and crying aloud the vain shibboleth of peace, peace. But there is no peace. "Ye must be born again" (John 3:77Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:7)). Reformation is not new birth. Human religion and morality never did, and never will, put away sin. "Without shedding of blood is no remission" (Heb. 9:2222And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. (Hebrews 9:22)). It is Cain's religion over again: your doings, your works, your goodness. God sweeps away the whole refuge of deceit and lies, this terrible stronghold of the devil, "self-righteousness," with three words. May He write them indelibly upon the table of your heart' as it were "with a pen of iron, and the point of a diamond" (Jer. 17:11The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars; (Jeremiah 17:1)). "NOT OF WORKS.”
Cease then, sinner, from your own righteousness; own you are guilty and lost, and "Acquaint now thyself with God, and be at peace, thereby good shall come unto thee" (Job 22:2121Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. (Job 22:21)).
If you desire true peace, you must have it in God's way, or you cannot have it at all. God never told the sinner to make peace by his own efforts. It is utterly impossible to obtain it by anything you are, or ever will be, anything you have done, are doing, or ever can do. But if you acquaint yourself with God (and now, not to-morrow, is God's time) you will find the peace you lack, but want; for He has made peace by the blood of the cross of His own Son, and preaches peace by Jesus Christ to all (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); Acts 10:3636The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) (Acts 10:36)). "Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near" (Isa. 57:1919I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him. (Isaiah 57:19)). Peace to the Jew; peace to the Gentile; peace to those who were under law; peace to those who are without law; peace, peace to all.
What you cannot possibly do, God has already done: made peace. God Himself was the author of the wondrous plan, God Himself began, went on with, and completed perfectly the whole work, by His Son. God said, "Without shedding of blood is no remission" (Heb. 9:2222And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. (Hebrews 9:22)), and wondering there was no man, marveling there was no intercessor, Himself provided a Lamb, without blemish, "without spot" (1 Peter 1:1919But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:19)). The one perfect offering of Jesus met all His claims, settled every question God-ward. He hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin "(2 Cor. 5:2121For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)). Peace was made by the blood, the precious blood, the blood of Jesus" (1 Peter 1:1919But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:19)). God raised the sin-bearer to the throne of glory. Do you believe on Him? “The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin.
"He was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification, therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 4:25: 5:1). HAVE YOU IT?
The death and resurrection of Christ settled everything. God is satisfied; yea, glorified (John 17:44I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. (John 17:4)). What question then will you raise? What further do you need? Is it your offenses that trouble you? He was delivered to death for the offenses of all who believe. Is it how you are to be justified? He was raised again for the justification of every one that believeth. Again I ask you, Do you believe? Doubtless you believe about it, but do you believe it? Do you believe on Him who did it all once and forever by Himself? Will you, do you? You do: then peace is yours. Present peace, permanent peace, everlasting peace, with God, through Jesus. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Not we shall have it, not we hope to have it; no "if;" no "perhaps," no terms, no conditions; but a plain, positive, unchanging, unalterable, unconditional, absolute statement made by God, who cannot lie, written by God in His Word which cannot be broken (Titus 1:22In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; (Titus 1:2); John 10:3535If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; (John 10:35)). "We have peace." True of you, me, every and anybody that believeth.
We have now peace with God. It must be now if we have it at all. And God says we have it. We believe God, and therefore we know we have it. HAVE YOU IT? "I believe," you reply. You do, then you must have it. Being justified by faith we have peace. The two things go together. If you have not peace, you have not got faith, you do not believe. If you do believe, then you have. Believing is having: so always. It is all in believing. Forgiveness, justification, eternal life, peace with God: all are ours the moment we believe. Christ is the alone Savior; Christ is offered to all. Faith appropriates Him,—and having Christ, we possess all things in Him.
“HE IS OUR PEACE, who hath made both one (i.e., Jews and Gentiles who now believe) and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain, one new man; so making peace," &c. (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)).
What a thought for a poor, burdened, anxious soul, who has been trying year after year to find peace, vainly expecting to discover it in some form or shape in Himself, to have perfect peace with God now through the finished work of Christ. One simple look of faith at Jesus on the throne of God, and outside of self altogether, and the whole question is forever settled, and peace with God the present blessed result. Praise God for His wondrous plan.
“I hear the words of love,
God's eye is on the blood,
I trust the mighty sacrifice,
And I have peace with God.
'Tis everlasting peace!
Sure as Jehovah's name;
'Tis stable as His steadfast throne,
For evermore the same.
My love is ofttimes low,
My joy still ebbs and flows,
But peace with Him remains the same,
No change Jehovah knows.”
Reader, let me ask you once again, have you this blessed peace? If not, why not?
And now a word in conclusion with those who have believed, and have peace. We not only read of peace with, but also of the peace of God. This, too, is the proper portion of the believer. "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:66Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (Philippians 4:6)). Follow the exhortation of His Word, fellow-believer, and you shall be thus kept. And, finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. "These things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me (Paul) do: and the God of peace shall be with you" (Phil. 4:8-98Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. (Philippians 4:8‑9)). Satan will seek to hinder and obstruct, but resist him and he will flee from you "(James 4:77Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7))," and the God of peace shall bruise him under your feet shortly" (Rom. 16:2020And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. (Romans 16:20)).
E. H. C.