WHEN a lady was respectfully asked by us if she had peace with God, she replied, “I believe very few persons attain to that." This was a serious mistake, for "peace with God" is no-where set forth in scripture as de-pendent on our experience, or on our attainments in any sense, but wholly “through our Lord Jesus Christ." It is not founded on what we are, or have done, or may do, but on what He has done, who “was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.”
Others, when asked if they had peace with God, have replied, "Yes, for I feel so happy" as if it were a question of feeling; so that, if afterward from any cause they feel unhappy, they would doubt their salvation, and have no sense of peace with God. Such, though perhaps unknown to themselves, are making feelings the ground of peace as to their eternal salvation, instead of the work of Christ and the word of God. It never says in the Scripture that we are justified by feelings, but by faith. But it does say that we have "joy and peace in believing;” so that happy and joyful feelings accompany believing. Believing God's testimony to the Lord Jesus Christ, and His finished work as set forth in His Word, we must have “peace with God," unless the Spirit be grieved by unholy walk and indulged sin. There are others, who hold that the only ground they have for thinking they are God's children is because they sometimes feel so miserable, for they judge their misery must be produced by the Spirit's operation. Their mistake is, that they look at the work of the Spirit within for peace, instead of the work of the Son of God entirely outside themselves for peace, and Himself now on the Father's throne their subsisting righteousness. Such never can enjoy settled peace; for we are changeful and frail, while He abideth faithful, —
“Our souls through many changes go,
His love no change can ever know.”
As has often been said, the work of the Spirit in us gives us no title to glory, most blessed as that work is; but it is the precious blood of Christ, through which we have been redeemed, and through which peace has been made; and there is no other way of approach to God, no other shelter from judgment, no other ground of forgiveness of sins and peace with God, than the blood of Christ. It is clearly then a mistake, to look at what we experience of the Spirit's operation in us as the ground of peace; though it may be true as a fact, that the conviction and distress, and it may be darkness, which the soul goes through is by the Spirit teaching us that in us—that is, in our flesh—dwells no good thing. This is often productive of much profit, by afterward turning the eye of the heart wholly to the Lord Jesus Christ, for righteousness and acceptance before God. Scripture never says we have peace with God through anything whatever that we discover within us, but always turns us to the blood of Christ as the ground of our justification,—to Christ Himself as the object of faith, to believing God's testimony to the value of that blood, as the only way of having peace, and the unchanging Word of God as our infallible authority for it (Rom. 5:1-111Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 6For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. (Romans 5:1‑11)).
It is appalling to think of how many we meet and converse with who have no idea of peace with God, but on the contrary are going on with a false peace—fast asleep in carnal security. Because conscience is quiet, they think all is right; but a quiet conscience is very different from a purged conscience—a conscience purged by the blood of Christ.
A religious life, and conscientiously fulfilling our duties, some say, must ensure a happy future. But it is not so; for while good works follow faith in the Son of God, yet to trust in works or duties, or religious ordinances, for eternal salvation, is a fatal delusion, a crafty snare of Satan's, and a soul-destroying trap. We are plainly told, ".By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” And again," Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law" (Eph. 2:8, 98For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8‑9); Rom. 3:2828Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. (Romans 3:28)). Nothing can possibly be clearer, or more decided; yet what a common thing it is, when a man has the eternal importance of his soul's salvation brought home to his conscience, to have the reply, "I'll try;" or, " I will hope to be better; "or," I'll turn over a new leaf; " thus plainly showing he has entirely missed the salvation of God.
The true secret of settled peace with God, is founded on the precious fact that God, instead of justly banishing us from His presence forever, loved us even "while we were yet sinners;" yea, so loved us, even when sinners, that Christ His Son died for us. Peace, then, springs from God—" the God of Peace"— is founded entirely on the atoning work of Christ in His death and blood shedding on the cross. There is no other foundation of peace; for Scripture plainly says, we are justified by His blood, and that He has “made peace through the blood of his cross." But more than that, He not only bore our sins, suffered for our sins, died for our sins, and we died with Him on the cross, but in resurrection He triumphed over death and the grave, annulled the power of Satan, and was righteously exalted to the right hand of God as Man, because He fully glorified God about our sins on the cross. Thus, as Man, and for us, He is in the glory of God, glorified and seated on the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, having gone in there by His own blood. And as what He suffered on the cross was for us, and He was thus righteously entitled to glory as the righteous One, He is for all whom He suffered now "the righteousness of God." The grace of God not only came out to us in the cross, and met us in our sins, but Divine goodness has also "made" that exalted Man in the glory "unto us righteousness.” So that He who knew no sin, was not only made sin for us, and was the sin-bearer for us, but we have become the righteousness of God in Him. Thus Christ in the glory is our unchanging righteousness; yes, blessed be God, He has made Him to be unto us righteousness,— even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and UPON ALL THEM THAT BELIEVE. Oh the unutterable goodness and mercy of God! The infinite efficacy of His work on the cross can never change; the eternal value of it is always before God, and the believer is always in the perfect acceptance of Christ, and an object of divine favor.
This peace becomes deepened in the soul, as the new relationships into which we are brought, and the new standing given us in Christ Jesus, are apprehended. The fact of being a child of God now, through faith in Christ Jesus, — an object of the Father's constant care and love as such, — is a relationship which is unchanging in its character, and going on to our perfect conformity to the image of the Son. When we know that we are loved by the Father as He loved Jesus, and have received the Spirit of adoption to make it known to us, it causes settled peace to occupy our hearts. We enjoy the goodness and love of God; and, it may be, are lost in wonder, love, and praise: —
“Hence through all the changing seasons,
Trouble, sorrow, sickness, woe, —
Nothing changeth God's affection,
Abba's love shall bring us through.”
But if we become worldly, careless in our walk, and neglect prayer and reading of the Word of God, the Spirit dwelling in us will be grieved, and our spiritual senses will be blunted; so that our hearts, before we are aware of it, glide into that which the Lord has forbidden, and we shall not enjoy the presence of God, but become unhappy. This neglect may call too for the Father's discipline, and though the work in which our peace is founded never changes, such will not be abiding in the Saviour's love. Nothing changes His love to us, but our enjoyment of it is another thing. How can we be happy, if we are walking in a path of disobedience? Did He not say," As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you? " but did He not add to this," If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love” (John 15:9, 109As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. (John 15:9‑10)).
Happy are those whose daily heartfelt utterance is—
"I hear the words of love;
I gaze upon the blood;
I see the mighty Sacrifice,
And I have peace with God.'”
H. H. S.