PEACE with God is an inestimable blessing, of which many millions of the human race still know nothing.
Perhaps you are one of those; and possibly you think that peace with God cannot be had while we are in this world, and that we must wait till we go to the next world before we can know or have this peace.
But what does God Himself say about it? Which is the wise thing to do: to trust the thoughts of men, or to believe the Word of God? “Let God be true, but every man a liar,” says the apostle, when arguing on this very point (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, see what the. Word of God says.
“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)).
The state of the world, which lies in wickedness (or, in the wicked one, 1 John 5:1919And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. (1 John 5:19)), clearly proves the truth of the above word of God. Where do you see the wicked enjoying peace? Men and women in their sins are total strangers to peace. Have you ever stood watching the sea? Did you see the water still? Never. Sometimes it is less disturbed, less restless, than at others, but it is never wholly 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 kinds of sin and rebellion against God. I am not one of them. I hate all that sort 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 do not want to make out anything but what is true; all we desire is that you should bow to God’s Word. What we have supposed you have just said 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; when 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 (Isaiah 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 may be at peace with him, but surely not with God. Oh! sinner, halt thou not read that when men “shall cry, Peace and safety: then sudden destruction cometh 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)). Human morality and religion never did and never will put away sin. “Without shedding of blood is no remission” of sins (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: “Not of works.” 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)).
Cease, then, sinner, from your own righteousness; own you are guilty and lost. “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 tomorrow, is God’s time), you will find the peace you need, but lack; for Christ has made peace by the blood of His cross, and God now 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” (Isaiah 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, Christ has already done: made peace. God Himself was the author of the wondrous plan. By His Son, God began, went on with, and completed perfectly the whole work of making peace. 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 Himself provided a Lamb, without blemish, “ without spot “ (1 Pet. 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 Christ (1 Pet. 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.” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)).
He “was delivered for our offences, 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).
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 offences that trouble you? He was delivered to death for the offences 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 for ever by Himself? Do you? If 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.” (Rom. 5:11Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1).) Not, We shall have it; not. We hope to have it; no “if;” no “perhaps,” no terms, no conditions; but a plain, 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 believes.
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. Then you must have peace, “Being justified by faith we have peace,” says the apostle. 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 peace. 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 only Saviour; 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 [that is, 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” (Eph. 2:14-1514For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15Having 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; (Ephesians 2:14‑15)).
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.
Reader, let me ask you once again, Have you peace with God? If not, why not?
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. Those 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” (Jas. 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.
“Can you tell me what becomes of the fishes during a storm?” asked an old Christian man of some children one day.
It seemed that they had never thought of fishes in such a time, and though rather struck by the question, they were unable to find an answer.
He told them that, however wild the storm at sea, there was always an under-current of peaceful water (as it was only the surface which got troubled), and that the fishes went down into the depths and hid there in the rocks.
He drew from this little story an interesting illustration of Christians, who, however great their trials and difficulties, could always be at peace, even amid the “storms” of this life, while trusting in the Lord Jesus, the “Rock of Ages.”
How comparatively few, though, do rest in Him, but, on the contrary, go with the tide of their difficulties, and so get overwhelmed beneath the storm! Would that everyone knew the sweetness of casting all their burdens upon Him who cares for us, and who would have His people without carefulness; and having committed their way unto the Lord, in things small as well as great, find what it is to be still, and know that He is God (Isa. 26:44Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: (Isaiah 26:4); 1 Pet. 5:77Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:7); Ps. 46:10.)