Love Peace

I see it far too often with too many of God’s people: Some folks just don’t love peace. I don’t get it. I really don’t. Why wouldn’t anyone want to have peace? I’m talking about the pure and sublime peace of God that dwells in the hearts of those who truly love righteousness. I’ve got news for you my friend; if we don’t love peace and learn how to retain it, we are not going to be saved. But don’t take my word for it. Let’s let the scriptures confirm this statement: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, WITHOUT WHICH no man shall see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14). Without what? Without peace and holiness, that’s what. You simply do not have one of these elements without the other, and as the apostle said, nobody will be saved without following after both of these divine traits. Not enough evidence for you? “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless” (II Pet. 3:14). The apostle Paul admonished us with a concise statement about our calling in the book of Ephesians: “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:1-3). There it is again, following after peace with our brethren is a huge part of loving one another as ourselves. That is what the apostle was saying in the passage. Not only that, but he makes it abundantly clear that our unity in the Spirit of God is dependent on our seeking peace among ourselves. The same apostle said the same thing in another place with just slightly different words: “And above all these things put on [love], which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful” (Col. 3:14,15). Let’s not misunderstand the peace of God as being a thing of compromise, always being sure we don’t “hurt someone’s feelings,” or upset someone’s apple cart. The fact is if we are truly walking in the Spirit of holiness and speaking that which is of God, we’re going to hurt a lot of people’s feelings and upset a lot of people’s apple carts along the way. The same apostle Paul made that clear with this plain saying: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (II Tim. 3:12).

Those who love to have God’s peace filling them are always going to be looking for ways to edify the spirits of others by means of a peaceable spirit. James gave the perfect description of the nature of someone who is truly “following after peace with all men, and holiness:” “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace” (Jas. 3:17,18). You might note how many times the word ‘peace’ is used in those two verses. There’s a really good reason for that, and that reason is that those who love God and love peace are in fact the righteous. Another powerful attribute of those who love God’s peace is defined by David in the Psalms: “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them” (Psm. 119:165). People who love the peace and the righteousness of God cannot be offended by anything simply because they LOVE PEACE too much to allow themselves to be offended. David gave instruction to the righteous in another place along the same line: “Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it” (Psm. 34:14). So again we see that seeking peace is synonymous with departing from evil and doing good. It is certain that nobody will be saved who did not practice departing from evil and doing that which is good. So I have to reiterate, I just don’t understand why so many of God’s people demonstrate the fact that they do not love having peace in their hearts and souls. Things like constantly talking, straining to find fault in others, complaining, and other such things rob so many of their peace on a regular basis. The fact that peace is the blessing of God for the obedient is certain, as is the reality that spiritual peace and spiritual strength are inseparable: “The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace” (Pm. 29:11). That verse leads me to this question: Who wouldn’t rather be strong rather than weak, and who wouldn’t rather have peace instead of turmoil? “Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you” (II Cor. 13:11). It seems clear to me. God bless.