Peace, Part 3
As I stated in part 1, peace is something we all want, but usually demand it on our terms. Only One could both lay out the terms of peace, both vertically and horizontally, and make peace possible.
Such peace is something our hearts yearn for, but it can be had only on God's terms. Grind your teeth at that thought? He isn't obligated to make peace with rebels such as we are. That He deigns to offer peace should cause us to agree to the terms, whatever they are.
What astounds me is that He not only has determined the terms, but seen to it that they are already fulfilled. How could that be? A holy God and a far-from-holy person have nothing in common.
That is why a gracious and merciful God decided on His own to bring about the Incarnation, giving His only Son to live a life that would fulfill all the requirements of the Law and then suffer the death of a criminal. God, having raised Christ from the dead, verifies and authenticates His acceptance of this sacrifice.
This salvation is for both Jew and Gentile alike. As Paul wrote to the Romans regarding Abraham and his faith: "But the words 'it was counted to him' were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. Therefore since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" (4:23-5:5; ESV).
Read Romans 5:1-2 again: "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God" (NAS).
Ephesians 2:14-16: "For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by having put to death the enmity" (NAS).
In Romans, we learn that peace comes as a result of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is also the source of that faith, and grace, and we seek it as a response to glorify God.
In Ephesians, we learn how He makes that peace possible (chapter 2), and then how it becomes manifest through His indwelling Spirit (chapter 5).
In Ephesians, we also learn that peace ends enmity with both God and others.
Who doesn't want this? The terms have been both made and met for this peace.
Repentant faith will make it yours.
Such peace is something our hearts yearn for, but it can be had only on God's terms. Grind your teeth at that thought? He isn't obligated to make peace with rebels such as we are. That He deigns to offer peace should cause us to agree to the terms, whatever they are.
What astounds me is that He not only has determined the terms, but seen to it that they are already fulfilled. How could that be? A holy God and a far-from-holy person have nothing in common.
That is why a gracious and merciful God decided on His own to bring about the Incarnation, giving His only Son to live a life that would fulfill all the requirements of the Law and then suffer the death of a criminal. God, having raised Christ from the dead, verifies and authenticates His acceptance of this sacrifice.
This salvation is for both Jew and Gentile alike. As Paul wrote to the Romans regarding Abraham and his faith: "But the words 'it was counted to him' were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. Therefore since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" (4:23-5:5; ESV).
Read Romans 5:1-2 again: "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God" (NAS).
Ephesians 2:14-16: "For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by having put to death the enmity" (NAS).
In Romans, we learn that peace comes as a result of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is also the source of that faith, and grace, and we seek it as a response to glorify God.
In Ephesians, we learn how He makes that peace possible (chapter 2), and then how it becomes manifest through His indwelling Spirit (chapter 5).
In Ephesians, we also learn that peace ends enmity with both God and others.
Who doesn't want this? The terms have been both made and met for this peace.
Repentant faith will make it yours.
posted by Ebeth | 7:40 AM
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