Showing posts with label Peace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Peace. Show all posts

Friday, April 11, 2014

Peace

The Bible teaches us that peace is not just the absence of enmity, conflict, or war; peace is a positive grace and gift of Christ (Jn.14:27); it is the fruit of the Spirit (Gal.5:22). In fact, it tells us that peace is inseparable from the person of Jesus Christ, who is our peace (Eph.2:14).

Peace Described As
1. Cancellation of Enmity and Reconciliation with God (Col.2:14; 1:20)
2. Gift of Christ (Jn.14:27)
3. Fruit of the Spirit (Gal.5:22; Rom.14:17)
4. Beyond Understanding (Phil.4:7)

Four Facts About Peace
1. It can be Given (Jn.14:27; Rom.15:13)
2. It can Guard (Phil.4:7)
3. It can Govern (Col.3:15)
4. It can Grow (1Pet.1:2)

Two Aspects of Peace
1. Objective Peace - The fact of being at peace or the state or condition of peace. (External) (1Chr.5:12)
2. Subjective Peace - The experience of having/knowing peace. (Internal) (Phil.4:7)

Two Experiences of Peace
1. Having Peace WITH God (Rom.5:1)
2. Having Peace OF God (Phil.4:7)
Peace with God is the basis for God giving us the peace of God.

Lack of Peace Described As
1. State of Mental Enmity with God (Col.1:21; Gen.6:5-7)
2. Great Turmoil (Heb. mehuwmah, tumult, confusion, disturbance, turmoil, disquietude, panic, discomfiture, 2Chr.15:5)
3. Alienation from the Good (Jer.8:15)
4. Presence of Fear and Terror (Jer.30:5; 2Tim.1:7)

Loss of Peace With/Of God
1. Through Sin (Col.1:21)
2. By entertaining cares, riches, and pleasures of life (Luke 8:14)
3. Because of the love of money (1Tim.6:10)

Source of Peace
1. God the Father (Rom.15:33; 1Cor.1:3)
2. God the Son (Jn.14:27; 16:33; Eph.2:14)
3. God the Spirit (Gal.5:22; Rom.14:17)

Price of Peace With God
1. What Christ Paid: The Incarnation and Atoning Death of Jesus Christ - by His blood (Eph.2:14-16; Col.1:20-22)
2. What the Christian Pays: Loss of Friendship with the World (Matt.10:34-36; James 4:4)

Peace Involves
1. Negotiation (Isa.1:18)
2. Mediation (Job 33:23; Heb.12:24)
3. Propitiation - appeasement of justice (Rom.3:25)
4. Expiation - removal of guilt (Rom.8:1)
5. Forgiveness of sins (Eph.1:7)
6. Reconciliation (Col.1:20; Heb.2:17)
7. Filling the heart with peace (John 14:27; Rom.15:13)
8. Producing fruit of peace in us through the Spirit (Gal.5:22)
9. Guarding the heart and the mind by peace (Phil.4:7)

Effects of Peace
Boldness of Access (Eph.2:17,18)
Unity and Harmony (Eph.4:3)
Freedom to grow (Acts 9:31)

Finding Peace By
1. Faith in Jesus (Rom.5:1)
2. Casting all Cares on Jesus (Phil.4:6,7)
3. Loving God's Word (Psa.119:165; Jn.16:33)

Seeking Peace
1. In Greeting (Luke 10:5)
2. Peacemaking (Matt.5:9; James 3:18)
3. Peaceful Co-existence (2Cor.13:11; Heb.12:14; 1Pet.3:9-11)
4. Moral Non-interference; "mind own business" (1Thess.4:11; Prov.26:17)
5. Fight for Justice (Zech.8:16)
6. Pursue things that make for peace; not contention, controversy, and unnecessary babblings (Rom.14:19,20)
7. Forgiving each other (Col.3:13,15)

Mission of Peace
1. Christ, the Prince of Peace and His Mission of Peace (Isa.9:6,7; Col.1:20)
2. Gospel of Peace (Romans 10:15)
3. Ambassadors of Peace and the Ministry of Reconciliation with God (2Cor.5:18,20)
  a. The Ministry is ethical (1Thess.2:3-6)
  b. The Ministry is sincere (1Thess.2:7-10)
  c. The Ministry is free (Matt.10:8)

Titles of Peace
1. God of Peace (Rom.15:33; 16:20)
2. Thoughts of Peace (Jer.29:11)
3. Prince of Peace - Jesus (Isa.9:6)
4. Covenant of Peace (Num.25:12; Isa.54:10; Eze.34:25; 37:26)
5. Way of Peace (Rom.3:17)
6. Gospel of Peace (Rom.10:15; Eph.6:15)
7. Son of Peace - The one who receives the Gospel of peace (Luke 10:6)