Outline:
I.
Peace for Mankind is Based on the Saving Work of The
Lord Jesus Christ.
II.
Word Definition.
III.
The Usage of Peace in Salutation.
IV.
Peace is Achieved Only Through Faith in the Work of
Jesus Christ.
V.
Peace
Related to Prosperity.
VI.
Peace
in Relation to Our Inner Happiness.
VII.
Peace Can Only be Accomplished with the Application of
Love.
VIII.
Having Peace is Related to the Application of the Ten
Problem Solving Devices.
IX.
Peace Offerings Were a Part of Worshipping God in the
Old Testament Times.
X.
Scripture
Reference for Peace.
At the Last Supper Jesus identified how peace is accomplished. It is
accomplished through the life insurance contract of His sacrifice signified by
His blood shed (Spiritual Death).
Mat 26:28 “For this is My blood of the covenant, which
is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.” (Also in Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; 1 Cor 11:25)
Rom 11:27 “This is My covenant (peace treaty) with them, When I take away their sins.”
Eph 2:14-18
14For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups (Jew and Gentile) into
one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall (Sin and the Sin Nature), 15by
abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which
is the Law of commandments contained
in ordinances (telling us what sin is), so that in Himself He might make the
two into one new man (The body of Christ), thus
establishing peace, 16and might reconcile them both in one
body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. 17And He came and preached peace to you
who were far away (Gentiles), and
peace to those who were near (Jews); 18for through Him we
both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.
Rom 5:1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” See verses 15-17.
Phil 4:7 “And the peace
of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (His Word).”
II. Word Definition:
eirene - eireôneô
Thayer Definition:
1) Of the Messiah’s
peace, the way that leads to peace (salvation).
2) Of Christianity,
a) the tranquil state of a soul assured of its
salvation through Christ,
b) so fearing nothing from God,
c) content with its earthly lot, of
whatsoever sort that is
The Greek eirene - eireôneô, is equivalent to the
Hebrew íBìLÜ - shalom:
Which means peace and prosperity.
That is the safety of divine protection and the restfulness of human
friendship.
EIRENE, which means
"peace and prosperity", also speaks to the conveyance of your escrow
blessings. God cannot convey these
fantastic blessings to you until you have the capacity to receive them, which
comes from apply virtue-love.
In Hebrew shaôloòm, means “peace, health”; In the Greek eireôneô, means peace “unity, concord”
Peace is a term used in different senses in the Scriptures.
1) Frequently with
reference to outward conditions of tranquility and thus of individuals, of
communities, of churches, and of nations (e.g., Numbers 6:26; 1 Samuel 7:14; 1 Kings 4:24; Acts 9:31).
2) Christian unity
(e.g., Ephesians 4:3; 1 Thessalonians
5:13 - AGAPE love).
3) In its deepest
application, spiritual peace through restored relations of harmony with God
(e.g., Isaiah 9:6-7, (Jesus as the
Prince of Peace); Isaiah 26:3; Luke 2:14; John 14:27; Acts 10:36;
Romans 1:7; 5:1; Galatians 5:22; etc.).
Isa 9:6-7 “For a child will be born to us, a son will be
given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will
be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”
The Hebrew term used shaôloòm has no special
reference to “peace,” but to general well-being, and strictly answers to our
“welfare.”
But in later times the term shaôloòm was introduced also
in the form, “Go in peace,” or rather, “Farewell” (1 Samuel 1:17; 20:42; 2 Samuel 15:9).
III. The Usage of
Peace in Salutation:
In Paul’s opening greeting “Grace and Peace” always occur in that order,
witnessing to the truth that peace
cannot be experienced apart from the prior experience of God’s grace.
The apostle fused the Greek word for the typical Hebrew blessing, “Peace”
(einrene),
with the noun form of the Greek blessing, “Grace” (charis), to yield the
distinctly Christian salutation: “Grace and Peace” (charis kai eirene).
By such a subtle change in the form of Greek letter writing, Paul was able
to invoke the range of apostolic blessings found in Jesus: mercy from God
(“grace”) and eternal well-being from God’s presence (“peace”).
The greetings of Hellenistic letters typically contained a prayer for the
health of the recipients and that is what was adapted by Paul and the other
Christian leader of the early church.
3 John 2 provides the best
New Testament example: “Beloved, I
pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as
it is well with your soul.”
The salutation at parting consisted originally of a simple blessing (Genesis 24:60; 28:1; 47:10; Joshua 22:6).
The concluding salutation consisted occasionally of a translation of the
Lat. valete
(Acts 15:29; 23:30) but more
generally of the term aspazomai, “I salute,” or the cognate substantive, accompanied by a prayer
for peace or grace.
IV. Peace is
Achieved Only Through Faith in the Work of Jesus Christ:
2 Cor
5:16-21
16Therefore from now on we recognize no
one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the
flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. 17Therefore
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18Now
all these things are from God, who
reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of
reconciliation, 19namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the
world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has
committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20Therefore, we are
ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg
you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21He made Him who
knew no sin to be sin on our behalf,
so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
V. Peace Related to Prosperity:
Prosperity can be
wealth but if given by God it is only when you have capacity form Doctrine in
your soul, you can appreciate it.
Prosperity can be
inner stability, which is always the result of Grace and this comes from
appropriation and utilization of Grace. God's plan (Phase Two) is to gather and
use Doctrine.
Prosperity can be
tranquility after a long hard day at work, or home with the children, or
whatever, or during adversity.
Prosperity can be
a shower for those not able to bath regularly; food, after starving for days.
The list goes on and on, it is not only money nor is it money at all.
VI. Peace in Relation to Our Inner
Happiness:
Gal 5:22 tells us the
source of this great inner happiness: Spiritual
living. "The fruit of the Spirit is virtue-love.” This could also be translated the
"advantage [gain, profit] of the Spirit is virtue-love." The advantage of the filling of the Spirit is
love, joy, and peace. "Joy" is
the next word. It is the omnipotence of
the Holy Spirit inside your very own palace, the operational-type divine
dynasphere, that produces this joy. It
is the omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit in epistemological rehabilitation,
via the Holy Spirit as the teacher of doctrine.
Next is EIRENE, which means "peace and prosperity." That is the conveyance of your escrow
blessings. God cannot convey these
fantastic blessings to you until you have the capacity, which comes from
virtue-love.
In the Beatitudes, Mat 5:9 tells
us, "Happinesses to the peacemakers
[evangelists], because they
themselves shall receive the designation of mature sons of God." From the transfer of epignosis comes maturity
and the ability to accurately present the Gospel in witnessing.
“The peacemakers” exert a relaxed mental attitude in the storms of life
and provide others with the same opportunity for peace the way they received
it, through the Gospel message.
Prov 12:20 “Deceit is in the heart of those who devise
evil, but counselors of peace have joy (inner happiness).”
Comforted - in Mat 5:4 also speaks of a
peace. The peace and contentment we experience while on earth as a result of
naming our sins to God with the results of cleansing via the filling of the
Holy Spirit. This also has the promise of ultimate joy in the eternal
state. Rev 21:4
When reconciliation actually takes place in an unbeliever, and you have ……
Phil 4:7 “And the peace of God, which surpasses all
comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
… the peace-receivers become transformed into peace diffusers / peace
givers. Isa 6:5-10
Then God is seen, reflected in you. And, by the family likeness, you, the
peacemakers, are recognized as the children of God.
The peacemaker cannot easily be endured by the contentious quarrelsome
world.
This is how righteousness comes to be persecuted.
Mark 9:50 “Salt is good; but if
the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
When, as a believer in Jesus Christ, you have been faithful in the
reception, retention, and recall of Bible doctrine and have advanced to
spiritual maturity; you are not only a strong person, but you have great inner
happiness.
You then take the peace of God with you wherever you go. It isn't dependent on environment,
associations, or circumstances of prosperity or adversity; it depends on none
of these things. It is a part of God's
grace policy to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
"The standard of thinking from doctrine" is the inner
happiness of your soul, i.e., perfect happiness. If you have epignosis doctrine in your right lobe,
and you are living the life beyond gnosis, then obviously you will be able to
use that mental attitude to have capacity for happiness in all
circumstances. True happiness is a
system of thought in the soul, not association with stimulation or pleasure.
Perfect capacity for life comes from great inner happiness,
absolute happiness.
Perfect happiness is the result of spiritual living, never the
result of psychological living.
Jn 3:29-30, John the
Baptist is the context.
a. From the psychological, human viewpoint of
life, he had a tragic life.
b. He had the type of ministry not associated
with fun and games and happiness.
c. He had tremendous opposition even though he
was always right.
(It is very frustrating to always be
right but never be recognized as being right even once.) That was the "tragedy" of his life.
d. But John says at the end of verse 29,
"and so this joy [inner happiness] of mine." John was one of those rare individuals in his
generation who had reached spiritual maturity.
e. John was a man who lived from salvation to
his death under spiritual living. He
said, "this joy of mine has been made full," using the same words we
have in Eph 1:23.
f. He was recognizing Jesus Christ as the
Messiah, the God-man, the only source of salvation. Then he added, "He must increase; I must decrease." That is the antithesis of psychological
living.
In Jn 15:11 our Lord,
during the course of the great power experiment of the Hypostatic Union, taught
some doctrines to the disciples in preparation for the Church Age.
He said, "These things
I have communicated to you that My joy may be in you."
Inner happiness is exactly that:
Something on the inside.
If you are alone, you are perfectly happy. The problem of loneliness is the easiest problem
to solve for the mature believer.
If you are in a crowd, you are happy. Whether in pleasant or adverse circumstances,
you are happy.
If you are alive and healthy or dying, you have perfect happiness.
The fullness of
your happiness is the capacity to enjoy your escrow blessings for time. The fulfillment of the escrow conditions for
receiving blessings in time is related to advance to spiritual maturity, where
you have this great inner happiness.
Jn 15:11, "These
things I have communicated to you that My joy may be in you, and that your joy
may be full [fulfilled]."
The capacity for the prosperity which comes from spiritual living
is an inner happiness that nothing can deter.
Christ's perfect happiness existed during the three most intense
suffering hours on the cross.
1 Pet 1:8, "And
though you have not seen Him you love Him, and though you do not see Him now
but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible, and full of
glory."
This is the inner perfect happiness of the mature believer.
The phrase “and full of
glory” is the perfect passive participle of DOXZAZO, meaning to be
glorified or honored, translated "having been honored
[glorified]." Once you have this
inner happiness, you have been honored!
The greatest honor conveyed to you in time is this inner perfect
happiness, this phenomenal spiritual capacity for spiritual living.
There can be a
hindrance to this inner peace, and that is your mental attitude. Until you make
peace with who you are, you'll never be happy and content with what you have.
Another mental
attitude hindrance to inner peace is thinking you can loose you salvation. You
can't go through life having the happiness of God thinking that at the end of
the tunnel, there's a God waiting to condemn you.
Phil 4:6 “Be
anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7and the peace of God, which surpasses
all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ
Jesus.”
How could anyone
who really believes and accepts this principle be concerned about anything that
happens to him?
Rom 5:1 “Therefore
having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through
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. 3And not only
this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings
about perseverance; 4and perseverance, proven character; and proven
character, hope; 5and hope does not disappoint, because the love of
God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given
to us.”
Even nature has a
hope of peace.
Isa 35:1 “The
wilderness and the desert will be glad, And the Arabah will rejoice and
blossom; like the crocus.”
Isa 55:12 “For
you will go out with joy, And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the
hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the
field will clap their hands.”
At the Second
Advent of Christ, He will introduce the Millennial reign when there will be
perfect environment on the earth for 1,000 years and nature will be at peace.
VII. Peace Can
Only be Accomplished with the Application of Love:
As we have seen earlier, Peace is entered into when we believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ. Believing on the Lord
means you love Him and the work that He has accomplished for you.
Salvation brings peace between God and man. That’s phase one of peace.
Phase two of peace is realized when you develop a Relaxed Mental
Attitude (RMA). In order to experience peace in time, we need to develop a RMA.
RMA is achieved through Faith Resting in the promises of God and applying
impersonal / unconditional love towards all of mankind.
Impersonal love is a relaxed mental attitude toward all of mankind.
Personal love is a
possessive and subjective attitude toward a few.
Impersonal love is an
objective and relaxed mental attitude toward the entire human race.
VIII. Having Peace
is Related to the Application of the Ten Problem Solving Devices (PSD):
It begins in regards to the armor of God to help us withstand the attacks
of Satan and the Cosmic System.
Eph 6:15 “And having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;”
The Ten PSD's are
God's system for your recovery from and victory over the cosmic system. When
you apply the 10 PSD's you will be trusting in your standing with God, the
promises of God and in your relationship with God. When you utilize the 10 PSD's,
you will no longer be at war with your sin nature in your soul which leads you
to a relaxed mental attitude and peace within your soul. When you do not apply
the 10 PSD's, your sin nature has won a victory over your soul and will torment
you mental attitude. The 10 PSD's include:
1. Naming your sins to God the Father (Rebound)
Ps 32:5b, "I said, `I
will acknowledge my transgression to the Lord,' and You forgave the iniquity of
my sin;"
1 Jn 1:9, "If we
acknowledge our sins, He is faithful and righteous, with the result that He
forgives our sins, and He purifies us from all wrong doing."
2. Filling of God
the Holy Spirit
John 14:26; 16:12-14;
Eph 5:18; Gal 5:16 (walk in)
3. Faith Rest Drill
Ps 37:4-5; Rom 4:20;
Heb 4:1-3;
Rom 4:20 "yet, with respect to the promise of God,
he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21and
being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to
perform."
Heb 4:2b "But the doctrine they heard did not
profit them, because they did not mix it with faith."
2 Cor 9:8 ”And God is able to make all grace abound to
you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an
abundance for every good deed;”
4. Grace Orientation
Grace toward
Unbelievers (Eph 2:8-9), Grace
toward believers (Eph 3:20).
2 Cor 12:9 "And He has said to me, “My grace is
sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”
5. Doctrinal Orientation
Heb 11:1 "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of
things not seen."
1 Thes 4:13 describes
his attitude as follows. "We do not grieve as others who have no
hope."
6. Personal Sense of Destiny
Since you already
have a destiny as a believer, you might as well have the experience of knowing
that you have a destiny.
Fulfillment of that
destiny depends on your perception of the mystery doctrine of the Church Age,
including your portfolio of invisible assets and your politeuma (heavenly)
privileges, classified as the "riches of His glory," Eph 3:16; Phil 4:19; Rom 9:23.
7. Personal Love for God the Father
Because the Father
first loved us, we are able and should love Him. 1 Jn 4:19, "We love because He first loved us."
Rom 5:5 "Hope does not disappoint us, because the
love for God has been poured out in our right lobe by means of the Holy Spirit
who was given to us."
Rom 8:28 "We know, therefore, that to those who
love God, He works all things together for good to those who are elected
according to a predetermined plan.
1 Cor 2:9 "But just as it stands written, `Things
which the eye has not seen, and it has not entered into the right lobe of
mankind all that God has prepared for those who love Him.'"
8. Impersonal,
Unconditional Love for Mankind
This is love for all
of mankind based on your occupation with Christ. It is characterized by the
Greek word Agape which is a mental attitude love. Your love for others is
based on Christ in you, verse love based on the object of your love. "Love thy neighbor as you love
yourself," Lev 19:18; Mt 19:19, 22:39; Mk 12:31; Jn 15:17; Rom 13:9; Gal 5:14.
9. Sharing the
Happiness of God (+H)
Jn 15:11 "I have taught you these things that My
happiness might be in you, and that your happiness might be fulfilled."
Prov 3:13 "Happiness belongs to the person who
finds wisdom, even to the person who gains understanding.
1 Jn 1:4 "And these things we write so that our
state of happiness might be completed."
10. Occupation with
the Lord Jesus Christ
Occupation with
Christ is personal love for our Lord Jesus Christ through maximum metabolized
doctrine circulating in the stream of consciousness of the heart (pre-frontal
right lobe of the soul) by means of the filling of the Holy Spirit.
1 Pet 1:8 "And even though you have not seen Him,
you love Him [occupation with Christ]; and though you do not see Him now but
believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with inexpressible happiness [+H] and full
of glory."
These problem solving
devices are "infinitely more than all we could ever ask or think,"
with the result that God is glorified as per Eph 3:20-21.
IX. Peace Offerings Were a Part of Worshipping God in
the Old Testament Times:
(Heb. shelamim), detailed regulations regarding the peace offering
are given in Leviticus 3; Leviticus
7:11-21, 29-34. They were of three kinds,
1) Eucharistic or
thanksgiving offerings, expressive of gratitude for blessings received;
2) In fulfillment of
a vow, but expressive also of thanks for benefits received; and
3) Free-will
offerings, something spontaneously devoted to God.
Peace offering (zebach
shelamin; well-being in NRSV;
“shared” in REB; “fellowship” in NIV). This consisted of the sacrifice of a
bull, cow, lamb, or goat that had no defect. As with the burnt offering, the
individual laid a hand on the animal and killed it. The priests, in turn,
sprinkled the blood around the altar. Only certain parts of the internal organs
were burned. The priest received the breast and the right thigh (Lev. 7:28-36), but the offerer was
given much of the meat to have a meal of celebration (Lev. 7:11-21). As part of the meal, various kinds of bread were
offered (and ultimately kept by the priest).
The idea of thanksgiving was associated with the peace offering. It often
accompanied other sacrifices in celebration of events such as the dedication of
the
X. Scripture References for Peace:
Psa 4:8 “In peace
(shalom)
I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in
safety.”
Psa 29:11 “The LORD will give
strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.”
Psa 55:18 “He will redeem my
soul in peace from the battle which is against me, for they are many who strive with me.”
Psa 119:165 “Those who love Your law have great peace, And nothing causes them to
stumble.”
Prov 3:13 “How blessed is the
man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding.14 For her
profit is better than the profit of silver and her gain better than fine gold. 15
She is more precious than jewels; and nothing you desire compares with her. 16
Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. 17
Her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold
of her, and happy are all who hold her fast.”
Heb 12:14 “Pursue peace
with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.”
Heb 13:20 “Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep
through the blood of the eternal covenant, even
Jesus our Lord, 21equip you in every good thing to do His will,
working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to
whom be the glory forever and ever.
Amen.”
1 Cor 14:33 “for God is not a God of confusion but of peace,
as in all the churches of the saints.”
Rom 14:17 “for the
Rom 16:20 “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord
Jesus be with you.”
Rom 8:6 “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but
the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
7because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it
does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
Copyright
2004, Property of:
James H. Rickard Bible Ministries.
All Rights Reserved.