“Now the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace…”. Galatians 5:22
The word “peace” is a common word in scripture. It is used about 300 times in the Bible, 92 times in the New Testament. When the Lord says “blessed are the peacemakers” He uses a compound word that combines the normal Greek word for peace with one who creates with others. This Beatitude adds the next part of the Lord’s flow – one who is broken in spirit over His sin, comes humbly to God seeking to be made right and who meekly accepts God’s one way to be forgiven and made righteous in His sight. God shows that man mercy and that man’s heart is changes so he shows mercy to others. This comes because God makes that person a new creation and His Spirit comes to live inside him.
When a man is filled with the Holy Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit is created in his life. One of the first fruits the Spirit creates is peace.
As we have already considered the most important aspect of that peace is peace with God. One knows he no longer resides under God’s wrath – his sin has been judged and paid for by the Son of God. It has been removed from that man as far as the “east is from the west”. This would be great encouragement to those hearing these words. Judaism of that day taught salvation by works. One never knew if they had done enough to meet God’s standards. In the Jews’ never ending quest to be sure they were right with God they developed more and more commandments to ensure they were righteous before God and to distinguish themselves from those who were “lukewarm” in their pursuit of God. Now to hear that God looked at one’s heart and not their “labor of works” to determine their relationship to Him would be comforting to those who want assurance of peace with God. It would be terrifying to others (those who in pride felt their own self-righteousnesses should make them pleasing to God). But the peace of God does not just pertain to one’s personal relationship with God. The person who is truly “born again” is also at peace with his fellow man. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 13:11 that we are to “live in peace” and in Romans 12:18 that we should “as much as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men”. There is only one way we can do this. Colossians tells us we are to “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts”.
What can we learn? We are told we can have peace with God, peace within the body of Christ (by being like minded) and, as far as it is possible (it is not always) peace in the world in which we live. The audience listening to the Lord’s sermon would immediately realize that this was impossible. No man in his own strength, then or now, can live in peace – there are arguments and wars and conflicts among us. We can’t get along . The Romans were surely not at peace with the Jews. This is exactly the point the Lord wants them to see. Their own self-righteous efforts did not create peace but war with God and man. The Jews would recognize there was great controversy and disagreement among the Jews (Pharisees and Sadducees and Herodians) over what it meant to please God – what true righteousness really was. Conflict, not peace, ruled in their hearts and religion.
Peace is a distinctiveness of true faith in God. Scripture tells us clearly, “There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.” (Isaiah 48:22) Interestingly without the peace of God in one’s heart, the more men make every effort is made to find something that will satisfy one’s soul. Unbelievers think they can create their own peace, which gives them reason to justify whatever actions they think will allow them to obtain it. Believers have their peace from God as a result of God dwelling in their hearts. Their peace comes from knowing that the God of the Universe loves them and has forgiven their sin. Their satisfaction, their peace, comes from pleasing Him by obeying His
word.