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The Fruit of the Holy Spirit - Chapter 5

Peace

The next ‘‘Fruit of the Spirit’’ in Paul’s list is ‘‘peace’’. ‘‘Peace’’ is a thrilling and pleasure-giving word even in the English language, but the word used in the original languages of the Old and New Testaments is richer still in meaning.

We so often think of peace as just the ending of war and trouble. That is satisfying enough but the biblical meaning is much more so. The word for peace in the New Testament is the translation of the Old Testament Hebrew word ‘‘Shalom’’. The Arabic word ‘‘Salaam’’ comes from this, and you probably know this word.

The Old Testament word ‘‘Shalom’’ means peace in the positive sense of wholeness, health, and all that makes for a person’s highest good. When you greet someone with the word ‘‘Shalom’’ you are really saying that you trust that he will enjoy all that is good from the hands of God. This is what the New Testament implies by the word - all that is for a person’s highest good, for his wholeness in mind and body.

Of course, to make all this plain, the word has different phases of meaning. A simple illustration can show the various ways in which we can think of peace. Two artists were asked to paint a picture of peace. Strangely enough they both chose the same kind of scene. It was a lake surrounded by mountains and trees, but what was happening in the picture was very different in each case.

One painted a clear blue sky without a cloud in it, the sun shining brightly, and all gloriously calm and peaceful. Of course, he called his picture ‘‘Peace’’. The other painted just the opposite. The storm clouds were everywhere; the wind was tossing the branches of the trees, and even swaying the trunks. Lightning was seen flashing and the white foam of the waves was seen all over the lake.        In this picture, though, on one of the wind swept branches, a little bird sat. It was singing its heart out, quite undisturbed by the noise, the storm and wind around him, thoroughly happy in the midst of it all. The title of this picture was also ‘‘Peace’’.

Both artists were right, weren’t they? One showed peace of surroundings, the other was peace in the midst of surroundings which were anything but peaceful. It is just as true for the Christian believer. Sometimes there IS peace and sunshine all around. Sometimes, though, it is just the opposite, but we can still have the peace of God in our hearts and know that He is taking care of us.

In thinking about this peace, which is a fruit of the Spirit of God, we are going to think about the parts of our lives it covers, and the different way in which it comes, and how it affects us.

First of all, this peace means being at peace with God; it is the peace of reconciliation. Paul, in Ephesians chapter 2 describes those who are without Christ as ‘‘without hope and without God in the world’’. The message of the Bible is that without Christ men and women are rebels, opposed to God, self-centred and wanting their own way.

We are lost and cut off from God. We are just like the prodigal son, away in the far country, whom Luke tells us about in chapter 15 of his Gospel. Mankind needs to come back to God, to be reconciled to Him, and make peace with Him. We need to be friends with God again!

This is why Jesus Christ died on the cross, so that we might be reconciled to God. When we come in repentance and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, then we are forgiven, the past is blotted out; sins are blotted out, and we are at peace with God.

This brings to us a wonderful sense of knowing God, and it is the source of all the peace that follows. We have the favour of God Himself; He is smiling upon us, and we are living in the sunshine of His love for us.

The second point about this peace is that it means we have confidence in God’s love for us. It is more than being forgiven. It is more than fellowship with our Maker, God. It is an inward certainty and assurance that God loves ME! We know deep within us that God is love. Look up 1 John 4 verse 16 in this connection.

Life is not always easy, and the way is often hard and tough. Sorrows and difficulties sometimes press in on us. The Bible tells us that because God is love, He is planning and working in love for us all the time, whatever circumstances look like. It is peace to know this within our hearts.

But peace also means confidence in God’s power. It is not good enough to know that God loves us, we need to know as well that He has the power to  do what we need.

My father or my dearest friend may love me dearly, and may long to help in some real time of need, but he may not have the money or ability to do what is needed. So, though he loves me, he cannot help me. God is not like that. There is so much said in the Bible about God’s power and ability that we cannot possibly mention it all now, but here are just three places where it is mentioned:

In Ephesians chapter 3 verse 20, Paul says that God ‘‘is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine’’. That surely is enough for your every need!

Then in the closing verses of his letter Jude says that God ‘‘is able to keep us from falling’’. This means He can keep us when we are fiercely tempted to fall into sin. What wonderful peace this can give as we realise that we need never fall, that there is victory available! Jude also says that God can keep us to the end, until He presents us without fault before His glorious presence.

Then, thirdly, Paul again says, in 2 Corinthians chapter 9 verse 8: ‘‘God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound to every good work’’. This is peace, to know not only that God loves us, but that He is able to keep us, enable us and strengthen us in every time of need.

The next point about this peace is that it comes when we are at one with the will of God. This will mean that all we want to do is to please Him. The prophet Amos, in the Old Testament, said, ‘‘How can two walk together except they be agreed?’’ We cannot really walk with God and have His peace unless we are one with Him in His desires and purposes and plans for our lives.

There is one more thing that this peace means. It means freedom from the evil passions which make us unlike our Lord Jesus, and from unbelief which makes us unable to trust Him and have confidence in His love for us.

I will have some more to say about this peace in the next study.

Click here for part 6.