Author: divinewisdomforchristians

The Ruling Peace of Christ

“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.” (Colossians 3:14-15)

It’s Autumn in the U.S. and most of us are getting out our sweaters and jackets (and some winter coats, gloves, and mittens). We put our outer clothing on over our indoor dress. However, in South Texas at this time of the year, it is likely that I will keep my sweater on when I am inside because the air conditioning still runs during the sunny afternoons. So when I dress, I coordinate my clothes to look like one outfit. Paul has given us a word picture in Colossians. On top of “compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience [and forgiveness]” (3:12), he says to put on love. Love covers all other spiritual gifts. It should be the first thing people see or think about when they meet us. Above all else, Christians are called on to love one another (1 Corinthians 13). This does not mean that love for God and others hides our other character traits, but it is what most visibly reflects Christ in us. Like a coat, love prepares and enables us to go out into the world, warmly and affectionately.

The other picture Paul paints is that of a body, which is the Body of Christ. Love’s role in the body is to bind everything together. Love is also like the PMMA (bone cement) that surgeons use to glue together broken vertebrae. Whether Paul means more than the spiritual gifts, I am not sure. But the idea of the body being one of perfect harmony is very clear. All of our body parts work together, and when one part is not working correctly synchronization is lost, and all parts experience the hurt. A rash, a slight fever, or a mosquito bite effect all parts. We try to tell our hands not to scratch where the bit itches because we are one body.

What is the medicine that works together with love to keep our body of believers in harmony? It is the peace of Christ, ruling in our hearts. “’The peace of Christ’ may be said to ‘reign’ in their hearts, when it is the governing principle there; when it restrains the turbulent passions of anger, wrath, and revenge, allays undue heats, moderates the spirits, and composes differences… it is unnatural for members of the same body to quarrel with each other.” (1)  “The Christian community is to be as showcase of the reconciliation Christ has brought to the universe (and to individual sinners).” (2) But we must allow the peace of Christ to govern our hearts. We have been reconciled to God through Jesus atoning work—this is a fact. To showcase this truth, we must fight against every opposition to gospel peace being the supreme ruling principle of our identity and purpose. We oppose gospel peace with judgmentalness, envy, fear, pride, vanity, and materialism, to name just a few issues that pervert peace.

What is the thing that interferes and opposes the peace of Christ in your heart? How does this impact your relationship with other believers?

(1) John Gill’s Exposition on the Whole Bible, Colossians 3:15, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/colossians-3.html

(2) The Reformation Study Bible, Colossians 3:15, Reformation Trust Publishing (Ligonier Ministries), Sanford, Fl., 2015.

 

Jesus’s Free, Irrevocable Peace

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you.” (John 14:27a)

Most of us have had to work hard to support ourselves financially. We learned (or are learning) to save for our children’s college funds, weddings, new homes, new cars, and retirement. Proverbs teaches that as we take time working we develop the character necessary to handle that work. A sudden windfall, such as an inheritance [or winning the lottery] is dangerous because the recipient hasn’t developed the required character and habits to handle the funds wisely. (1) However, spiritual gifts are not like material possessions and are all given to us by Jesus Christ at the time of regeneration. Peace is one such gift that we need to learn to appreciate, enjoy, and use wisely.

In this verse, Jesus emphasizes that he is “giving” peace, which “shows that it is not to be acquired by anything that man can do, but is a pure free gift of Christ; and which being given as his legacy, is irrevocable.” (2) The free gift of peace from Jesus is true shalom—spiritual wellbeing and contentment with God. It is the effect of reconciliation with God made possible by Jesus atoning, sacrificial death. This peace cannot be earned and is given immediately upon our conversion, so we must learn, over time, to understand and employ it appropriately with others.

This supernatural peace is also Jesus’ legacy to all believers, his heirs. It is an inheritance that has been purchased at great cost to Christ but given freely to those who belong to him. What does one do with an overwhelmingly great inheritance? Hopefully, we pray about how we might use it for God’s kingdom and give away vast portions of it, in love and appreciation for having received that which we do not deserve. This is not the peace the world works at in the U.N. and various treaties among nations, that is tentative, delicate, and temporal; it is definite, eternal, and irrevocable. Once we receive peace with God in Christ, we cannot lose it, although we frequently forget that we have lasting peace in him.

Jesus said “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) He said,  “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” (John 14:1) How can you more effectively remember, appreciate, and use the peace Jesus has given you?

(1) Keller, Timothy and Keller, Kathy, “God’s Wisdom for Navigating Life,” October 21 (Proverbs 13:11; 20:21), Viking, New York, 2017.

(2) John Gill’s Exposition on the Whole Bible, John 14:27, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/john-14.html

 

Pursuing Peace Together

“So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.” (2 Timothy 2:22-23)

These verses make up a healthy discipleship sandwich—the four spiritual qualities of righteousness, faith, love, and peace are sandwiched by instructions to run from youthful passions and avoid ignorant controversies, that lead to quarrels. The meat is the quest for godliness; to that is added the sauce, that makes this a unique recipe—to chase holiness “along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” As I consider these verses the pictures from Revelation come to mind, like a pack of beautiful, dignified horses named righteousness, faith, love, and peace fleeing from a burning forest called youthful passions and fierce dragons representing foolish controversies close on their heels.

Our holiness is of the utmost concern to God, as it should be to us. We have the opportunity today to worship with our brothers and sisters in Christ, to increase our knowledge of God, the gospel, and our faith in Christ. We best express our love for Jesus and others when we call on him corporately, in truth by worshipping biblically. One of the most comforting aspects of our Sunday worship is the peace that we have by hearing the truth since we are created in God’s image, and our hearts resonate to his character. We are to flee untruth and false teaching, that leads to controversies and quarrels, dividing the Body by creating friction (1 Timothy 6:3-5). Instead, we are to “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.” (Colossians 3:15)

“The more we follow that which is good, the faster and the further we shall flee from that which is evil… The keeping in the communion of saints, will take us from away from fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness.” * Will you agree with Matthew Henry in your heart and mind as you worship Christ today with your church family?

* Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible, 2 Timothy 2:22-23, https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-concise/

 

Christ, the Prince of Peace

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end.” (Isaiah 9:6-7a)

“For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.” (Ephesians 2:14-17)

Do you think peace is possible? If you believe in Christ, then you believe in eternal peace, because Jesus Christ is the “Prince of Peace.” Jesus is the King who will ultimately provide absolute peace on earth one day. “He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isaiah 2:4) What a contrast to the great conflicts that we have among nations today!

Jesus has provided our internal peace with God, having reconciled us to the Lord through regeneration. He is also the peace between those who were far off (the Gentiles) and those who were near (the Jews). In Jesus’s day at the temple, there was a point at which only Jews were allowed to enter; Gentiles were excluded. When Jesus gave his life for reconciliation between humankind and God, for those who believe, that “dividing wall of hostility,” the ceremonial law of the Jews, was broken. Now Christ calls believers from every walk of life, every place on the globe, every age, and every nationality to come to him for eternal life. He is the source of peace between believers, through his gospel, with every people group, class, race, and tribe in every nation.

Whether we admit it or not, we have biases about certain kinds of people. We stay in our safe, comfortable circles of friends and don’t realize that we have these prejudices. But if you travel to a country very different from your own, or if you fellowship in a church that is mainly a different race, educational level, or economic class, you may find that you are uncomfortable. But we should not be awkward; we should be rejoicing since we all belong to Christ, the Prince of Peace.

Do you think peace is possible if you leave your comfort zone? Are you willing to test your faith by joining with others who don’t look or act exactly like you? Do you feel awkward with believers in your workplace, neighborhood, or church who are different from you? Will you reach out to experience the peace that we have together, forever, for the sake of Christ and the gospel?

Peace Refreshes The Bones

“Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones…A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot…A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” (Proverbs 3:7-8; 14:30; 17:22)

People who have diseases of the bones, injuries or elective surgeries think about bones more than the rest of us. This year, with two knee surgeries, I think about bones a lot, but that’s not what drew me to the passages above. As I read through some of my unused Proverbs verses I came upon the three here because they mention healing, refreshment, tranquility, and good medicine, all of which contribute to our peacefulness. When we are unwell we are usually agitation, impatient, and generally ill-at-easy mentally. Rarely do we think of it as a disease of our bones, but the Bible mentions bones as the most profound aspect of our physical being. And that makes sense when we think about the function of our bones: to support our bodies, facilitate movement and protect our organs, such as our lungs, hearts, brains, and spinal cords. Bone marrow produces white and red blood cells, and store and release minerals and fat. The marrow of our bones is meant to be soft and moist. When our bones break or the marrow dries up, we are sick indeed! *

John Gill writes, “What marrow is to the bones, that is wisdom, or the fear of God, to the souls of men; the means of establishing and strengthening them against sin, and snares and temptations, and to do the will and work of God.” (2) Humility and submission to God in 3:7-8, tranquility in 14:30, and a joyful heart in 17:22 all contribute to healthy bones—a healthy body and spirit, as much as possible depending on our physical condition. When we are at peace within ourselves, we can make peace with others; but when we are ill-at-ease, we are only concerned about ourselves, and we care little about our relationships.

Pride, envy and a spirit crushed by sin or guilt will prevent us from the peace that we desire, and the peacefulness that we offer to others. But, “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) When we seek help from Scripture, God can turn our distress into peace through confession (Psalms 38:3-4; 51:1-17), humility (Romans 12:3, 16), and godly wisdom (Job 28:28; Proverbs 1:7; 9:10).

How are your bones today? What might you do to ensure their health, and the godly peacefulness that attends healthy bones?

(1) The information about bones is from: https://opentextbc.ca/anatomyandphysiology/chapter/6-1-the-functions-of-the-skeletal-system/

(2) John Gill’s Exposition on the Whole Bible, Proverbs 3:8

https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/ephesians-6.html

Finding Peace Through Love

“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.” (Proverbs 10:12)

“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8)

Covers serve different purposes. Some are meant to hide a person (who pulls the covers over herself in bed) to be invisible to other people. Others protect people or things from sun, snow, or rain, such as carports or tarps over equipment. Both of these are meant to either conceal or protect something or someone. A covering may also make something look more presentable, like a window covering dresses up a window, or a book cover attracts new readers. Our verses refer to a covering of offenses or sins. Of course, nothing is hidden from God, and there is no need to protect anything from him. But love attracts and invites others to engage with him and with us. These principles apply to relationships between people, who wound each other with our offenses and sins, either intentionally or unintentionally.

The Reformation Study Bible reminds us that hatred toward others causes our society to become fragmented as relationships deteriorate, one-by-one, or in groups that oppose each other. Selfishness seeks to have its way, regardless of the consequences, and those who operate in self-justification enjoy reminding us of our blunders and “unforgivable” offenses. However, when we love by choice, we seek the best for others, even our enemies. Like a poncho, our love covers the errors of others rather than expose them, with the forgiveness that we have received from Jesus Christ. We love as we seek the best for others, protecting them and our relationship from suffering further. (1) Loving others we keep no record of their sins. “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:7)  When Peter asked Jesus about forgiving his brothers seven times, our Lord responded, “I do  not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.” (Matthew 18:22)

When we become practiced at loving others, we feel slighted much less often, especially when offended unintentionally. Today will you practice the love that covers all offenses if someone has insulted or hurt you? Do you lack peace? How might your love restore harmony to the relationship or situation?

* The Reformation Study Bible, Proverbs 10:12; 1 Peter 4:8, Reformation Trust Publishing (Ligonier Ministries), Sanford, Fl., 2015.

Peace is Honorable

“Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense…It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.” (Proverbs 19:11; 20:3)

There are two different ways to honor someone or something. One is to show a person special recognition for an accomplishment. The other way is to fulfill a promise, as in honoring the terms of a contract or agreement. In light of the way glory and honor are used in the Proverbs verses above, I can’t help but think that we are honoring or glorifying God by doing what is expected of those who love him and belong to him. Abraham and Lot were journeying together, and the land was becoming overcrowded with their animals. Abraham honored God and himself when he kept the peace with his nephew by giving Lot his choice of property. (Genesis 13:2-9) He used his good sense, did not become angry, and trusted God to give him what he needed for the promised covenant.

In many cultures, citizens expect a disrespected man to defend his honor by fighting his accuser. However, Christianity calls for us to overlook indignities and insults, doing whatever is in our power to keep the peace with our neighbors. “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.” (Romans 12:17)

Our passage mentions three ways that we do not keep the peace: anger, which is strong opposition; strife, conflict and often a challenge for superiority; and quarrels—disputes or complaints. Which of these is the most difficult for you to manage, either outwardly or internally—in your mind or heart? “Men reflect the character of God when they show patience and overlook an offense. Such magnanimity is prudent (wisdom) but also morally elevating (one’s glory)” * Will you consider giving in, rather than fighting, for honorable peace? Consider Jesus who did so in order to secure our salvation.

* Zondervan Bible Commentary, F. F. Bruce General Editor, Proverbs 19:11, One-Volume Illustrated Digital Edition

Preparing for Peace

“Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy.” (Proverbs 12:20)

“Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” (Mark 9:50)

People still use salt to preserve food in some places in the world where refrigeration is not available. It’s a good stabilizer, preventing food from spoiling, keeping some of its original nutrition. Salt water never loses its saltiness, so salt is always available. In the Old Testament, salt was used in at least a few instances to represent preservation of an agreement between people. During the conflicts between the divided kingdoms of Israel, Abijah confronted Jeroboam saying, “Ought you not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt?” (2 Chronicles 13:5) The covenant that God made with David, to give him an heir on the throne forever was “a perpetual one, which was inviolable, and never to be made void.” (1) There was also a use of salt when used  “as a seasoning of food, which would point to a shared meal between the two parties of the covenant as symbolic of their friendship and the binding nature of their agreement.” (2) I imagine that Jesus had either one or both symbolic representations in mind when he instructs his disciples to have salt and be at peace with each other in Mark 9:50 (also Matthew 5:13; Luke 14:34).

It takes planning to preserve food or to prepare a meal to celebrate an agreement, just as it often takes planning to know how be at peace with others. Being sinners by nature, we hold our opinions, values, priorities, and perspectives to be superior and right without even thinking about them sometimes. Given the diversity of views in our world today, this is an unwise way to operate. While we may not think we are preparing to do evil, such as lying or deceiving others, we may well be self-deceived by the simple presumption that others should think as we do. This is not planning for peace, and will bring no joy, since very few of us agree on most things. So this is where the salt, or flavoring comes in, to preserve a relationship rather than let it spoil out of neglect or lack of preparation.

Salt also reminds us of the stability of the eternal covenant we have with Jesus Christ, which he will preserve for us through this life, death, and into glory (John 17:12; Jude 1:24). In this analogy, salt and peace are intimately intertwined, since we have the peace of God and peace with God only through the eternal covenant of adoption with Jesus, chosen by him to be his disciples, ambassadors of peace. “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-20)

In Mark Chapter 9 Christ’s disciples were arguing about who was the greatest disciple, whether other men should be casting out demons in Jesus’s name, and trying to keep small children from bothering him. Jesus response was to stay salty and preserve peace with each other. Just as we add salt to a pot of soup with many other seasonings, or to a meat rub, the grace of the gospel should influence all the other flavors of our speech and behavior, bringing out their best attributes. Today we use salt to enhance caramel and chocolate desserts, because it enhances the flavor of the caramel or chocolate. So our speech, and behavior, our invitations and our conversations should be flavored with the gospel of Jesus Christ, as we plan for peace leading to joy.

The next time you make plans with friends, will you plan what you might converse about that will be flavored with gospel grace and preserve peace between you, so that you are planning the best way to encourage and lift up your friends with joy? If you are not a planner, how can you expect to have this special peace with people who are important to you?

(1) John Gill’s Exposition on the Whole Bible, 2 Chronicles 13:5, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/2 chronicles-13.html

(2) ESV Study Bible Notes, 2 Chronicles 13:5, (digital edition), Crossway.

Thinking About Peace

“Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD…Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” (Psalms 34:11-14)

“When a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (Proverbs 16:7)

“You cannot find peace by avoiding life.” (Virginia Woolf) “Worrying does not take away tomorrow’s troubles; it takes away today’s peace.” (Unknown) * These two quotations grabbed my attention because they seem to be opposite ways to deal with worry. The first implies that we must confront life head-on to find peace, but the second quote rebukes us for worrying (about life). The truth is that it takes work to have peace in this life, in this world. Today I am making a transition from focusing on work to thinking about peace, especially peace with ourselves and with others. It a bit difficult to differentiate between contentment, which I have already covered in detail, and peace. For my purposes here, peace is objective tranquility or harmony while contentment may exist even where harmony is not present. For example, I may be content with our political system in spite of the acrimonious relationships between politicians and their supporter—which cannot possibly be described as peaceful.

Our two passages today directly relate peace to the fear of God and our obedience to him. So, contrary to popular thought, peace is not merely the absence of evil; it is not a black void. While many religions seek peace through the works of people, Christianity’s teaching that only God can give us peace has proved itself over the entire course of history. After all, if people can create peace on their own, why have they never succeeded for any significant period? Although the Bible specifically instructs us to pursue peace, we can only do so if we first have peace with God. Wisdom dictates that Christians, having received reconciliation of God, with God, through Christ have peace with each other, as imitators of God. “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” (Romans 14:19)

The best way to pursue peace is to do what is pleasing to God. Easy to say, harder to do. In what area of your life would you like greater peace? So what changes should you consider, or what prayers are needed for your ways to please God, resulting in more peace?

* These two quote can be found on http://wisdomquotes.com/peace-quotes/

 

Small and Wise—Weak and Strong

“Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise: the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer; the rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs; the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank; the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.” (Proverbs 30:24-28)

Life is full of ironies and oxymorons. You’ve had to put off having a picnic for weeks because of the rain. But the beautiful Spring day has arrived, the basket is loaded with goodies, and your car suddenly won’t start—for the first time. Sometimes we need to “act naturally,” or we are “clearly confused,” not to mention when we do things in “random order.” The four small animals mentioned in Proverbs 30:24-28 are paradoxically powerful. Did you know that there are about 1.5 million ants in a pound of ants (give or take, depending on the species)? And, in spite of their size, ants can carry up to fifty times their body weight? (1) Rock badgers look like guinea pigs but they aren’t rodents, and they can grow up to two feet in length. Even though they are known for creating homes in the cliffs, they love to form heaps and bathe in the sun. (2) Locusts, known for their vast, destructive swarms are otherwise solitary animals. They, swarm only after there is a shortage of food and they rub against each other to get it. They molt five times and change shape entirely before forming a swarm. (3) Most lizards feed on birds, insects, and rodents, but I used to have them all over my houses in Africa, where there were no birds or rodents, and very few insects (which I made sure of). They also love the sun, yet they are often found in very shady places, rushing to some unknown destination.

But this is not just a nature lesson; instead, we have these are examples of strength in humility and natural skills. Ants are small but industrious; rock badgers are weak but constructive; locusts are leaderless but orderly; and lizards are insignificant yet affluent, going wherever they like. The ant has food for the future, the rock badger a secure, durable home, the locust a community whenever there is a need, and the lizard can go where we can’t–into a king’s palace. Size and strength are no issue here, only God-given ability, suitable environments, and accommodation to conditions. In these characteristics, they are all exceedingly wise.

We are not evolved from animals but were created in God’s image as humans with the ability to think, reason, plan, discern, choose, organize, negotiate, and do far more than these four wise animals. I believe that we should be exceedingly humbled (and maybe a little crestfallen) by God’s use of them as examples to us of wisdom and industriousness. After all, we are higher than the angels, are we not? (See Hebrews 2:6-7.) Maybe we ignore our natural inclinations, given to us by God, to do work that is simple and plain, in favor of something that will win us the approval and applause of men. We tend to elevate ourselves when we should be exalting the Lord.

Jesus Christ is our ultimate example of wisdom in human weakness, working at that which was his calling, in the greatest humility. He did so to provide us with the best possible life here–yet, we strive for something else, as it is better somehow. We are like ants trying to be lizards, or locusts attempting to live like rock badgers. In what way might you be fighting your natural inclinations, skills, and talents for work or ministry? What weakness or smallness in you might God want to use for your greatest productivity and his glory? How might you celebrate your smallness in light of God’s greatness as you worship today?

(1) Ant information from https://askabiologist.asu.edu/content/ant-factoids

(2) Rock badger information from https://www.wired.com/2014/01/the-creature-feature-10-fun-facts-about-the-rock-hyrax-or-are-you-ready-to-rock-hyrax/

(3) Locust information from https://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-locusts/