Peacefulness - The Fruit of Understanding
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.
Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore, get wisdom. And in all your getting, Get understanding.
(Proverbs 4:7)
All fear and unrest come from a lack of Wisdom and knowledge. The Bible says that people are destroyed because they lack knowledge or wisdom, and the fear (reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. What this means is that peace, perfect peace, comes from knowing God. God promises perfect peace to those who study and meditate on His word.
You will keep him on perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, Because he trust in you. (Isaiah 26:3)
We can all agree that children enjoy peace knowing that their father and mother are there to protect them. They trust their parents to provide and care for all their needs. If earthly parents, prone to making mistakes, can foster a sense of peace in their children, how much more should we have peace knowing that our heavenly father never makes a mistake and works every situation for our good and His glory? The very first law was created with the sole purpose of providing peace to mankind. In Genesis 2:16-17, God told Adam, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” God warned Adam that something about that tree would change things for Adam to the point of death. Later, we learn that by saying Adam would die, God was saying that Adam would experience a spiritual death, which is a separation from God.
Immediately after Adam disobeyed God’s Laws, the result was a loss of peace. Before eating from the tree, the Bible tells us that Adam and Eve were both naked, and they were not ashamed. They were at peace in their surroundings even though everything about them was exposed to God. (Genesis 2:25) After eating from the tree, Adam and Eve immediately feared God and hid themselves from him (Genesis 3:1-13). The Law of God was designed to protect man from doing things harmful to himself outside of human power. However, at the same time, the law highlights the difference between God and man. What man is powerless to do in his sinful nature, God does naturally by His righteous nature. When man could not stand before a perfect God, the one-an-only perfect God was willing to give His Son Jesus as a sacrifice, denying His peace to restore peace to man. This means that when man became aware of his shortcomings, God provided His righteousness as compensation. In every situation where a man cannot find a peaceful resolution, God can provide a way for agreement and reconciliation.
Most of us value peace even when we do not agree precisely with the beliefs and goals of another person. To keep the peace, we strive to find a common ground that becomes the resting place for our interactions. Friends who do not share political views learn to steer clear of conversations that focus on solid political opinions and instead focus on the areas where they can share a common vision. To have peace, we learn the art of compromise. However, not all compromise is Biblical. The Bible has many instances of compromise in the interest of peace. Biblical compromise has one objective: to see God’s will and the Kingdom of God advance in the earth. For example, in the book of Acts, there is a story about a dispute between the disciples of Jesus and a certain man from Judea who was teaching that circumcision was necessary for the Gentiles who had turned to Christ (Acts 15:15-29). This teaching was what the Jews had followed according to the Law of Moses. In this case, Peter could reason with everyone by showing them that prophecy proved that the Circumcision of the Gentiles was unnecessary because God had already acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit. In this situation, compromise was not the correct approach, and peace meant looking deeper into God’s Word to find the Will of God.
Incidentally, in the same passage of Scripture, we are told that another dispute arose between the apostles Paul and Barnabas. The dispute was over whether they should let John (also called Mark) accompany them to deliver the gospel to Cyprus. Paul was opposed to John-Mark joining them, but Barnabas was insistent. Ultimately, they decide to go their separate ways, taking the person they want on the journey (Acts 15:36-41). This time, peace meant agreeing to disagree so the Gospel message and God’s will could continue as planned. In Short, Biblical compromise is only allowed in areas where God’s word is not explicit. As Christians, we understand that God’s word is always above the will of man. There is no compromising on the will of God. Ultimately, God’s Will is always what is best for us. That is why we pray for His will to be done on earth as in heaven.
In James 4:1, we are told that our disputes come from within us, caused by our opposing views of what life should be about. We each hold our own opinions as superior to others; thus, we cannot have peace. However, when we submit to God, He has a way of placing our opposing views on even ground and helping us see them for what they are. Coming up against others with opposing views makes us feel like we are being judged, and no one enjoys being judged. Not wanting to come under judgment puts us in a dilemma because the Bible says that all have sinned and are under judgment (Romans 3:23). The reason we are bound to judgment is that until our views align with God’s views, we are considered sinners, meaning we must face the judgment of God (Hebrews 9:27). However, don’t worry because the Lord has provided an answer for our dilemma in that he has sent Jesus to cover for us. By Jesus’s sacrifice, God can place our fate in Jesus’ hands and overlook our trespasses. The Scripture says it like this,
For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation [Emphisis mine] (2 Corinthians 5:14-19).
So, Judgment is different for Christians because Jesus' work (His death on the cross) has made it possible for us to go boldly before God and not despise His judgment but rather embrace it. As we mentioned in our discussion about Purity, God’s judgment of the Christian is a part of His refinement process (His working us into His righteousness and out of our own). He (God’s Word) must increase, and we (our opinions) must decrease (John 3:30). For this reason, the Bible says, in 1 Peter 4:17, that Judgement must begin at the house of God (whose house we are if we belong to Jesus). Read about the refinement of God in the Biblical context below.
Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator (1 Peter 4:12-19).
When we understand God's work in our lives, we begin to have a different confession, and we rest in the peace of knowing that “if God be for us, who can be against us” (Romans 8:31). We say things like, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).” The Bible instructs the believer to rest in the peace of God as follows:
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:6-9).
The wisdom from knowing and believing God’s Word yields the fruit of peacefulness from understanding God and putting your trust in Him (Philippians 4:6-7).
Click here if you would like to read about Pillar 1 - Purity
Click here if you would like to read about Pillar 3 - Gentleness
Click here if you would like to read about Pillar 4 - Obedience
Click here if you would like to read about Pillar 5 - Merciful
Click here if you would like to read about Pillar 6 - Impartiality
Click here if you would like to read about Pillar 7 - Honesty
