Acting
in a way that leads to true and lasting peace is not part of our natural human
tendencies. Instead, the apostle Paul wrote that our human nature leads to
“hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions,
dissensions … murders” (Galatians 5:20-21). In contrast, those who are baptized and receive God’s Holy Spirit
can have access to a new nature that allows us to grow in the fruit of peace
(verse 22).
What is peace?
The
word Paul used for peace was the Greek word eirene. This word includes the meaning “peace between
individuals, i.e. harmony, concord” (Thayer’s
Greek Lexicon).
Peace
includes a calm, harmonious absence of conflict that this world has never
known. There may have been isolated times and places where conflict was halted
for a time, but real world peace has never been seen. That hasn’t stopped this
world from pretending, however. Think of all the peace treaties that have been
broken almost as soon as they were signed.
In
Jeremiah 8:11, we see that the practice of leaders trying to ignore or
sugarcoat the lack of peace is not something new: “For they have healed the
hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there
is no peace.”
Sadly,
the little Band-Aids humanity has tried—treaties, social programs, talks around
tables—cannot treat the gushing wounds of a world ravaged by conflict and
contention.
Peace
is the opposite of James 4:1-4, which describes the cause of war. “Where do wars
and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure
that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and
cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on
your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship
with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of
the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
Notice
Philippians 4:6-7: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and
the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will
guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (emphasis added throughout).
God’s perfect peace is one of those wonderfully deep things of God that have
not “entered into the heart of man” but are only “spiritually discerned” (1
Corinthians 2:9, 14).
There
is a reason that the majority of people in the world cannot even begin to
understand the peace offered by God: They have been blinded and deceived (2
Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9). This is even true in the religious
realm (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). People look to religion as the source from
which to learn the way to peace. However, throughout history, uncounted wars
have been waged in the name of religion. This is confusing to those sincerely
searching for answers about what produces lasting peace.
The
fruit of the Spirit of peace also provides the inner peace of mind and
contentment found by living God’s way of life—even in less-than-peaceful
situations.
“Usually
in the New Testament eirene stands
for the Hebrew shalowm and
means not just freedom from trouble but everything that makes for a man’s
highest good” (Barclay’s Daily Study
Bible). Peace is more than the absence of war or something felt in the
mind. It is a way of living life in a proper relationship between man and God,
as well as man and man.
Why does God want us to demonstrate
peace?
Peace
is so alien a thing in this world. Imagine a world:
- Where people
actually let others finish speaking instead of interrupting them.
- Where people
don’t have heated arguments.
- Where
differences are settled with patience rather than fists.
- Where people
show compassion to others even when they don’t deserve it.
Why, in
Romans 12:18, does Paul say, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men”? He said this because God
wants His entire creation to be at peace, and this must start one person at a
time. Repentant, baptized
followers of Christ are given the gift of the Holy Spirit now (Acts 2:38), and
they are the first of hopefully billions to follow.
Even
those who are not yet converted undoubtedly desire peace, yet they have
misdirected and sometimes dangerous ideas of what peace actually is and how to
attain it. A true Christian’s job in demonstrating peace is to show the world
what true peace looks like: a calm contentment through being as close to God as
possible, which exhibits the other spiritual fruits, including love, patience,
kindness and gentleness.
The
coming Kingdom of God will be one of peace; and if we are to be a part of it,
we must demonstrate this reality. Christ explicitly explained this in the
Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew
5:9).
So why
does God want us to demonstrate peace? God wants us to be a part of His family
as sons and daughters, and His family must be peaceful. Eventually the whole
world will be part of this peaceful family; but now, amidst the hatred and
conflict, it must start with us.
An example of peace to follow
A great
example of making peace can be found in the story of Abram (whose name was
later changed to Abraham) and his nephew Lot. The two were traveling together,
but their possessions were too great and their herdsmen began bickering and
fighting over grazing land.
Abram
came to Lot and said: “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and
between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole
land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go
to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left” (Genesis
13:8-9).
Instead
of letting anger build up and shouting accusations, Abram calmly assessed the
situation and made a suggestion, giving Lot the preference. His example shows
that making peace might involve sacrifice of comfort and preference. But God
blessed the results of Abram’s efforts at peace and recorded it as an example
for us.
An example to avoid
The
story of Joab is a potent example of a lack of peace. He was the general of
King David’s army, but became infamous for his ruthlessness and for going above
and beyond the king’s orders in very violent ways. Joab managed to viciously
murder two other military leaders, as well as David’s wayward son Absalom, all
without approval from the king.
In
fact, David eventually gave instructions for Joab to be punished for his
violence. David told his son Solomon: “Moreover you know also what Joab the son
of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of
Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed.
And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt
that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet. Therefore
do according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to the grave
in peace” (1 Kings 2:5-6).
Joab’s
attitude seems to have been completely opposite of peace. He clearly
illustrates how those who “take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew
26:52).
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