Justification, that is, the forgiveness of sins, as well as the bestowal of the right to eternal life, engenders peace with God. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1).
The Use of the Word “Peace” in Scripture
The word “peace” is used in a great variety of ways in the Word of God. In general it refers to every sort of felicity and prosperity; in a special sense it refers to either civil or spiritual peace. Civil peace refers to the tranquil coexistence of authorities, cities, families, and individuals. Believers are obligated from their side to do everything in their power to prevent disturbance and to promote whatever is subservient to peace. “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Rom 12:18). However, light and darkness, fire and water, life and death, Christ and the devil, and faithful children of God and unbelieving children of the devil, cannot agree to all eternity. Therefore the godly ought not to imagine that they will have much external peace in the world, for the world hates them (John 15:18). The world therefore does whatever it can to arouse hatred against the godly, so that the godly should be prepared to endure tribulation. The Lord Jesus says concerning this, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword” (Matt 10:34). We shall here not discuss this peace, but spiritual peace. This in turn pertains either to believers in their mutual relationship or to God and the conscience. It is the latter we shall discuss here.
Spiritual Peace Defined
Peace between God and the conscience refers to man’s former, present, and future state. In reference to his former state, it pertains to a ceasing from and a laying aside of former enmity. Due to sin there was enmity between God and man (Rom 5:10). Sin made a separation between them both, causing God to hide His countenance from man (Isa 59:2). God hates the sinner and abhors him (Ps 5:5-6); the face of the Lord is against him (Ps 34:16), and His wrath is ready to destroy him (Rom 2:5-6,9). Conversely, man from his side has no desire after God (Job 21:14), does not delight in Him (Job 34:9), and hates God (Rom 1:30). “The carnal mind is enmity against God” (Rom 8:7), and “he runneth upon Him, even on His neck, upon the thick bosses of His bucklers” (Job 15:26).
In this peace the former enmity is taken away; God desists from this, now being reconciled by the blood of His Son, and believers desist from this, now having received another heart by the Holy Spirit. The apostle speaks of this: “For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell; and, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled” (Col 1:19-21).
In reference to both the present and future state, peace consists in fellowship between the believing soul and God, this being characterized by oneness of heart, intimacy, friendliness, and love. There is unity: “… that they also may be one in us” (John 17:21); “My beloved is mine, and I am His” (Song 2:16). There is intimate fellowship: “Nevertheless I am continually with Thee” (Ps 73:23); “… what doth the Lord require of thee … but to walk humbly with thy God?” (Mic 6:8). There is a delightful friendship: “… I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you” (John 15:15); “… he (Abraham) was called the friend of God” (James 2:23). There is fellowship, in a mutual manifestation of love: “And I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God” (Hos 2:23).
The Father loves them: “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee” (Jer 31:3). Believers love God in return: “I will love Thee, O Lord, my strength” (Ps 18:1). The Lord has loving encounters with them: “… Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it” (Isa 38:17). The believer in turn cleaves to the Lord Jesus: “Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her Beloved?” (Song 8:5).
A Triune God: the Cause of this Peace
God is the cause of this peace. Man would have never applied to God for peace, and furthermore, due to sin, it was impossible that he would obtain peace. However, oh wonder of wonders, God Himself begins from His side!
(1) From eternity God has had thoughts of peace toward sinners, and in the Counsel of Peace has ordained the Son to be a Surety to accomplish this peace by Him. He has a peaceful heart and delights in peace; for this reason He is frequently called the God of peace. “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly” (Rom 16:20).
(2) The Son’s entry into the world was accompanied by the holy angels who jubilated, “On earth peace” (Luke 2:14). He reconciles the elect with God by His death. “The chastisement of our peace was upon Him” (Isa 53:5). For this reason He bears the name “Prince of Peace” (Isa 9:6), “Melchizedek, king of Salem,” that is, peace (Heb 7:1-2), and He is called “our peace” (Eph 2:14).
(3) The Holy Spirit brings this peace into the heart of believers: “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Rom 14:17).
In order to make believers partakers of this peace, the Lord uses the gospel as the external means and faith as the internal means. The Lord makes the elect partakers of this peace by bringing them into covenant with Him, which is called a covenant of peace. “… neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed” (Isa 54:10). By means of the gospel He calls and invites men to enter into this covenant, which therefore is called the “gospel of peace.” “… your feet shod with the preparation of peace” (Eph 6:15). The Lord uses men to make this gospel known. He sends them forth as His messengers, putting the word of reconciliation in their mouths (2 Cor 5:19-20). They are called the “messengers of peace”: “… the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly” (Isa 33:7); “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace” (Isa 52:7); “O Zion, that bringest good tidings” (Isa 40:9). By these means, the Lord brings man to faith, and faith, being in exercise, generates peace in the conscience. “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing” (Rom 15:13).
This peace is the portion of believers only. The unconverted and ungodly frequently have a dead and insensitive conscience. They, not being smitten by their conscience, imagine within themselves that all is well before God and that they have peace with God. How rudely they will be awakened, however, and come to the realization that they are children of wrath and never have had peace with God! “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked” (Isa 57:20-21). This peace is a hidden treasure which is kept for the elect only, which the Lord permits His children to taste as often as He deems best. “I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near,” (Isa 57:18-19). “And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it” (Luke 10:6).
All believers are equally partakers of this peace, that is, as far as their state and the veracity of this matter are concerned. The application of this peace, however, varies greatly as far as its sensible enjoyment is concerned. Some enjoy it in a greater measure and others in a lesser measure. Some remain in this peaceful condition for a long period, and so to speak live in it; others experience this peace rarely and it rapidly dissipates.
We shall discuss this peace in its specific manifestations to convince weak believers that the Lord has spoken peace to their souls; to discover to the unconverted that they have no peace; to make everyone delighted with this peace by presenting the desirability of being in such a state; and to stimulate everyone to strive for this condition.