THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: PEACE

Memorial Drive 6/30/19 THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: Peace Various Texts … THE GOD OF PEACE • He Is Identified As a God of Peace By Direct Statement “God is not a God of confusion but of peace …”. (I Cor. 14:33a) • His “Name-Description” Identifies Him As Such “Now the God of peace, be with you all.” (Rom. 15:33) Rom. 16:20, 2 Cor. 13:11 • That God Is a God of Peace Has Implications ◦ God Is Devoted To Peace But NOT To a Peace At Any Cost! The God who is a God of LOVE is a God of PEACE but He is also a God of JUSTICE “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matt. 10:28) ◦ God IS Devoted To Peace and Has Taken the Initiative! Reconciliation = To bring to peace “… it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made PEACE through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.” (Col. 1:19-20) God’s desire has always been that His people experience in themselves what is true of Him. “For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” (2 Peter 1:4) … THE PEACE OF GOD: Positional (Our “Standing” With God) • We Are Not, By Nature, At Peace With God “... the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Ro. 8:6-8) “Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.” (Eph. 2:3) “… having no hope and without God in the world.” (Eph. 2:12) “For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ …” (Phil. 3:18) • Only God Can Bring Us To Peace With Him Salvation itself is a “fruit” born in us by the Spirit “… who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father … by the sanctifying work of the Spirit … to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and PEACE be yours in the fullest measure.” (I Peter 1:1b-2) Also Luke 1:765-79 ­“For He Himself is our PEACE … And He came and preached PEACE to you who were far away, and PEACE to those who were near; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.” (Eph. 2:14,18) “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have PEACE WITH GOD through our Lord Jesus Christ …” (Rom. 5:1) • We Need To Respond To God’s Call To Be At Peace “… we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (2 Cor. 5:20) … THE PEACE OF GOD: Experiential (What We Can Experience and Live Out) • An INWARD CONDITION of Settledness or Stability of Heart and Mind “Now may the Lord of PEACE Himself continually grant you PEACE in every circumstance …” (2 Thess. 3:16) Also John 14:27, 16:33 “And THE PEACE OF GOD, which surpasses all comprehension, will GUARD your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7) • An OUTWARD CONDITION of Unbroken Relationship With Others “Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in PEACE; and the God of love and PEACE will be with you.” (2 Cor. 13:11) See also Heb. 12:14 “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at PEACE with all men.” (Rom. 12:18) It may not always be possible … The “present, active” form shows that seeking peace isn’t a single action, it’s a pursuit! “So then we pursue the things which make for PEACE and THE BUILDING UP OF ONE ANOTHER.” (Rom. 14:19) See also Ephesians 4:3, 2 Timothy 2:22, 2 Peter 3:14 • An UPWARD Condition of Continued Fellowship With God What should be “the norm” for and is expected of Christians isn’t always practiced! See James 4:1ff What is the source of quarrels and conflicts (lack of peace)? A Christian can be “at peace with God” positionally but not in practice! “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth …” (I John 1:6) … HOW DO WE EXPERIENCE THIS PEACE? • Receive the Gift of Salvation • Keep Your Eyes On The Reality Of Your “Positional” Peace Relationship With God • Cooperate With the Spirit of God • Devote Yourself to Becoming a Student of the Word of God “The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, PRACTICE THESE THINGS, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Phil. 4:9) “Now may the God of HOPE fill you with all JOY and PEACE in believing, so that you will ABOUND IN HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 15:13)