Peace With God and God’s Peace

Having peace with a person requires that there be two people—namely, myself and the person with whom I have peace. To a certain degree, the rich man could have peace with Lazarus because Lazarus got the crumbs that fell from his table. However, he did not have Lazarus’ peace.

A master has peace with his servant and the servant has peace with his master as long as each remains in their appropriate place. This is the peace the world gives. Everyone minds their own business, and no one violates their neighbor’s rights, because if that happens, the peace quickly disappears.

People also have a similar peace with God. You often hear people testify about their peace with God and how wonderful everything is, but before long, you hear that their peace has disappeared. A cloud has come between them and God because they haven’t been living the way they ought, etc.

Therefore, we need something more, something that cuts deeper, something that can last. Jesus met that need when He said, “My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27.

God has baptized us with His Holy Spirit to make us one body with Christ. His peace is our peace; His righteousness is our righteousness; His life is our life. We are no longer two, but one, because He Himself is our peace, who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of separation. Eph. 2:14. Now we not only have peace with God, but we have God’s peace. And that is unfathomably greater. Peace with God preserves us, but when the peace of God rules in our hearts, it makes us triumphant. Col. 3:15. God has given us an active peace—God’s peace.