THE subject of peace shall occupy us on a few occasions. It is a difficult one, and partly so because we are apt to view it simply in the light of our experience of it, instead of in the light of the truth of the word of God. Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and a peaceful frame of mind, must be distinguished from each other as we study this subject. Both will come before us; and the way to obtain each is presented to us in the Scriptures.
Peace with God demands in the very first instance a firm foundation―a foundation approved of God―for we are speaking of peace with God; a peaceful frame of mind built upon a sandy bottom will end in ruin and despair. We must get down to the rock before we dare begin to build, else when the floods come, our superstructure will surely be swept away.
Before we begin to consider our peace with God, let us look at Col. 1:1919For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; (Colossians 1:19), which gives the great truth of God having made peace. “For it was the good pleasure,” or “for it pleased, that all fullness should dwell in Him; and having made peace through the blood of His cross, through Him to reconcile all things unto Himself, through Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”
The pleasure of the Godhead that all the fullness should dwell in Jesus Christ our Lord, is the first great truth we should consider. By Him all things were made, and by Him all things subsist, and through Him God, who hates sin, will reconcile all things in the heavens and upon earth to Himself. But upon what basis? ―for this is the immediate subject before us―since as God hates sin, there must be a foundation according to His own righteous requirements upon which all this blessing is to be built. God does not reconcile all things to Himself on any other ground than that of putting entirely away from His sight the evil He abhors. The blood of His cross is this foundation.
Note now the words “having made.” A past and perfect work, a foundation laid 1800 years ago, and fixed immovable for all eternity, is before us. “Having made peace’ does not allow the idea of making peace now, or in the future. God will bring about this blessing of all things in the heavens and on earth on the ground of the blood Jesus shed on Calvary.
Mark, again, how explicit the Scriptures are, for this peace was made by one precise means: not through the life, nor through the resurrection, nor through the ascension, but through the blood of Jesus. Add not to, nor diminish from, this sacred truth. And further, through the blood shed on one particular occasion―even on His cross. Most closely are we shut up by God to the blood of the cross of Christ for this peace God has made. In the sentences just considered “we” are not mentioned. God and Christ are the wondrous actors or parties. Let us seek to disengage ourselves from our thoughts about ourselves as we consider this question. God’s nature is contrary to sin; He hates sin in itself; He is wroth against it. The verse before us shows us God in the holiness of His being, having made peace through the blood of the cross of His Son as to the sin He hates. The majesty, the glory of God, in reference to sin are magnified by the blood shed by Christ upon the cross.
The glory of God having been shown to us, magnified in relation to sin, we, sinners by nature, are spoken of: “And you that were sometime alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled.” Hath He reconciled. This is present blessing. Blessing for today. Now, at this moment, we who believe are reconciled to God. The things in the heavens and on earth will be reconciled by and by; we who believe are reconciled now.
Yet see how precise the Holy Spirit of God is on this great matter; we are reconciled “in the body of His flesh, through death.”
Not in the body of His flesh through incarnation, but in the body of His flesh through death. By the death of our Lord Jesus, God made the end in His sight to all that we are in ourselves by nature. He put away all that which is contrary to Himself, and has brought us into His friendship. It is God’s doing, not our own. And God has wrought the work according to His own thoughts and requirements.
We need to cling fast to the preciousness of the death of Christ. Satan would try all kinds of ways to loosen our hold of the blessing which is ours through Christ’s death. Cling to its preciousness, young friends, and to Him who lives to bless you.
“Our peace with God, because He has justified us,” will be our subject next time.