There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2
THE PROMISE OF PEACE
As I sat down to write about peace I was reminded of a moment when one of my best friends was overwhelmed by the reality of God’s grace and the peace that He offers to those who walk in Him.
We were in the middle of an intense discipleship season using a study guide that was walking us through the foundations of faith. Every week we were discovering the depth of God’s love for us through His word.
In one of our times together we were talking about sin and forgiveness. We began to discuss the sin in our lives and the guilt and shame that emerges when we do things that don’t reflect the transforming power of Christ in our lives. As we worked through the study guide together, an illustration caught my friend’s attention. The illustration was based on Romans 8:1-2, and it provided a picture of our new standing in Christ as sons and daughters of the King. We no longer live in condemnation because of our sin, because of the work of Christ on the cross and our relationship with Him. However, God loves us so much that the calls us out [convicts us] with his Spirit when we sin because He knows that walking in Him is the best way to live, and He wants the best for us! Paul celebrated the power and renewal of conviction with the church at Corinth when he wrote, “I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret.” [2 Corinthians 7:9-10] These verses are all about the conviction that leads to repentance in the believers’ life. Godly grief in a believer’s life is driven by the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
As my friend and I continued talking about this spiritual truth He started to smile and said that this insight had changed His perspective on how God relates to Him as a son of the King. We all have times when we forget how God loves us and is always at work in us, even when we make a mess of our lives. [2 Timothy 2:13] The peace that overwhelmed my friend that day is available to all of us through Jesus. Jesus promised His disciples that true peace would be provided through Him and the work of the Holy Spirit, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” [John 14:27]
Do you have this peace that Jesus offers? If you do not know Jesus yet as your personal Savior and want the peace only available through Him please connect with our church [or another local church] to find out more about the peace that is only offered through Jesus.
If you do know Jesus as your personal Savior, and you are struggling with peace in your life, make some time to pursue the peace that is available to you through your relationship with Jesus. First, pray for the truth of God to overwhelm your life in the areas where you need his forgiveness and peace, trusting that He will meet your need for peace that you desperately want in your life. And don’t forget what the apostle John wrote: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” [I John 1:9]
Merry Christmas!
Pastor Chuck
“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” [2 Thessalonians 3:16]