Myth #9 - "I Don't Have Peace About..."
- Is. 48:22 “There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked.”
- Is. 57:21 “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.”
- Rom. 5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”
As with other characteristics of the Christian life, “peace” has become a misused catchphrase to seem more spiritual and to cover up sins like apathy and lying. However, people are harmed with its abuse. As with everything else in the “Are You ‘More Noble’?” series (and of course, life), let us choose the path of nobleness (Acts 17:11) and address this issue with Scripture (Ps. 119:105).
A few issues come up:
#1 – “I don’t have peace…” is a misuse of how peace is used in Scripture. Like you can see in our texts, God uses “peace” in connection with our relationship and standing with Himself (also Eph. 2:14, Col. 1:20) and with others (Mk. 9:50, Rom. 14:19). However, mankind uses “peace” concerning everything else around us: war, feelings, finances, circumstances, etc…. God constantly warned Israel that false prophets and preachers would use this to draw them in and seduce them with false promises and teachings.
- Jer. 6:14 “They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.”
- Jer. 8:11 “For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.”
- Eze. 13:10 “Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter:”
The Antichrist will use the same method of abusing and misusing peace which beguiles so many. (Dan. 8:25, 11:21, 23-24)
#2 – Christians misuse “peace” as a kind-of 6th sense or emotion of the Spirit. However, we have already noticed in, “Myth #5 – ‘God/the Spirit told me to [sin].’” that God’s Spirit does not “speak of himself” (Jn. 16:13). The Holy Spirit always points us to what God has said in His Word. Believers are to use facts, not emotions, and Scripture, not supposition.
For example, right before posting this, we held a revival in CA where after the service the pastor conversed with an older man he had led to the Lord. The older man had just come out of the Catholic religion, and he was having doubts about his salvation. The pastor included me in his conversation with the older gentlemen and related to me how the man said “he did not have peace” concerning his salvation. I briefly told the older gentlemen about this article that I was about to post and the perfect timing of his issue. I then revealed that his issue was simple. “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (I John 5:12) Peace is not a feeling. Peace is a permanent characteristic of God that every child of God can have as seen in our text, Rom. 5:1, and “the fruit of the Spirit”. (Gal. 5:22) As a certain bumper sticker has stated, “Know Jesus, know peace. No Jesus, no peace.” The older man understood what was stated, and he received assurance of his salvation.
#3 – If you are right with God and others (the proper use of “peace” in the Bible as seen in #1), you will always “have peace.” If you are not right with God, you will not “have peace”. Saying “I don’t have peace…” is actually a condemnation of your spiritual state, not a commendation of your spirituality.
- Rom. 8:6 “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
#4 – When you “don’t have peace” with others, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” (Rom. 12:18)
- Mk. 9:50 “Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.”
- Rom. 14:19 “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.”
- Heb. 12:14 “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:”
#5 – If you “don’t have peace” with circumstances, God’s Son and God’s Word (one and the same) was/is given that you might have peace. Abide in Jesus and His Word.
- Jn. 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
#6 – Finally, when you say, “I don’t have peace…” concerning a situation without concrete proof and Scripture, you put others and yourself in an impossible position. If there are clear concerns that need to be addressed, then spell them out. (Mt. 5:23-24) Ambiguity doesn’t help nor fix. For instance, I was once told that our family couldn’t be accepted into the membership of a church because the pastor “did not have peace” with our joining. At the same time, the pastor told us that everything was fine on our end, and he praised us with statements like, “You have a joyful family with high standards that brings life to our church.”, etc…. The pastor also asked other preachers, and he only received high praise for us. However, my family was told to wait until God “gave peace” about the matter. Months went by with no change. Why? Because God doesn’t give a fickle, ever-changing peace. Relying upon inconsistent, ever-deceitful emotions under the pretense of “peace” harms those around us. Rules and God’s law must be followed, not mere feelings. In this example, church rules and God’s Word should have been followed concerning how a prospective member/evangelist should be accepted into a church. Making up or changing rules on the fly based upon an ambiguous “peace” will only cause confusion and pain as it did with us and our ministry.
(This article is from the “Are You ‘More Noble’?” series.)