Fruit of the Spirit: Peace

Let us now pick up our investigation of the manifestations of the fruit of the Spirit described by Paul in Galatians 5:22-23 with "peace:"

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control; against such there is no law.

This term is constantly used in the New Testament as a part of both the salutation and the conclusion of letters (Romans 1:7, Romans 15:33, 1 Peter 1:2, 1 Peter 5:14, etc.). Peace is explained as the result of having called upon Christ and being one of His children (Romans 2:10 and Romans 8:6). Peace is also one of the three characteristics of the Kingdom of God listed in Romans 10:17; it is also established in Ephesians 2:11-18 that Christ established our peace by abolishing the Law of Moses through the cross.

Another main use of the term "peace" is in regard to the relationships among brethren. Paul indicates that we must follow that which makes for peace (Romans 14:19), live in peace (2 Corinthians 3:11), and to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:1-3). This peace may be achieved if we follow the advice of Paul in Colossians 3:15:

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful.

It is well-established in the annals of history that when a country is at war with an external enemy, internal schism will often lead to the failure of that war while internal unity and peace facilitates a better outcome. Essentially, we must ask ourselves: if we are at war against ourselves, how will we be able to combat sin and worldliness successfully? How can the members of the church be at odds against one another and yet also combat the sin which so easily besets us? It is imperative that we work diligently for the peace that ought to exist among brethren so that we may all be more successful in our struggle against the powers of darkness.

As we continue our walk with Christ on this earth, we must not neglect the peace which ought to characterize our souls and our relationships with one another. When peace in Christ is present there is no need for worry or concern, since it is His peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7).

We should understand that many awesome burdens have been lifted from our shoulders by Christ, for He has given us a way of escaping from our sins and has pointed us onto the path of righteousness. He is able to take care of us and leave us with no need for worldly concerns which often conquer the lives and thoughts of men. If we truly believe in Christ and His promises, and we are living faithfully to His commandments, why would we not have complete peace? What should we be concerned about?

Peace is another manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit which ought to characterize not only our perspective on our existence but also the way we live with our brethren. We of all people have the right to peace, since our Lord has removed all of our burdens of sin and worry from us. If we feel, as we often do, that there are many concerns, fears, and sins in our lives, then we must take all of these to our Lord in prayer so that we may achieve the peace in Christ Jesus. We must also work diligently for peace among brethren, for this leads to the edification of all and a renewed spirit for continuing the fight against sin and darkness.

This manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit, as with the others, facilitates the demonstration of the other characteristics; for instance, if our souls are at peace we are more likely to be joyful, and if we love as we ought our lives will be full of peace. We must recognize the significant role that peace ought to play in the life of a Christian, as the Lord will be satisfied with us only if He returns to find us in peace. Shall we continue to expend our energies on worries and disagreements that can only distract us from the fight against sin, or shall we strive for the peace and unity that is to be found in truly following Christ Jesus?

And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

Ethan R. Longhenry
evangelist@norwalkchurch.org

The church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio

Thank you for reading the electronic version of our bulletin, Good News for Norwalk. If you live in Norwalk or happen to be traveling in the Norwalk area, we would certainly love to have you visit one of our assemblies!

Our location:

386 North Edgewood Drive (just off US 250 just north of Norwalk's city limits)
Norwalk, Ohio 44857

Our assemblies:

Sunday morning assembly: 10:30am
Sunday evening assembly: 6:00pm

Our Bible studies:

Sunday morning Bible study: 9:30am
Wednesday evening Bible study: 7:00pm

For More Information

If you have any questions or comments about anything you have read here, or desire more information, please contact our evangelist, Ethan Longhenry, at evangelist@norwalkchurch.org.

Please click here to return to the 2008 archive of Good News for Norwalk, or click here to return to the main page of Good News for Norwalk. Thanks!