Jesus said:
Peace I
leave with you, 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.
(Joh 14:27 NKJV).
Vine’s New
Testament Dictionary says this word translated “peace” can mean: “harmonious relationships between men,
between nations, friendliness, freedom from molestation, the harmonized
relationships between God and man, accomplished through the gospel and the
sense of rest and contentment consequent thereon,” among other things.[1]
The apostle
Paul gave the Philippian believers this injunction:
Be anxious
for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,
let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which
surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ
Jesus.
(Php. 4:6-7
NKJV)
Adam Clarke
points out that this peace results from “that harmonizing of all passions and
appetites which is produced by the Holy Spirit, and arises from a sense of
pardon and the favor of God.”[2]
Righteousness
produces peace with God which in turn produces peace within ourselves. There is a great contentment that comes from
knowing we are walking in fellowship with our creator. There is no more conflict with our
conscience, there is a remarkable absence of guilt and shame, and, the fear of
judgment is removed.
The person
in right standing with God has a clearer mind.
Their vision of themselves and the world around them comes more into
focus. A sense of purpose and destiny
arises which in turn has the effect of producing a calmness in one’s inner
being. Confusion and anxiety are
expelled and hope and faith take their place.
When Jesus
said to the disciples “My peace I leave with you” what kind of peace did He
have that He could impart to them? The
Savior knew that He was in right standing with His Father and He was passing on
that kind of peace to His followers.
God’s peace is imparted to us through this wonderful thing we call
righteousness.
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