Romans 5:1: Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
God gave us peace with himself through the blood of the cross. The objective fact of that peace makes possible the inner subjective experience of peace with God. Whereas previously it was utterly impossible to experience true inner peace because God was not at peace with us, it is now ours because the Prince of Peace reigns in our hearts. That is why at the birth of Christ the angels chorused, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14). 1
I will never forget my first experience with peace. I was twelve and a half years old, and for about four months I had been sitting under the preaching of the gospel, hearing it clearly for the first time in my life. I came to a deep conviction of sin, and I met Jesus Christ. I can tell you without the slightest hyperbole or exaggeration that when I met him, the sky literally seemed to be bluer and the grass greener, and a great weight was lifted off my shoulders. For the first time in my life I knew the peace of God, and it was unlike any other peace I had ever known. 2
Application
- What is the difference between the peace of God and the peace with God?
- What is the only true remedy for world peace? When will it happen?
Prayer
Lord, thank You for Your grace. It opened the doorway for salvation and peace. The more that I experience Your grace, the more that I experience your peace.
1. Hughes, R. K. (1991). Romans: righteousness from heaven. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
2. Hughes, R. K. (1991). Romans: righteousness from heaven. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.