The fruit of the Spirit: Peace
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace … (Galatians 5:22)
Peace is an elusive thing. The world speaks a lot about global peace and peace treaties between nations. But we have world leaders who use words which are anything but peaceful. Peace is missing in many communities, families and the hearts of individuals. Abuse of all kinds, and the sinfulness which mars this world, robs us of peace. Religion generally, and Christendom specifically, has caused terrible wars and waves of persecution. The world, despite all its progress in so many fields, seems as far as ever from enjoying lasting peace.
It was in such a world that the Saviour lived and, on the eve of His suffering its hatred and violence, He says to His disciples, “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” (John 14:27). Only the Prince of peace could speak such words as He went into death to enable us to have peace with God (Romans 5:1). On the cross He turned to the thief to promise He would take him to Paradise (Luke 23:43). The word Paradise is Persian in origin. It referred to the Persian aristocrats’ beautiful walled gardens, which were places of safety, tranquillity and delight. But the Lord was not merely promising Paradise. He promised the redeemed thief he would be with his Lord in Paradise. The peace is not primarily the place, but the Person.
As with all the attributes of the fruit of the Spirit, peace has its source in the Saviour. Paul, in Romans, writes about how we find peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Then he writes in Philippians about how we daily experience the peace of God. “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” (Philippians 4:6-7).
The apostles were not just writing beautiful words, but conveying what they had learned from the Prince of peace. They knew God’s peace in the storms of life. They enjoyed the quietness and contentment that comes from living close to the Lord in all the circumstances of life. That was not always the case. In the Gospels, the disciples feared their boat would sink, and learned that Jesus was able to still the wind and the sea (Mark 4:35-41). On another occasion, Jesus walked on water as the disciples struggled to bring their ship to land. Peter also walked on water, before fear overcame him and he cried out for the Lord to save him. Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught Peter and challenged his little faith. When they got into the boat, the wind ceased (Matthew 14:22-33). As a group of disciples, and as a single disciple, they cried to the Lord and the result was peace. What the Lord taught Peter when his faith was small became a reality when he experienced the Lord’s presence and His peace, before the Sanhedrin, in Herod’s prison and ultimately in his own martyrdom.
But Paul doesn’t only teach us about the peace that passes all understanding. He gives us a pattern of a life of fellowship with Christ through which we learn that the God of peace is with us (Philippians 4:9). One day this world will be ruled by the Prince of peace. In the meantime we are invited to let the peace of God rule in our hearts (Colossians 3:15).
