DOCTRINE OF PEACE
April 25, 1985
Hebrew, ~Alv' , Shalom. Greek, Eivrh,nh, Eirene
  1. God is a God of peace and actively promotes peace among men (Lk.2:14), as seen in the way He is referred to in Scripture (Judg.6:24; Isa.9:6; Micah.5:5; Rom.l5:33; 1Cor.14:33; Phil.4:9; 2Thess.3:16; Heb.13:20).
    1. The peace of God never exists at the expense of righteousness or truth (Ps.85:10; Jer.33:6; Zech.8:19).
    2. God, who is perfect and does not sin, dictates the terms of peace; man is told to make peace with God (Isa.27:5).
    3. When men refuse to accept God's terms of peace, they suffer the consequences of their rebellion (Isa.55:7; 57:20,21).
    4. We, like God, are to pursue peace with all (Rom.14:19; 1Pet.3:11 Ps.34:14).
  2. There is a Phase 1 peace, also known as reconciliation.
    1. It was foreshadowed by an animal sacrifice known as a peace offering (Lev.3; approximately 86X).
    2. In this category of peace, mankind's sins constituted the enmity between God and man (Eph.2:15; Col.2:14).
    3. The blood of Christ removed the enmity (Eph.2:13-16; Col.1:20).
    4. The peace now offered is through Christ (Rom.5:1).
    5. The gospel is the message of this peace (Eph.6:15).
    6. This peace is for all men (Eph 2:17; Act.10:36).
    7. Believers are to be ambassadors of this peace to unbelievers (2Cor.5:18ff; cp. Isa.52:7).
  3. There is an inner peace or serenity that constitutes a part of the spiritual dynamics of the adjusted believer (Phase 2 peace).
    1. Jesus promised this peace to His disciples (Jn.14:27; 16:33).
    2. This peace results where there is the filling of the Holy Spirit and resident doctrine (Gal.5:22; 2Pet.1:2).
    3. Prayer plays an active role in inner peace (Phil.4:4-7, described as "surpassing all comprehension").
    4. Inner peace is a royal imperative (Col.3:15).
    5. It is for every circumstance of life (2Thess.3:16; Ps.4:8).
    6. But it is only for those who fix their minds on the indwelling Holy Spirit (Rom.8:6).
    7. It is stimulated by believing Bible Doctrine (BD; Rom.15:13), and the more BD you have, the greater your potential for inner peace (Ps.119:165).
    8. It is taught in the Old Testament (Isa.26:3).
    9. It is the product of adjusting to divine discipline (Heb.12:11).
    10. It is associated with dying grace (Gen.15:15; Ex.18:23; 1Kgs.2:6; 2Kgs.22:20; Isa.57:1,2).
    11. It is often associated with happiness (Rom.14:17).
  4. There is an outer or outward peace the believer is to pursue with respect to others (Heb.12:14).
    1. Bible Doctrine ("the wisdom from above") is described as "peaceable" (Jam.3:17), and all its ways promote goodwill among men (Prov.3:17).
    2. We are to pursue it both among ourselves and toward those on the outside (Rom.14:19; 1Thess.5:13; Heb.12:14; 2Cor.13:11; 2Tim.2:22).
    3. There are special blessings for those who promote it, such as:
      1. SG3 (surpassing grace blessings in Phase 3) for peacemakers (Mt.5:9).
      2. A posterity (Ps.37:37).
      3. God causes even your enemies to "pull in their horns" (Prov.16:7).
      4. Even the wild animals will ignore you (Job.5:23; the context is divine discipline; see 17ff).
      5. Peacemakers have happiness (Prov.12:20).
    4. Reversionism does not seek it (Ps.35:20), and does not know its blessings (Isa.48:22; Rom.3:1).
  5. There is a false peace that always leads to a compromise of truth.
    1. At the personal level, this violates the doctrine of separation. Jesus taught this in Mt.10:34-39, where to pursue peace at any price is to not be worthy of Him.
    2. At the national level, pseudo-peace pundits keep the people deceived as to the danger and the means to avert disaster (Jeremiah, the prophet of national destruction, was opposed by a "peace movement" that denied the truth concerning the impending fifth cycle, Jer.6:1; 8:11,15; 14:13-18; 23:16-22).
    3. During these last days, there is a worldwide peace movement that Satan manipulates to blind men concerning the coming wrath. It is designed to promote a pseudo-Millennium (1Thess.5:1-11).
    4. As believers, we must be wise to the propaganda and tactics of the pseudo-peacemakers who:
      1. Preach peace, but evil is in their hearts (Ps.28:3).
      2. Promise lies for surrender (Isa.36:13-20).
      3. Will cry when war comes (Isa.33:7).
    5. The cosmos offers a pseudo inner peace which is built on pleasant circumstances and the details of life, but evaporates when these things are threatened.
  6. There is a period of international peace that will last for 1,000 years in which Christ, the Prince of peace, will rule from Zion over the nations with His saints (Isa.9:4-7; Rev.20:1-6).
    1. His Millennial kingdom will be established after the defeat of His enemies (Rom.1:20; Rev.1:1; Ezek.38,39; Dan.7).
    2. It is a time of no armed conflicts among nations (Isa.2:4; Hos.2:1; Micah.4:2,3; Zech.9:10).
    3. Peace will exist in lower creation (Isa.11:6-9; 65:25).
    4. Israel will dwell in peace in the land (Isa.32:17,18; 55:12; 60:18; 66:12; Ezek.28:26).
    5. Until that time, war will be a regular feature of human existence (Eccl.3:8; Mt.24:6).
    6. Because of the STA (sinful trend of Adam) and the predatory nature of certain nations, all nations should, as a matter of survival, heed Joel.3:10.
  7. Salutations and farewells found in Scripture emphasize various nuances of the word "peace".
    1. The Lord used such a greeting to His disciples when He appeared to them after His resurrection to settle their troubled hearts (Jn.20:19,21; cp. Judg.6:23).
    2. Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, bid him farewell, demonstrating all was well between them (Ex.4:18).
    3. It was used in a general sense as in 1Sam.25:6.
    4. It is used to inquire if there is hostile intent (2Kgs.9:17).
    5. Jesus used the word in an encouraging and Phase 1 context to the woman who anointed Him (Lk.7:50).
    6. When the 70 stayed as guests with others, they were to say "Peace be to this house" (emphasizing divine blessing for hospitality, Lk.10:5,6), but if the host turned out to be antagonistic to peace, their blessing would come back to them.
    7. It is used by those who intend to deceive you (Ps.55:20,21).
    8. It is used as a benediction upon Israel and Jerusalem (Ps.122:6-8; 125:5; 128:6).
    9. Peace is a regular feature of New Testament salutations and benedictions, expressing a legitimate desire on the part of the writers to the listeners.
      1. It comes from God (Rom.1:7; 1Cor.1:3; 1Tim.1:2, et al.).
      2. But it is only for those who line up with sound doctrine (Gal.6:16).
      3. God is with those who are adjusted (Phil.4:9; 2Cor.13:11 "Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you"; 2Thess.3:16 "Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!").
Reviewed: May 5, 1994
Reviewed: April 24, 1996
© Copyright 1998, Maranatha Church, Inc.