PEACE, PERFECT PEACE
‘And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called.’
Colossians 3:15 (R.V.)
If we speak negatively of the peace that men desire we get a better understanding of what is meant—no strife, no bitterness, no fret, no fear, no folly. Is not that the blessing which you long for—to get out of these terrible failures, follies, and falls that have been marring your past? Then come into the peace of Christ, wherein you shall be kept by the power of God, and let it rule in your hearts.
I. What is meant by the peace of Christ?—It means that peace which He is (Ephesians 2:14); that peace which He made by the blood of the Cross (Ephesians 2:15); that peace which He came to preach (Ephesians 2:17); that peace of which He said, ‘My peace I give unto you (John 14:27); that perfect, uninterrupted peace which He Himself enjoyed all through a life of the greatest struggle, through peril and difficulty and opposition—the peace of Christ. This peace is something far above our natural reach. It is impossible for any one to attain to it by any effort, struggle, labour, or personal work; we are simply ‘called’ by God the Holy Ghost to let it rule. When it seems too magnificent to be possible we are to force our hearts to a realisation of the possibility by saying, ‘to the which also ye are called.’ We are called to it, therefore it must be possible.
We are called to ‘let the peace of Christ rule.’
II. This word ‘rule’ is a remarkable word.—It means to hold lawful authority, to exercise absolute force, so that authority and force are combined in the idea of actual power, which is to govern and hold sway over every faculty. The peace of Christ is to have lawful authority, is to exercise actual force, is to govern every detail of your life and your being—your heart, your mind, your soul, your spirit, your body. The peace of Christ is to rule in our hearts.
III. Have you ever taken time to consider what happens if the peace of Christ rules in a heart? There comes:—
(a) Peace in regard to sin (Romans 5:1).
(b) Peace in regard to God (Isaiah 26:3).
(c) Peace in relation to the world—business, home, and family troubles.
—Rev. Prebendary Webb-Peploe.
Illustration
‘ “As far as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men,” says St. Paul. Men and women often say, “I have tried my best, and I really must quarrel with him, for he is so provoking.” A lady came to me one day in great grief and anxiety about her soul; she wished very earnestly, she said, to be a Christian. I began questioning her to find out where the failure lay, and at last I learned that she was fretful and fidgety and was constantly losing her temper at home. I began to show her that to be fretful and angry was as bad as to be cursing another, and that to let her anger rise against God or man was in a sense to be guilty of murder. She looked at me and said, “Oh, Mr. Webb-Peploe, I do assure you that there is no fault whatever in my case, because I never, never lose my temper unless I am provoked—never.” No, and I do not think the devil does! Let us remember this: that to lose our temper when we are provoked shows that we are out of communion with our blessed Lord, and if the peace of Christ ruled in our hearts we could never again be provoked.’
(SECOND OUTLINE)
SAFEGUARDS OF PEACE
What is it that the Apostle is bidding us do? One instant’s thought will show us plainly what are the two great hindrances to our peace. The Apostle is bidding us remove them.
I. Listen for God’s voice.—‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him.’ Do you ever make one earnest effort to keep silence in your heart for a moment that you may ‘hear His voice’? Do you ever truly and sincerely mean to listen for it, and expect to hear it? Is there one half-hour in all your common day which you give to calm self-recollection and thought of Him, that the peace of Christ may enter through the ‘open door,’ and take free and full possession of your being? Is it not true that from your waking hour in the morning to the closing of your eyes at night, there has been but one long succession of thoughts which only chance has guided, which you have made no effort to control? They who are content to live by chance must bid farewell for ever to the peace of God.
II. Watch against the first sign of rebellious thought.—‘Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation.’ We can discern the face of the sky and of the earth. We know how often a sudden gust, a little cloud, are the heralds of a deepening gloom, in which the heavens are black with clouds and rain. And are we so blind as not to discern the signs of coming temptation? A thought of envy, an uncharitable desire, a gust of irritation, a little cloud of a rebellious wish, has raised itself to vex and disturb the soul. We might have seen it in its beginning and crushed it, and the clear blue sky of our peace would have continued undisturbed. But we let it pass unnoticed, we never thought of being on our guard, and it strengthened and increased, and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon our habitation, and it fell. If we had let peace rule; if we had been watching round the throne of our King, and kept ourselves within hearing of His voice, the wild confusion of the spirit would have been a calm, and all the fierceness of the storm but a soft and gentle breeze.
These, then, are the two safeguards of the kingdom of our peace—to listen humbly for the voice of God within—to be suspicious of the first sign of a rebellious thought. Then alone will the peace of God suffice to bring every thought into captivity to itself.
Illustration
‘There is a peace which is not of God. There is a voice which whispers peace, peace, when there is no peace. It is the peace of this world—peace according to our common thoughts of peace: when the outer life brings nothing to harass or to vex the soul, and within there is slumber undisturbed—where there is no war being waged, no battle being fought, no watch and ward being kept over the thoughts of the heart, the words of the lips, the deeds of the hand; a stillness in which no pulse of the life of God is stirring; where habit and custom are silently moulding the unresisting character; and the soul, wrapped ever more closely in its mantle of indifference and sloth, is gliding smoothly and easily through this mortal life, to be startled at last into wakefulness by the sudden sunshine of the everlasting day. It is the peace of those who have no changes, and therefore fear not God. They who live in the light of Eternity give to it the name of death. For peace such as this no throne is set.’
(THIRD OUTLINE)
THE RULE OF PEACE
Let us trace a little how ‘peace’ rules in the heart.
I. In everything you will put ‘peace’ above pleasure.—When anything is presented to you, you will not so much ask, ‘Will it give me pleasure?’ as ‘Will it give me peace?’ This is a safe and good rule for life. Always place ‘peace’ first. Give it the preference. You will never regret a choice which makes peace of mind the determining principle. For pleasure is on the surface; ‘peace’ is deep. Pleasure passes away; ‘peace’ stays. Pleasure excites; ‘peace’ calms. Pleasure palls; ‘peace’ grows. Pleasure reacts to indolence; ‘peace’ makes action. Pleasure is human; ‘peace’ is Divine. Pleasure may be of man; ‘peace’ is always from God.
II. ‘Peace’ is the keeper of the soul.—It is one of St. Paul’s loving words to the Philippians—‘And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ There is a sense in which we keep peace; but in a much higher sense ‘peace’ keeps us. And unquestionably it is a fact. ‘Peace’—a tranquil mind—the quiet of true religion—a heart right with God, and with its own conscience, is a wonderful guard. Give ‘peace’ the charge. Make it garrison your heart. Look to ‘peace’ to ‘keep’ it. It will be a blessed ‘rule’—for nothing ‘keeps’ as ‘ peace’ ‘keeps.’
III. Let ‘peace’ settle all the quarrels.—Give it back its own privilege and its own right. The expression of the text is literal. Let ‘peace’ be the arbiter of the empire in your hearts. Let it make the decision. Remember how you got your ‘peace.’ It was the Injured One Who began.
Illustration
‘You, who are the subjects of “peace,” do all that in you lies—in these critical days—to preserve “peace” among the nations. Oh! that it might be the motto on the banner of every country in Europe. Oh! that it might be the guide to every congress and every council of nations. “Let peace rule!” ’