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     At the very end of Jesus’ speech (John 13:31-16:33) to His disciples on the eve before He was crucified, He said “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (v33).  Part of His speech was how the world would hate His disciples (John 15:18-25).  Their fellow Jewish countrymen would expel them from the synagogues and even kill them (John 16:1-3).  Luke recorded this murderous hate in the book of Acts (7:54-8:1-3; 9:1, 2).  Yet, Jesus said to the disciples on that fateful eve, they would have “peace” (v33).  Such pursuit to kill a disciple of Jesus does not sound like peace, at least as we understand peace.  So, what did Jesus mean by peace?

     Paul referred to those who “...preach the gospel of peace” (Romans 10:15).  The apostle Paul wrote Jesus “...made peace through the blood of His cross” (Colossians 1:20).  With whom did He make peace?  “...we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).  “...God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.  For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Romans 5:8-10).  Peace with God!

     Note, Jesus said this peace was “in Him” (John 16:33).  Paul informed, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).  Writing of his sacrifice and commitment to Jesus, Paul wrote, “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.  Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith” (Philippians 3:7-9).  “In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism…” (Colossians 2:11-12).

     “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” (Romans 6:3).  “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27).  Two verses inform us the forgiveness of sins is first granted to a person responding with trust in Jesus in baptism is mentioned in two verses (Acts 2:38; 22:16).  Similarly, only two verses refer to getting “into Christ” via baptism (Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27).  Both forgiveness of sins and getting into Christ occur in the one baptism, prompted by complete trust and submission to Jesus.

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