You Can Know You Have Eternal Life
#671
Man's Search for Inner Peace (85)
Honorable Citizenship in Jesus Kingdom (7)
by Jim Mettenbrink
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The apostle Paul wrote an encyclical
to the congregations of Galatia (in the Roman province) which
had fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4), tragically losing
their fellowship with God and potentially their eternity in heaven.
Their failing was adding the Old Testament to the New Testament
(Galatians 1:6, 7; 5:1-3). Additionally, he gave
a list of don'ts and dos essential for a Christian to be a faithful
citizen of the kingdom. First he listed sins common to
people which would keep them out of heaven (Galatians 5:19-21).
Then he presented the fruit of the Spirit consisting of
nine qualities (Galatians 5:22-23). We have considered
the first two in the list - love (agape) and joy. The
third is peace.
The film "Outlaw Josey Wales,"
begins at the end of the Civil War with the rounding up of the
confederate soldiers. The senator propounded, "We
have won the war, now we must win the peace." They
disarmed the soldiers, fed them, and then shot them. When
war ends, it is called peace. This is not the peace accorded
as fruit of the Spirit.
Indeed, Jesus rose from the dead,
defeating the enemy of death (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).
He won the war! He is the victor. His victory
was two fold. He paid the penalty of our sins by dying
on the cross (1 John 2:2), and He rose from the grave conquering
death. Thus there is life after death. But that was
not peace. He made a way for peace between God and sinner,
thus giving one who becomes a Christian the victory (1 Corinthians
15:56-57).
Wars are ended with treaties, dictating
the victor's terms. It is called peace because there is
no fighting. Mankind calls it peace. This is not
the peace set forth in the Bible as an aspect of fruit of the
Spirit. The moment the Word was born into the flesh the
angels announced, "Glory
to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Luke 2:14; John 1:1).
God send Jesus to make a way of peace between God and man.
Peace is not only the absence of
hostility, but harmony and fellowship (partnership) between the
Christian and God (1 Corinthians 1:9; 1 John 1:3). Many
claim this peace with God, but not with their fellow man. Selfishness
must be conquered for peace to prevail. True peace requires
Christlike selflessness (1 Corinthians 11:1). This
peace is the harmony, a partnership, between not only God and
citizen of God's kingdom but among citizens in Jesus kingdom
(Christians) (1 John 1:7). This is the essence of
peace which is the fruit of the Spirit.
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