Posted: 05/07/2016 at 5:39am | IP Logged

In our gentile understanding, peace means: to join, one, set at one again. The Jews understood many more of the implications of peace than we do because they had a much richer word for peace—“shalom.” Shalom is the environment of God’s kingdom in which His new covenant community of people thrive. This shalom comes to us because God makes us right with Himself and incubates inner peace, peace with one another and to an extent with His creation (Mar 4:39). Thus peaceful harmonious fellowship and wellbeing in the community of the King flows from God our Father. By the blood of the Lamb, He has made us holy from the inside out and by His Spirit, He enables us to relate according to His righteousness, in the shalom mode. Those of the Hebraic culture use shalom as a good way to say hello and good-bye. Shalom!

In the kingdom, each of us is free to minister shalom to our brothers and sisters in the Lord, to the hurting, and to God’s creation. We can bless one another with shalom just as Paul often did in his letters. “May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and give you peace/shalom” (Eph 1:2 AAT).

God is the God of peace

The God of peace established the eternal covenant. Paul writes many blessings in his letters to those who follow Jesus. The following blessing is a wonderful blessing we can speak or write to our spouse, our children, our extended family and one another.

Now may the God of peace, who by the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good to do his will, accomplishing in us what pleases him through Jesus, the Messiah. To him be glory forever and ever! Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21 ISV

Peace made by the blood of Jesus on His cross

God our Father has blessed us by lavishing the riches of His grace upon us in His dear Son and giving us shalom. He has reconciled us, joined us, and made us one, set us at one again in Messiah Jesus, thus giving us the blessing of shalom. Through this peace, Messiah Jesus enables us to relate in harmony with God our Father, His people, and to an extent, His creation.

…Thank the Father, who made you fit to share everything the holy people/saints have in the light.

He rescued us from the tyranny of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, who paid the ransom to forgive our sins and set us free. He is the image of the invisible God, born before and above everything created, since in Him was created everything you can see and cannot see in heaven and on earth – thrones, lords, rulers, or powers – everything was created by Him and for Him. He was before everything, and He holds everything together. He is the Head of the church, which is His body. He is the Beginning, the first among the dead to become alive that He may be first in everything. God decided to have His whole being live in Him and by Him to reconcile to Himself everything on earth and in heaven in a peace made by the blood on His cross. Colossians 1:12-20 AAT

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: Romans 5:1 KJV

The wisdom that comes from heaven is peace-loving

The wisdom that comes from heaven starkly contrasts with the wisdom which is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. We, who follow Jesus show our understanding by our good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. That makes for shalom in the community of the king.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:13-18 ISV

Peace comes forth as we walk in the Spirit

There is a huge difference between being led of the Spirit and walking to fulfill the lust of the flesh. Paul urges us to walk in the Spirit in contrast to the ways of the world, the works of the flesh.

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Galatians 5:16-24 KJV

One another relationships in the shalom of the kingdom

We thrive in shalom relationships that are described by words derived from the Greek words, koinonia, koinoneo and koinonos. Koinonia is translated as communion, community, communication, distribution, fellowship, and partnership. Our actions are identified with koinoneo, translated as share, communicating and distributing and is closely related to koinonos meaning a companion, partner and partaker. Those are the share words of shalom in the kingdom. Beloved, let us love God and one another and thrive in shalom. In the community of the King, we share with one another partakers as we let the shalom of Christ rule in our hearts.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:12-17 ISV

Seek peace and pursue it

Let us be turned from evil and do good; searching for peace and going after it with all our hearts.

To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

For,
“THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS,
MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT.

           “HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD;
HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT.

           “FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS,
AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER,
BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL.”*

Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. 1 Peter 3:8-17 NASB *Psalm 34:12-16

Blessed are the peacemakers

Those who let the peace of Christ rule in their hearts are peacemakers. They have perfect peace.”You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal” (Isaiah 26:3-4 NIV). Peacemakers focus on what is right and attempt to live in peace with all people. “Do not pay anyone back evil for evil, but focus your thoughts on what is right in the sight of all people. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live in peace with all people” (Ro 12:17-18 ISV). They, “… pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace together with those who call on the Lord with a pure hear” (2 Tim 2:22 ISV). They shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Matthew 5:9 KJV