New Jerusalem, Habitation of the God of Peace (6)
We have received peace from the Lord already but this peace needs our cooperation to develop within us toward New Jerusalem, the ultimate environment of peace.
The prior post included pursuing the things of peace. Second Timothy 2:22 is also on pursuing. “Flee youthful lusts, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” A key to pursuing is “with those.” The Christian life is not an individual life. We need encouragement from companions and accountability to them.
The peace we pursue is a fruit of the Spirit in us (Gal. 5:22). We walk in Spirit and set our mind on the things of the spirit (Rom. 8:4-6); peace is a result. “The mind set on the spirit is life and peace.”
When we pursue “by prayer and petition with thanksgiving” then we experience “the peace of God, which surpasses every man’s understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7). This peace is a result of our exercising in prayer and thanksgiving.
Colossians 3:15 exhorts us to “let the peace of Christ arbitrate in your hearts, to which also you were called in one Body; and be thankful.” This peace should be the deciding factor in all our decisions and doings. Again, in everything be thankful to God.
Our pursuing and our letting the peace of Christ arbitrate in us cause the God of peace to gain more ground in our hearts, taking us onward to the eternal peace of New Jerusalem.
Posted by Don on November 10, 2021
