“Peace Like A River” – Part 2

For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Ephesians 2: 14-18, NKJV.

Gracious God, please have mercy on us, and help us to understand Your Word the way You intended us to understand it. In the blessed name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

The underlining thought in yesterday’s devotional was that of, Christ being the basis, the source, and the example, of our peace. Today, we will look at another dimension of our Scripture. We will see how Christ made peace at every level, and in every experience of our lives. I had intended to get to the theological stance of our Scripture by today. Instead, God took me through another route, to establish, that in every area of the lives of His people, we are to be united in His peace!

Let us begin by identifying what is Paul’s basic argument in his letter to the church at Ephesus. I observed, throughout the entire letter to the Ephesians, Paul’s heartfelt desire that all of God’s people, both Jews and Gentiles, might become one in Jesus Christ. His letter is an appeal for complete, and perfect, unity, within the church of God. He begins by announcing, that the family in heaven and the family on earth, are one (3: 14, 15). Next, he encourages the believers to live as one, as they are being led by one Spirit, called by one Lord, into one faith, and have participated in one baptism (4: 1-6). He reminds them that this oneness has been made possible only through the gift of Christ – His death, burial, and resurrection (10). It is a gift of Grace, and can only be accepted by faith, in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2: 8,9)!

He announces that even the gifts of the church are given with the purpose of bringing us all “to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect [person]” (see 11-16). Now he encourages them to “put away” everything, that would cause separation (4: 25-5: 18). Then he calls for unity among spouses (22-32); among parents and children (6: 1-4); and in the workplace (5-9).

I believe that the clincher in all of this, is the fact that this was God’s eternal purpose, revealed from creation, and now made known “by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places” (3: 8-12). From the beginning a plan was set in place, if sin should enter our world, for God’s Son, Jesus Christ, to come to this planet enveloped by “gross darkness” (Isaiah 60: 1, 2). He would bring us hope by revealing to the inhabitants of earth, the “light” shining from the face of God. He would then establish His church upon Himself – the Rock – upon His sacrifice on our behalf. He promised that not even “the gates of hell” would “prevail against it” (Matthew 16: 18).

This has always been God’s plan – that peace like a river – should run uninterrupted, through the lives of His people, and His church! This is possible through faith in Jesus Christ!

We will continue