PEACE by J. E. Evans

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 11, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 10.

PEACE

By J. E. Evans

“Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace; thereby good shall come unto thee.” Job 22:21. To be acquainted with God is to be at peace with him; and to be unacquainted with him is to be a stranger to the one thing necessary to bring about a peaceful condition. “There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.” Isa. 48:22. “The Lord will bless his people with peace.” Ps. 29:11. The blessing of peace is the knowledge of sins forgiven; and to all who are willing to acknowledge their sins he says: “Only acknowledge thine iniquity.” “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins, and their iniquities will I remember no more.” Why, then, should any one be deprived of that peace of mind assured to all who will believe? This was decreed in the councils of God and his Son at the beginning. Zech. 6:13.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jer. 29:11. We must expect what God has promised his children. This is faith. A peaceful life is not enjoyed by any who trust alone in that which is human or temporal. We are rescued from the power of sin, and the consequent unrest, by a confiding trust in Him who is the author and unfailing source of all peace. “Or let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me.” Isa. 27:5. Christ is the “Prince of Peace.” It is in him that “righteousness and peace have kissed each other,” and there alone can we find the peace thus expressed; “for he is our peace.” Eph. 2:14. All whose minds are stayed upon him are kept in perfect peace. “My peace I leave with you.” But we are so slow to learn the things which belong to our peace.

Conditions of Peace.

The enjoyment of peace, like all the promises of God, is realized only in Christ. He is our righteousness, “and the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.” “For thus saith the Lord God, . . . In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness, and in confidence shall be your strength.” Isa. 30:15. “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Rom. 5:1.

Another requisite to the enjoyment of peace is thus given: “O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.” Isa. 48:18. “Great peace have they which love thy law; and nothing shall offend them.” Ps. 119:165. “But glory, honor, and peace, to every man that worketh good.” Rom. 2:10. Cheerful obedience to the law of God must be rendered by all who desire the peace of God to rule in their hearts; yet our own good deeds alone can never bring about peace of mind. The blessing of peace is experienced as a result of a condition, not merited by our good works, but such works are the natural fruit of a will thus surrendered, and a mind thus committed.

The Counterfeit.

By carefully studying the Word of God and the popular religion of to-day, it will be observed that the work of the Spirit of God is counterfeited. The character of the false is detected by a knowledge of the true, and none need, therefore, be deceived. The cry of “peace and safety” is a signal of danger. 1 Thess. 5:3. Peace is a blessing experienced individually, independent of surrounding circumstances, and can not be expected to reign on the earth until the lives of all are thus adorned. Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; I came not to send peace, but a sword.” Matt. 10:34.

By our outward conformity to the world and the traditions of men, a semblance of peace is preserved; but such is of this world, and never can satisfy the longings of the soul which is reaching out after God. It is false, and, to all who hope in it, never can bring anything but disappointment and ruin. The Word of God has warned us against such peace, and has given us a description of its nature and workings in the papal system which so long ruled the world. “He shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many. He shall also stand up against the Prince of princes.” Dan. 8:25. This is a man-made peace, and is not the “work of righteousness.” The

song of the angels at the birth of the Saviour was, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased.” Luke 2:13, R. V.

J. E. EVANS.