p. 6 | THE PEACE OF GOD by A. J. Morton

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 26, 1896

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 47.

"THE PEACE OF GOD."

By A. J. Morton

BY A. J. MORTON.

THE peace which comes from a knowledge that God for Christ's sake has forgiven us our sins, and has placed his own righteousness upon us, is worth more to us than all the world beside. This is the peace which the world can neither give nor take away. John 16:22. It is not given as the world gives. Chap. 14:27. The world gives only that for which it has received an equivalent. But the Lord gives the "wine and milk" of his peace to the believer "without money and without price." Isa. 55:1. Read also the rest of the chapter.

Those who forsake their wicked ways and thoughts, and return unto the Lord, shall receive an abundant pardon (verse 7), and "be led forth with peace" (verse 12).

The Lord's cry is, "Peace, peace to him that is afar off and to him that is near." Isa. 57:19. He asks: "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? . . . and not that he should return from his ways and live?" Eze. 18:23. He gives the answer to this question himself in verse 32: "For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God, wherefore turn yourselves and live ye." Again, in Eze. 33:11, the Lord repeats this thought in more emphatic terms: "Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?"

If only we knew God as he is here revealed in his tender compassion, calling out to erring man to turn from evil and live, our love for him and peace in him would know no bounds. "Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace." Job 22:21. "Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. 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 [never absent or wanting]." Isa. 48:17, 18. All who do thus acquaint themselves with God, will find that his very nature is peace. But the Lord says again (Isa. 57:20, 21): "But the wicked are like the troubled [or stormy] sea, when it can not rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." The reason for this will be apparent when we turn to the Saviour's words in Matt. 12:43-45. The first idea is that of the unclean spirit going out of a man. It would be impossible for that which had never been in a man to go out of him. Satan, therefore, dwells in men's hearts by nature, having been admitted there by the fall of our first parents. While in their hearts he is leading mankind to think evil thoughts and crystallize them into action. Read Eph. 2:1-3; Matt. 12:34, 35; Mark 7:21-23; Gal. 5:19-21. The thought comes first, as the seed of evil; and, when retained, the action follows as a natural outgrowth. This is the philosophy of all action; the thought first, the action next.

Satan works along that line with men, and thus rules in the unregenerate heart, taking peace from the life. But Christ's work is to cast the devil from the heart, and bring the peace of God into the life. How can this be done but by sending his Spirit, which has no concord with Belial, into the heart of the believer? Gal. 4:6. Then it is that the unclean spirit goes out of a man.

The Spirit of Christ carries the power or strength of God. Compare 1 Cor. 6:14 with Rom. 8:11, and read Eph. 3:16, etc. Therefore the Lord says to the repentant sinner, "Let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me." Isa. 27:5. In his desire that man should cease his rebellion and be at peace with his Maker, God offers him his strength, with which to accomplish the change, and promises distinctly that the peace shall be made in this way.

The presence of the enemy in the heart is that which takes away the peace. When the believer takes hold of God's strength by faith, the unclean spirit goes "out of a man," as from a house, leaving the heart's temple purified—"swept and garnished." Matt. 12:43, 44. "The righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe," has been applied to the heart, and it is clean. Rom. 3:22. The result is peace with God. Rom. 5:1, 5.

But how may this peace be retained? In Isa. 26:3, we read, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee." To stay in any place is to remain there. So to have our minds stayed on God is to keep our thoughts with God continually. The enemy will come back to the house whence he was cast out, and will strive, by suggesting evil thoughts, to regain an entrance there. Keep the mind stayed on God. Give no place to the evil thought, and its father will find no foothold in your heart. The Spirit of God will repulse his attack. It is only when we take our minds off from God, and yield them to Satan again, that he re-enters the heart and makes the last state of man worse than the first. Then keep the mind stayed on God, and God will keep you; for he has promised it.

"Be careful [or anxious] for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do; and the God of peace shall be with you." Phil. 4:6-9. May it be so with the reader and writer.

Fresno, Cal.