Peace

Therefore being justified by faith. Paul declares you have peace you do not grow into peace with God you don't think of you Bible studies and get a little bit more each.

Not a continuous process. It is something that you are given as a gift of God on the heels of that moment when you said to him, something like God I am the center and I must be say save me at that moment and it is never taken away. You are given the gift of peace. The enmity is done away in Christ. So, wrapping the perfect gifts we all enjoy getting and receiving gifts. It's one of the special ways that we demonstrate our love for each other.

This series is about six special gifts that God and God alone can give today were looking at the gift of peace mankind has consistently failed to achieve peace, but with God. The stakes are much higher, but offers in order to learn about that right now, Webster defined the word peace as the condition that exists when nations are no longer at war, he said, peace is the ending of a state of war. That's a good definition.

In fact, that definition is never been fully experienced on planet Earth, one author wrote that the only time mankind has any pieces when both sides stop and reload following World War I, the world was so shocked this modern world of the carnage and the bloodshed that they formed in 1919, the league of Nations determined that this would not happen again.

They failed and they could not contain adult Hitler and he brought the world the war again and after World War II during the 30s.

The United Nations was established to keep this thing from happening again. But it is been unable to maintain international peace as well. Even today, if you look at the headlines as I did yesterday. You hear the rumblings of war you hear the intimidation of North Korea and its buildup of nuclear weapons. You hear the rumbling of things as they depart, even North Carolina, as it were to fight again with Iraq. Was it any different in the apostle Paul's day would be easier for him to say or speak of peace and for us know his were long for peace to in fact their hearts and sword with hope when Caesar Augustus had instituted the Pax Romana, the piece of Rome back when Paul was writing the letter to the Roman believers living in Italy. The Pax Romana was about 90 years old, but it too would end in bloodshed as one emperor after another would kill off their rivals in battles would fight within their borders go all the way back to God speaking through Jeremiah and before him, and up to this day, and beyond. This day and it's true, as he said man may say please please.

But there is no peace. I think it is incredibly ironic that the same emperor. The same Caesar who created the Pax Romana was the same Caesar, who demanded a worldwide senses that forced the young couple named Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem to register in their under the orders of justice who had earlier instituted the altar of peace and the sacrifices of peace for the piece of Rome. There Mary would deliver the true friends of peace in the very first song related to that birth. When he was born where the angels sang glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, that peace would come to those with whom God is please look to 14. The world has never been able to achieve it and God just announced it.

The world can get it. Only God can give it. Those who believe in the Prince of peace are given the perfect gift of peace.

In fact, there are several gifts that are given by the father to those who trust in his son.

We have arrived in Romans chapter 5 in the very first gift that Paul will reveal to us as we begin to study this great chapter is the gift of peace. Would you notice in your Bibles. Let's begin in chapter 5, Romans chapter 5 verse one. Therefore, stop and I promise working to cover more than one word to David by now you remember that whenever you see the word therefore you should stop and know why or what it is. There for this is the fifth. Therefore, in Paul's letter each time he has used it to summarize all of the great truth. Up to that point and he is now moving to another logical step in his great inspired declaration of man's ruin in God's remedy any he builds on these things and you know he's about to start a new layer when he uses the word therefore in chapters 1 through three. Explain mankind sinful hard to remember. Chapter 4 illustrated salvation as a matter of grace. Paul is not finished he doesn't want to just explain the background of justification. He doesn't just want to explore some biography of justification in Abraham. He wants us to examine the blessing of justification. So in chapter 5 he begins by writing. Therefore, in other words, on the basis of what I just explained on the basis of what we've just explored.

There is now something for us to experience. Therefore, having been justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, we could say a lot about the subject. Fact I thought of having another point in my sermon on the fact that peace is friendship and I didn't put it in yet. We've just been singing about it and it is been completely expounded in the lyrics of what we saw so I can move the points two and three. I only had to first pieces is absolutely free and secondly peace is an absolute fact. Therefore, having been justified by faith, and that is the key expression by faith you remember in chapter 3 verse 23 he wrote for all of sin and fall short of the glory of God being justified. However, as a gift by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.

He would write in 328 for we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. In chapter 4 verse five he again clarifies the point when he said, but to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly's faith is credited as reckoned as righteousness. The gift of peace is free.

Frankly, the reason mankind wants to earn his way to heaven is because he believes he can. It is and that he just doesn't want anything for free. It's just a bit on thing he needs it for free.

He believes that he should be able earn enough points of the one-day stands before God and I would say management waiting for you you not have in this is not been quite what it could be, but now that you're here it's really going to be something special. Mankind doesn't believe is all that bad, and they certainly don't want to be told or have it applied to them. The they are actually at enmity with God or enemies of God is not very popular thought that there is actually a literal state of war between the heart of man toward the heart of God.

But that's what Paul made very clear. Every sin and unbelievers life on earth is a missile fired against the holiness of heaven. Every evil thought is another round of ammunition aimed at the righteousness of God. Every perversion and immorality is an offensive maneuver against the purity of Christ. That's why Jesus came and he didn't come to condemn the world, he said. The world is condemned already.

There is a state of war. The absence of peace.

There's enmity between man and God. Paul wrote in Romans eight verse five the mind that is set on the flesh, that is, the fleshly the natural the unbelieving mind is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. Why, because the mind set on the flash is hostile toward God that Farah could be translated. It is hateful toward God. In other words the mind of the heart of those who reject the sun are hateful and hostile toward God was the message of Paul is East on the Athenian crowd introducing them to the unknown God. This is one they'd never come up with. He told them that God is now declaring the men that all people everywhere should repent because he has fixed a day in which he will judge the world in other words, there is no such thing as neutrality, you're either the friend of God or the enemy of God. That's the message of the gospel.

But wait a second. As the average down the street. Are you the enemy of God. That's a wild. The enemy of God. Yes, the average person on the street. Do you hate God wife paid God, but then described to them, the God of the Bible is a holy and a righteous judge, will one day send the unbeliever to Helen he will hate that you talk about God in general and you might be quoted. You talk specifically about God incarnate Jesus Christ, before whom the world will one day stand and give an account and you will be ridiculed as an intolerance close minded Bible thumper or something as flattering mankind would like to think that they are the friend of God. But the God they are friends with is when they've invented in their own speculations, and out of their own imaginations when they're comfortable with. Describe to them the God it was revealed in the Bible and they will inwardly hate that kind of God, and maybe outwardly speak of their hatred. They make currently hate you to Jesus that you wouldn't dare deliver such a message in their hostility toward God. The unbelieving world forfeits tragically the privilege the blessing than ever get to open the gift of peace. They are at odds with him. They ultimately have their say against God. Remember Saul when he was galloping along. He was going to find those Christians and the resurrected Christ appeared in the heavens talk about that that would qualify him to be an apostle and apostle had to of seen the Lord and the Lord said to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting the Christians why are you persecuting me interest. I thought is problem was with the Christians. Ultimately the problem with the unbeliever rests with God. I recently read the testimony of Jacob Koshy who grew up in Singapore is one driving ambition was to make as much money as he could be as successful as he could get as much as a good lead and eventually the violate character and conviction. He heard the gospel and rejected it. He ended up in the world of drugs. In fact, he himself became addicted and involved in gambling eventually became the Lord of an international smuggling network. They called him in 1980 he was caught was arrested and he was placed in a government drug rehabilitation prison in Singapore today is a missionary, but at this point he was angry with God for the way that his life was going in, he was filled with emptiness. He wanted to smoke, but cigarettes weren't allowed in the rehabilitation prison and so his friends smuggled in tobacco and he rolled it in the pages of the Gideon Bible was there in the prison cell. One day he fell asleep while smoking. He awakened to find that the cigarette had burned out of but all that remained was a scrap of that little onion paper written, he unrolled it and that charred paper simply read why do you persecute me. He thought he ought to get a Bible and find out the rest of the story why God would say that to him and he found the story of Saul in there and sell. He knelt recognizing and admitting his argument was with God and he gave his life to he's a missionary now in the Far East. In fact, he tells people wherever he goes. Who would believe that I could find the truth of God by smoking the word of God. That's an interesting testimony were not endorsing that particular way to find the Lord by the enemy of God and became a friend of God and peace with God. Therefore being justified by faith. Faith in God, we would all be condemned to hell in God is not clear.

God is interfered those who trust to sunder free.

There's more peace with God is not only absolutely free but it's an absolute fact.

Look carefully at the text.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have what a wonderful tens it indicates this is an established fact you do not grow into peace with God you don't take a few Bible studies and get a little bit more each time. It's not a continuous process. It is something that you are given as a gift of God on the heels of that moment when you said to him, something like God I am a sinner and I must be saved. Say we at that moment and it is never taken away. You are given the gift of peace. The enmity is done away Christ to solve the problem you are justified therefore being justified by faith. Paul declares you have peace with God. Now don't confuse this kind of peace with other kinds of peace. There are a number of them in, it would probably be interesting for you to study them in the word of God. Don't confuse peace with God, though with peace of God, the peace of God is that peaceful state of mind and heart that comes at those periods of time when you commit your anxieties to the will of God. Paul wrote about it in Philippians chapter 4, he said he said listen, don't be anxious about anything, but take everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving to God.

Let it be known and in the peace of God will overrule your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. The peace of God is that internal sense that feeling of peacefulness and that can common that can go.

I'm speaking to Christians today. Some are not peaceful in the heart of mine and it will ultimately get back to the surrender of your anxieties sovereignty of God, but that comes and goes. This is not something that comes and goes, ebbs and flows. This has to do with our standing, there is the foundation of peace with God. The peace of God might be an internal feeling, but the piece with God is a fact objective peace and reason. By the way I want to stress this point is the fact that you might talk to a nonbeliever like Sadie will II have. I'm actually very much at peace with my life and you might scratch your head and thing the way to second how can you say that when I really feel it peaceful anyway effect standing on his front porch does make me feel at rest at all, but he's got peace and I don't how do you respond to that what this person has some things subjective factors. The deception of that kind of peace they might get peace sitting on violate they might get peace reading a little bit of the Dalai Lama them. I get a little bit of peace in yoga or transcendental meditation, gazing at a crystal or whatever but it's deceptive peace.

It's temporary. It will ultimately go away forever. Alva Jim McLean illustrated it for me and I'll share with you.

It helped when he wrote this. If a man breaks the law and then flees to another country, there exists now a state of enmity between that man and the American government. It does not matter how tranquil or peaceful. This man may feel in this foreign refuge. He does not have peace with America and if you should ever come back to the United States. The government will immediately initiate action against him. That's the point here.

The unbeliever may say he experiences tranquility and peace on earth, but when he arrives on that eternal sure the law of God's holy justice will immediately initiate action against he will discover he has been deceived by those feelings of tranquility. Peace with God is not temporary. It is an eternal fact because Jesus Christ Colossians 120 says made peace for us by the blood of his cross ever heard anybody say will I wonder if that man made peace with God you don't make peace with God makes peace for you and it's in the person of his son the Lord Jesus have peace with God is absolutely free peace with God is an absolute fact and that leaves us with really only one of two responses and everyone in this auditorium will have one of two responses. One of the two.

If you're nonbeliever you can accept. Simple as that.

Not here to sell it. Not here to convince you the spirit of God if he is interfering in your life brings you to the point where you say okay I accept that one response accept the gospel. I will tell you that that foundation that we have peace with God is the only thing that ever gives the believer that sends daily, though it ebbs and flows of peace that comes from God and the peace of God, I don't how people do without that foundation, Hg Wells once summed up his own frustration unbeliever who once wrote the time is come for me to reorganize my life ever felt that way I cry out, he said, though I cannot seem to adjust my life to secure a fruitful peace.

Here I am at 64 years of age still seeking peace.

I believe it is a hopeless dream I friend for him. It would be in for those who do not believe in Christ.

It would be because you cannot have peace with God until you accept the son of God. You cannot ignore the Prince of peace and ever hope to unwrap the gift of peace. You can do it why is commentary on Romans. John MacArthur repeated an illustration of Donnie Barnhouse about the truth of why you can't ever hope to have peace without accepting the son of the Prince of peace story about the famous missionary David Livingstone. After spending several years working with the Zulu in South Africa.

David went with his wife and child. Further into the interior to administer after spending some time there. They were turned back and discovered that an enemy tribe and attack Zulu killed many of them and they had taken the son of the chief captives the tribal chief of the Zulu was an unbeliever, and yet he asked. David Livingstone is very perceptive question and you'll immediately see the application he asked David Livingstone how can I be at peace. I don't want to war with them, but but how can I be at peace with them while they treat my son this way. MacArthur goes on to comment if this attitude is true, the heart of an unbelieving tribal chief, how much more is it true of God the father toward those who trample underfoot. His son count the blood of the covenant and unholy and unwanted thing and despise the spirit of grace. It's true. You cannot reject God the son, and have peace with God the father. I've had people tell me that what really care about Jesus but I'm right with God you cannot be right with God the father. Unless you are first right with God the son, so if you're nonbeliever in the sun. You want the gift of peace, except for believer you've Artie accepted the gospel what your role is to simply announce it that you know that the word gospel originally came out of the context of war and peace. It was originally the word used for the message of victory in battle that was given to a messenger who would go and spread the news across the country to the people living in the land would know that there side one there would be peace in the land. You and I have been given the incredible privilege of simply taking the message that God is victorious and we share with the people living in the land that he is the victor is actually another nuance that we tend to forget.

Paul told the Corinthian believers in second review chapter 5 verse 20 that they were ambassadors of Christ. One of the things we missed is the fact that we don't understand the context of his word. We think of it ambassadors somebody has an office downtown and some capital city of some foreign country in that office just represents goodwill. There honestly do a lot to establish peace. They're just there, they represent the countries and get involved in a lot of diplomatic issues and the fair this is the concept Paul had in mind. This wasn't the ambassador of his culture in Rome and ambassador was a messenger sent from the victorious army to the Army that was defeated and the ambassador delivered the terms of surrender and the conditions for peace, and if the defeated army accepted those conditions of peace, the victorious army would grant them peace and allow them to live. Something like this happened a few years ago with Colin Powell in 1994 he he was sent over to speak with the Haitian dictator of the impending destruction that was going to come inform the dictator that if he did not agree with the terms of peace laid out in the United States granted them in an invasion was going to immediately take place the matter fact he told the Haitian dictator that the invasion force was already in place and at the word of the president's utter destruction could occur in it hinged upon what that man did with those terms of peace those conditions for surrender. This is what it means to be an ambassador of Jesus Christ we have, as it were, the message that destruction forever is just around the corner. God is offering terms of peace and we know what the conditions are and we share them with our world and we as he said there segment is 520. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to him.

He is the victorious one. He will allow you to live forever, but there are conditions there term to your surrender today. All I'm doing is standing in this public setting is an ambassador of his begging you on behalf of Christ to an effect laid down your arm accept the conditions of surrender and receive the gift of peace. If you receive the son and as you announce the news of the son is believers. Some may believe in you can tell them with great confidence that if they believe they will be justified in having been justified by faith. They have peace with God. That's just the beginning of a number of perfect from our wonderful, that is just the beginning of our series on God's perfect gifts to hear the rest.

I hope you'll keep listening.

In the days ahead. This is wisdom for the heart with Stephen Devi. Today's lesson was the first in a six part series called unwrapping God's perfect gifts.

Stephen's lesson today is simply called peace. Have you ever taken the time to call us if not, I encourage you to call today and introduce yourself to us. Of course we would enjoy meeting you, but we also have a gift for you if you haven't already received it. We'd like to send you the next three issues of our monthly magazine, heart-to-heart. It features articles from Stephen a daily devotional guide, and more. Give us a call today at 86 648 Bible. That's 86 648 Bible or 866-482-4253. We also enjoy getting cards and letters from listeners. It's encouraging to hear how God is using the teaching of his word to encourage and equip you, you can write to us at wisdom for the heart PO Box 37297, Raleigh, NC 27627 were a listener supported ministry that your financial gifts that make this ministry possible. Thank you for supporting us. If you'd like to interact with us electronically. We have a website and a smart phone that allow you to access our resources. Listen to these lessons and interact with our ministry go to wisdom. Online.have a blessed day and then join us at this time tomorrow here on wisdom