Peace is a paradoxical concept. At one hand, Jesus said to His disciples that He gives peace as the world does not give (John 14:27). Yet, He said "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34). These two verses do not contradict. Not at all.
The peace that Jesus gives is peace with God, which comes from being reconciled to Him, and no longer being hostile against God. Once a person is in Christ, he or she is united with God:
Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit (1 Corinthians 6:15-17).
He is who is hostile against God has no peace. The opposite of peace is hostility. Hostility places a division between people from which no peace can come. This is because hostility not only is hatred, but loves its hatred of others.
The carnal mind is enmity [or hostile] against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be (Romans 8:7). As such, it hates God and loves to God and the things of God. Thus, the carnal mind or flesh has no peace, but rather hates peace and loves hostility. From the flesh, no peace can come. It is capable only of hostility, division and hatred.
To be at peace with God means to have no hostility against God, and no hostility from God against the person.
The spirit of mammon who works through flesh feeds on the desire for hatred of others, to make one put oneself first, or seek one's own needs, such that one thinks it is legitimate to do so. When one thinks it is legitimate to seek one's own needs for oneself, it is because of one's desire to satisfy the flesh which loves to hate others. As as result of feeding on this desire of hatred, one has no peace, but only envy, strife, division, conflict and wars.
Comments
Post a Comment