PEACE

G. E. A. Decker

Romans 5: 19; 8: 1–6; Philippians 4: 6, 7

It would be very good for every one of us to possess the peace which is spoken of is these scriptures. The Lord, coming into the midst of His own said, “Peace be to you”, John 20: 19.

That was a very elevated level of peace. We will all have noticed that He said it twice; and after the second time “he breathed into them, and says to them, Receive the Holy Spirit”, as if such persons were to be characterised by that and able to move here in the power of the Holy Spirit, thus resenting Him. I think this is one of the highest things that the gospel contemplates for men—that they should be representing Jesus, and also, as it says in Ephesians, be imitators of God. To be able for this we have to be regulated by the peace of God.

In our time we see man going on without joy, without peace; but the gospel, becoming effective in us, does not leave us without joy and peace. As the word of God goes out to man; he is to obey it. That is a necessity. The most dreadful thing for a man is the rejection of the word of God,

the glad tidings, in treating it indifferently. Oh, what it must mean to God, man despising these glad tidings, the glad tidings of Jesus who in such obedience went this way, to bring about repentance with sinners and to save them.

There are only two classes of men, and everybody belongs to one class. He cannot be in both.

Romans makes this clear for us. The word here tells us in an absolute way—“For as indeed by the disobedience of the one man the many have been constituted sinners”. That is one class of men; but then there is that which came in by Christ “so also by the obedience of the one the many will be constituted righteous”. What a blessed difference—that such sinners can become pardoned sinners.

In one sense it remains with us, as Paul says, “… sinners, of whom I am the first”, 1 Timothy 1: 15. But that is no longer the class of sinners who do not receive the word of God, but pardoned sinners, who have forgiveness by faith in the blood of Jesus. That is what God is offering in the glad tidings. One might say that it is the plainest thing on earth, yet often it is the most difficult. Why is that so? Because it exposes clearly whether one is prepared to be subject, or not. If we do not surrender, then we are on very dangerous ground but what blessedness to be subject to Him who thus becomes Lord to us.

It is of all importance that “by the obedience of the one the many will be constituted righteous”, for without this foundation it is impossible for us to have peace. The first verse of this chapter, says, “Therefore having been justified on the principle of faith, we have peace towards God”. This is an essential matter, to have peace towards God, and it comes by being justified. It is the

longing of us all—the longing also of divine Persons—that you might have peace towards God, that your sins should no longer be between you and God. For sins can be forgiven—

how great God is “Their sins and their lawlessnesses I will never remember any more”, Hebrews 10: 17. We see the aboundings of grace, as it says, “but where sin abounded, grace has overabounded”, Romans 5: 20. What overaboundings of the grace of God, providing the means by which any may have peace towards God. Oh what it means to be subject to Him who went into death for me and for you, who shed His precious blood that your and my sins might be forgiven. What a Saviour He is—and we have to do, with Him. Every man will have to do with Him. Dreadful it will be for a man to, have to do with Him as Judge! But, how wonderful, He is now the Saviour of sinners.

Then we have to understand, our sins being forgiven, that we need to be led further to understand that not only were our sins atoned for, but that the whole man who sinned has gone at the cross. I believe that an understanding of this helps us to enjoy the peace of God.

The first thing is forgiveness, justification, and peace towards God. But I believe the peace of God is something further, as understanding that the man of sin and shame has been put away, as Paul says, “No longer live, I, but Christ lives in me”, Galatians 2: 20. What a day that is for us to reach, so that we go on in peace, enjoying the peace of God.

So it says in Romans 8 that the law has no more claim upon us, “there is then now no condemnation, to those in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and of death”. It is a wonderful thing to live in afresh atmosphere, no longer under bondage. I believe many of us know something of that. Bondage

comes in when man has the sceptre in his hand; then there is no peace. I believe that many, though having peace towards God—are still athirst after this peace, longing to enjoy the peace of God, no longer to be under bondage; but in liberty, as it says, “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus”—to enjoy life. That is our portion, beloved brethren, not a poor portion but, as we were recently reminded, “good measure, pressed down, and shaken together”, Luke 6: 38. Such is God’s giving, and to get the gain of it we need to avail ourselves of the power of the Holy Spirit. He is our nearest Friend on earth, here to form us, 77

to lead us, and to bring us into the things of God. How do we regard Him? What intercourse do we have with Him? What are our relations with the Holy Spirit? These things have had an essential part in the recovery of the truth. Let us go in fully for these things. Let us seize our full portion! If the children of Israel had fully entered into their inheritance what an inheritance God would have had in His people. So when the saints are possessing their inheritance, what an inheritance God has!

I think it is something wonderful to see persons going on in this peace. It means that we are to be regulated by the Holy Spirit. So what comes out in this eighth chapter is that persons, even in the wilderness; are led by the Spirit, “as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God (Romans 8: 14)—a wonderful thing, even in wilderness surroundings to be led in this peace, and to be in the gain of it. When others are without peace and without joy, can I be in peace and joy? If that is not the case, then we can pursue after it, we can arrive at it, as it says, “For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit life and peace”. What a glorious atmosphere! Yet there

is this serious warning as to “the mind of the flesh”. Who could say that he is always free of it? But what gain is there in it? A merchant is always seeking gain, and in a spiritual way we should be merchants, those who can trade with the talent. That involves our responsibility, as related to the Spirit. Am I subject to the Spirit? It says, “The mind of the Spirit life and peace”. Is my mind in accord with the mind of the Spirit? In 1 Corinthians 12: 13 it says, “In the power of one Spirit we have all been baptised into one body … and have all been given to drink of one Spirit”. We are lifted up into the sphere of the Spirit. In the power of these things we are able to move on in accord with the mind of the Spirit and thus we shall prove life and peace. What it means to God to have persons going on in the power of life, in joy and happiness, and in the peace of God. What a result can then be reached in the service of God.

In Philippians 4 Paul is showing the way to normal christianity. Man normally is not thankful. In searching ourselves we know how much we may be still marked by that. How often I find myself not being thankful. Yet one who has the forgiveness of sins, and who knows that the old man has been completely set aside at the cross and in the death of Christ, should be marked by thankfulness, in the sense that God has cleared such a way to His heart in blessedness.

Paul says, “Be careful about nothing; but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God”. It is a matter of dependence; I must be moving in dependence in the power of the Spirit to do this. With thanksgiving, by prayer and supplication, we bring our requests. What are our requests? If we care for the things of God, then we will have a

wide outlook in a spiritual way in relation to our requests. They will reach out further than our personal matters. How necessary our personal matters are, and we should be going on in power and joy, but there is more than that—there is the universal position; we know that difficulties arise, but we are able to move on in peace in spite of things around us.

Paul says in Colossians 3: 15, “Let the peace of Christ preside in your hearts”, meaning that every decision of our hearts is regulated by the peace of Christ. Is that really the case with us?

I think that, as we arrive at it, we shall find it a wonderful matter. So our scripture says, “The peace of God … shall guard your hearts and your thoughts by Christ Jesus”. If the gospel effects that with every one of us, then we shall be available to take on more of the character of this glorious Person who has effectuated everything for us, so as to give testimony to Him.

We all know how essential testimony is, beloved brethren. Things have been made known to us, testified to us, exemplified to us by persons who have lived in these things. What gain have we had from them? I think we can all get the greatest gain as we desire to be such persons as Paul is presenting to the Philippians—those walking in the peace of God which surpasses every understanding, as preserved by Christ Jesus. What an elevated pathway!—

how triumphant, over against those who mind earthly things, as it says in this epistle, who are

“the enemies of the cross of Christ”, Philippians 3: 18. Such are not regulated by peace; they mind the things of the flesh, what gratifies themselves. The test would be, can I be subject to the Spirit, whom God has given on account of Christ being glorified, and thus go on in dependence, in the peace of God, which surpasses every understanding? May it be increasingly so, for His name’s sake.

Preaching at Bad Endbach
19 December 1976