Friday, November 11, 2011

ACTING WITH THE LOVE OF GOD GIVES THE PEACE OF GOD


A signature of the Apostle Paul’s writings is that he includes a blessing for the grace and peace of God.  The Greek for the word grace declares it to be a divine influence on the heart that is reflected in one’s life.  The grace of God always influences His children to act in the love of God toward others.  Acting in the love of God toward others is a reflection of our acceptance of His Lordship and positions us to experience His peace.   He emphasizes this truth in the following verses from his letter to the Colossians.

Colossians 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

I couldn’t help but think of my ongoing study in 1Corinthians with this verse.  In chapters 12-14 Paul is teaching on the giftings of the Spirit, their purpose and proper use.  The believers were eager to possess these miraculous abilities, but Paul very emphatically establishes that unconditional love for the brethren is the possession we should most desire.  As with spiritual gifts of the Spirit, the character traits discussed in the previous post are important and to be desired; but again Paul emphasizes that unconditional love of the brethren is the most valuable trait of all.  This type of love is what allows one to most effectively utilize his/her gifts and please God in the process and is the heart foundation from which the traits listed above can most easily flow.  This type of love is the uniting factor for these traits in the believer to produce moral excellence as well as the uniting factor in the body of Christ to bring us to maturity and completeness so that we lack nothing.  When we are acting with unconditional love, the church as a whole benefits, because the Spirit has provided for our every need through His working in the life of every individual that makes up the whole.

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

The peace of God is a result of our hearts being “at one” with Him again, our fellowship with Him has been restored.  Through that restoration we can now benefit from His provision for us through the Holy Spirit.  With the empowerment of the Holy Spirit we can now control our thoughts and feelings toward one another.  That empowerment will always lead us to thoughts and actions that are in line with God’s thoughts and actions.  Christ is the head of the body (the church), and the body should always act in accordance to the directions from the Head.  When we yield to the working of the Spirit in our lives, we are allowing the peace of God to rule in our hearts.

Isaiah tells us that those who are called by His name have been created for His glory. 

Isaiah 43:7 “Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.”

Isaiah was speaking to the Israelites, but the truth is just as applicable to the church.  Just as Israel, we are privileged to have been chosen to be identified with His name.  When we fulfill that purpose, we have great cause to give thanks.  Not only does it glorify God, it benefits us individually and as a body.

(to be continued…)

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