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Have Peace With One Another. “Be at peace” ( eireneuo ). BAGD : “1. trans... reconcile ....2. intr....a. live in peace, be at peace ....b. keep the peace abs....” (p. 227)
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“Be at peace” (eireneuo) • BAGD: “1. trans...reconcile....2. intr....a. live in peace, be at peace....b. keep the peace abs....” (p. 227) • Thayer: “1. to make peace....2. to cultivate or keep peace, i.e. harmony; to be at peace, live in peace....” (#1514, p. 182) • Vine: “to bring to peace, reconcile, denotes in the N.T., to keep peace or to be at peace....” (p. 842)
REASONS WE SHOULD BE AT PEACE • GOD COMMANDS IT • PEACE REFLECTS THE NATURE OF GOD AND HIS KINGDOM • JESUS IS THE “PRINCE OF PEACE” AND THE “LORD OF PEACE” • JESUS CAME TO MAKE PEACE
JESUS MADE PEACE • JESUS MADE PEACE WITH GOD AND MAN. (ROM. 5:1-11) • JESUS MADE PEACE BETWEEN MAN AND HIS FELLOW MAN. (EPH. 2:14-18; GAL. 3:28) • CHRIST GIVES PEACE WITHIN MAN’S HEART. (JN. 14:27; PHIL. 4:6-7) • THE GOSPEL IS THE “GOSPEL OF PEACE” (EPH. 6:14) • THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS A KINGDOM OF PEACE (ROM. 14:17) • PEACE IS A FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT (GAL. 5:22-23) • PEACE IS ONE ASPECT OF ETERNAL LIFE (ROM. 2:10)
REASONS WE SHOULD BE AT PEACE • GOD COMMANDS IT • PEACE REFLECTS THE NATURE OF GOD AND HIS KINGDOM • JESUS IS THE “PRINCE OF PEACE” AND THE “LORD OF PEACE” • JESUS CAME TO MAKE PEACE • GOD’S PEOPLE SHOULD BE AT PEACE • ENVY AND STRIFE DESTROY
Peace Does NOT Mean: • Just the absence of strife and turmoil. • Just the absence of problems. • Peace at any price.
PEACE DOES MEAN: • William Barclay: “In Greek the word is eirene, and in Hebrew it is shalom. In Hebrew peace is never only a negative state; it never means only the absence of trouble; in Hebrew peace always means everything which makes for a man’s highest good. In the east when one man says to another, Salaam -- which is the same word -- he does not mean that he wishes for the other man only the absence of evil things; he wishes for him the presence of all good things. In the Bible peace means not only freedom from all trouble; it means enjoyment of all good.” (The Gospel of Matthew Vol. 1, p. 108)
What Hinders Peace? • False teaching and error • A party spirit • Carnality • An argumentative spirit • Lust for power
How Can We Be At Peace? • We must make peace • We must seek and pursue peace by: • Loving God’s Law • Un-contentious spirit • Controlled speech • Tact • Wisdom • Avoiding foolish disputes • Prayer • Godly living