Righteousness and Peace

1. Righteousness and Peace Pastor Rex Deckard Calvary Apostolic Church Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.(Psalms 85:10)

2. Peace is mentioned 429 times in the Bible.

3. We want peace- world peace, national peace, inner peace, peace with our neighbors, peace in our home…. But we don’t always know how to get it……

4. Peace does not come by appeasing evil, as Neville Chamberlain so painfully discovered after his treaty with Nazi Germany…

5. Peace does not come by a protest or demonstration…..

6. Peace does not come from deep meditation

7. Peace The Old Testament concept of spiritual peace is represented by the Hebrew root slm and its derivatives, the most familiar being by the noun shalom. Its basic meaning is "wholeness" or "well-being." (Genesis 28:20-22; Judges 6:23; 18:6; 1 Kings 2:33.)

8. Peace can only come from God…… The Law, the Prophets, and the Writings of the Old Testament each bear testimony that peace is the gift of God, for God alone can give peace in all its fullness.

9. Notice… To be at peace is to be upright (Malachi 2:6), to be faithful (2 Samuel 20:19), to be an upholder of the truth (Esther 9:30; Zech. 8:19), and to practice justice (Isaiah 59:8; Zechariah 8:16).

10. In the New Testament New Testament The Greek word eirene corresponds to the Hebrew shalom expressing the idea of peace, well-being, restoration, reconciliation with God, and salvation in the fullest sense.

11. What is Peace? It is associated with receptiveness to salvation (Matt. 10:13), freedom from distress and fear (John 14:27; 16:33), security (1 Thess. 5:9-10), mercy (Gal. 6:16; 1 Tim. 1:2), joy (Rom. 14:17; 15:13), grace (Phil. 1:2; Rev. 1:4), love (2 Cor. 13:11; Jude 2), life (Rom. 8:6), and righteousness (Rom. 14:17; Heb. 12:11; James. 3:18). Peace is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) and forms part of the "whole armor of God" (Eph. 6:11,13), enabling the Christian to withstand the attacks of the forces of evil.

12. Peace must be accompanied by righteousness Peace is clearly identified with a righteous life apart from which no one is able to find true peace (Isaiah 32:17; 48:22; 57:1-2). Peace and righteousness are linked in the Old Testament (Psalms 72:7; 85:10; Isaiah 9:7; 32:17; 48:18; 60:17)

13. If peace can only be had if accompanied by righteousness, then we must understand righteousness before we can obtain peace. Righteousness is referred to 306 times in Scripture.

14. We understand righteousness to mean "uprightness“.In biblical usage righteousness is rooted in covenants and relationships. Righteousness is the fulfillment of the terms of a covenant between God and humanity.

15. In the Old Testament Israel had entered into a covenantal relationship to God. Because God had chosen Israel, the nation had the responsibility of fulfilling the terms of the covenant.

16. As Israel kept the covenant law, the nation was righteous. Thus righteousness was understood as faithful adherence to the Law (Lev. 19). God gave provision for atonement through repentance and appropriate acts of contrition when the Law was broken.

17. In the New Testament Righteousness in the New Testament is absolute faith in and commitment to Jesus Christ. Our righteousness can only come from Him! (Matthew 3:15; Romans 4:5; 1 Peter 2:24). The one who in faith gives oneself to the doing of God's will is righteous, doing righteousness, and reckoned righteous by God (James 2:23).

18. Righteousness Peace Joy Kingdom of God Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

19. And so without righteousness, there can be no peace- on a national or a personal level The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.(Psalms 72:3)

20. And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places; (Isaiah 32:17)

21. O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea: (Isaiah 48:18)

22. That is why the Bible says of Melchizedek, To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;(Hebrews 7:2)

23. He could not be King of Peace until He was first King of Righteousness!And Jesus is our High Priest after the order of Melchezidek

24. He establishes peace by establishing righteousnessHebrews 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

25. scep•ter (sep'tur),—n.1. a rod or wand borne in the hand as an emblem of regal or imperial power. 2. royal or imperial power or authority; sovereignty. The sceptre of the Prince of Peace is righteousness!

26. Jesus was preceded by John the Baptist whose entire message preparing the way for Jesus, was a message of righteousness and repentanceMalachi 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings;5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

27. Jesus precedes His miracles by a cleansing in the TempleMatthew 21:12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.

28. And so we make peace not be endless protests and treaties, but by establishing righteousness "If I must choose between righteousness and peace, I choose righteousness."  --  Theodore Roosevelt

29. "The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him."  --  GK Chesterton "We make war that we may live in peace."  --  Aristotle

30. "Let him who desires peace prepare for war."  --  Vegetius "Peace and justice are two sides of the same coin."  --  Dwight Eisenhower"War - an act of violence whose object is to constrain the enemy."  --  George Washington

31. "The purpose of all wars, is peace."  -- AugustineThere is a war within us between righteousness and unrighteousness- and the prize to the victor is peace!Romans 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

32. Romans 7:11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

33. Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

34. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

35. When we seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness, we will discover peace.

36. You have longed for sweet peace,and for faith to increase,And have earnestly, fervently prayed;But you cannot have rest, or be perfectly blest,Until all on the altar is laid.Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?Your heart does the Spirit control?You can only be blest,and have peace and sweet rest,As you yield Him your body and soul.Would you walk with the Lord,in the light of His Word,And have peace and contentment alway?You must do His sweet will, to be free from all ill,On the altar your all you must lay.

37. Oh, we never can know what the Lord will bestowOf the blessings for which we have prayed,Till our body and soul He doth fully control,And our all on the altar is laid.Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?Your heart does the Spirit control?You can only be blest,and have peace and sweet rest,As you yield Him your body and soul. Who can tell all the love He will send from above,And how happy our hearts will be made,Of the fellowship sweet we shall share at His feet,When our all on the altar is laid.

38. Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?Your heart does the Spirit control?You can only be blest,and have peace and sweet rest,As you yield Him your body and soul.