Lord’s Day, Vol. 4 No. 15

The Fruit of the Spirit is Peace

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

When God created the earth, it was a peaceful paradise. That peace was broken when Adam sinned. As a result of Adam’s fall, his posterity inherited a sin nature, the propensity for evil.

Since then, all generations that followed, failed to secure that most elusive “peace”. Peace may be broadly defined as a non-warring condition of a nation, group of nations or the world, a state of mutual harmony between people or groups, especially in personal relations and the freedom from civil commotion and violence of a community. This world has yet seen true peace. War characterizes all the history of mankind. There can be no true peace for mankind plagued by this inalienable disease of sin which the Apostle Paul calls “the works of the flesh” (Gal. 5:19-21). Peace in the first family was broken, when Cain the elder son of Adam and Eve, murdered his younger brother Abel (Gen. 4) because of uncontrolled anger.

The word “peace” comes from the Greek verb eirō which means “to join” and the noun eirēnē refers to “the things joined together”. To make peace, therefore, means “to join together that which is separated”. As a result of man’s sin, he is separated from his Creator.

The starting point for true biblical peace is man’s reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ. Jesus abolished man’s enmity with God by His atoning death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead three days later. When man comes in humble repentance confessing his sins before God, he receives the peace of sins forgiven and reconciliation with God through faith in Jesus Christ’s atoning work (Rom. 5:1). The Holy Spirit indwells such a person and he experiences a new birth. Spiritual life begins. This salvation is solely by grace, the unmerited or undeserved favour of God (Eph. 2:8).

Grace expresses the cause, God’s gracious work, and peace, the effect of the work. The grace of God that brings salvation effects peace between them and God, and that same grace enables believers to live peaceably with one another (Gal. 1:3) [Harold W. Hoehner, Ephesians, 150].

Being reconciled to God, the believer becomes the channel through which the good news of salvation is brought to the lost.

This fruit of peace manifests itself when the believer is not again entangled with sin and chooses to walk under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. There are two steps here. Firstly, the putting away of sin as a moment by moment battle. Secondly, the manifestation of the fruit of peace when holiness becomes our way of life. This second step is manifested in the peace that exists between believers at peace one with another. There is no true peace for those who are in darkness, despise holiness and are still involved in the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21).

The Apostle Paul gives practical advice as to how to foster true peace among brethrens in Galatians 5:13-15 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

1) Serve one another (v13)

This word “serve” is a command to continual action. It means “to perform services of kindness and Christian love.” [Thayer Lexicon]

2) Love one another (v14)

Treat others like how you would like others to treat you.

3) Devour not one another (v15)

‘Devour’ describes the scheming heart to get gain by destroying the other person. We are warned not to ‘devour’ one another.

The biblical character Jacob was a deceiver. By dishonesty and deception he robbed his elder brother Esau of his birth right. Jacob valued wealth and position more than relationships. It was a heavy price to pay for the estranged relationship with his brother Esau. He had to run for his life. God sent a greater deceiver into his life in the person of his uncle Laban. He was deceived by Laban to marry the elder daughter Leah although he thought he would be marrying the younger Rachel (Gen. 29:35). Laban also changed his wages many times. Jacob had to learn the lesson of trusting God and dealing honestly with men. He was cheated like the way he was a cheat.

God is more concerned with our holiness, with moulding our character, transforming us to be more Christ-like. Jacob was someone who was not concerned about others, disregarded the feeling of others. He did not put relationship first, he put gain first. Jacob’s life was full of hindrances and pain but God was moulding him. He was transformed to put away the sin of selfishness and deception.

 Biblical peace is a gift of the Holy Spirit. It manifests itself in its season when believers put away the “works of the flesh” and embrace the Apostle Paul’s injunction – serve one another, love one another, see that we destroy not one another. Amen.

Yours lovingly,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee