“For He Himself is our peace…” Ephesians 2:14
There is a well-known story of a Canadian missionary couple working with Indonesian tribal groups in the 1960’s who became increasingly frustrated with the tribes’ treacherous actions. When the missionaries threatened to leave unless the tribes stopped killing each other, the latter took a drastic step to prevent the missionaries’ departure. Each village presented their enemy with an infant as a peace child and as long as the child was alive, the tribes would have peace. Whenever there was an infraction, someone could plead in defense of the peace child and hostilities would then cease. This opened up a way for the couple to share the truth about Christ “our Peace Child.”
Consider Christ at His birth, when the angels announced peace on earth to the shepherds (Luke 2:14). Promised by God through the prophets, the angels proclaimed that the peacemaker had now arrived. Though born in time, He is the eternal Son, given to reconcile to God those who will receive Him as their Savior (Isa. 9:6; John 1:12).
Consider Christ at Calvary, when He “made peace through the blood of His cross” (Col. 1:20). His eternal purpose in coming was fulfilled when He died on the cross. We do not obtain peace with God by Christ’s example or His righteous, sinless life. We are saved by believing in His substitutionary death at Calvary. Christ was a willing substitute, purposely coming and offering peace through His death.
Consider Christ after His resurrection, when He preached peace (Eph. 2:17; Luke 24:36; John 20:19, 21, 26). The peace barrier of sin having been removed by His substitutionary death, reconciliation with God could now be preached to the world. Whether Jew or Gentile, trusting Christ brings peace with God. Christ removed the middle wall of partition; both are now members of one body. God’s peace brings together otherwise disparate people by our common bond in Christ. Whether rich or poor, male or female, slave or free, we are one in Him (1 Cor. 12:12-13).
Consider Christ after His ascension to heaven, delegating to us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18). We are His ambassadors, invested with His authority (Matt. 28:18-20) to proclaim the simple yet glorious terms of peace (John 3:16; 20:23). Normally, when two factions need to be reconciled there will be negotiations and compromise. God’s terms are different. He does not need to be reconciled to us. Rather, we need to be reconciled to Him on His terms. We proclaim a simple message – “Christ crucified” (1 Cor. 1:23) – pleading with others that their part is not to work (John 6:29) but instead to believe in the One who can remove their sin and bring peace to their hearts. We preach a glorious message because the infinite, holy, transcendent Creator offers peace to His lowly, fallen, finite creation.
Consider Christ’s return in the air to take His bride to heaven. With the redemption of our bodies (1 Thess. 4:13-18; 5:23), our glorification (1 Cor. 15:51) will bring peace to our whole tripartite person – spirit, soul, and body. It is the peace that comes from being forever free from the presence of sin.
Consider Christ, the Prince of Peace returning to earth with us. In that day the One who is eternally righteous (1 John 2:1) and who loves righteousness (Heb. 1:9), will reign in righteousness (Isa. 9:6-7; Heb. 1:8). At that time, His peaceful reign (Isa. 2:4) will extend over the entire earth (Zech. 14:9); while righteousness and peace will kiss each other (Ps. 85:10) in the beauty of His Person. His righteousness and peace will truly bring lasting “joy to the world” (Rom. 14:17). After a perfect one thousand year reign the Son will deliver up the kingdom to His Father (1 Cor. 15:24). Then “in the ages to come He will show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7).
Indeed, let us consider Christ, the One who is alive forevermore, guaranteeing that the believer has everlasting peace with God. (Eph. 2:14; Rev. 1:18).