Articles
The Fruit of the Spirit - Peace
The Fruit of the Spirit - Peace
Mike Willis
In Galatians 5:22, “peace” is the third of the nine attributes listed as the fruit of the Spirit. The Greek word eirene is influenced by the meaning of shalom, the Hebrew word for “peace.” The basic meaning of shalom is “completeness, soundness, welfare, peace.” The word means much more than mere absence of war; it is used of soundness of body, welfare, health, prosperity, quiet tranquility, and contentment. The New Testament word for peace includes most of these concepts when it is used in the many greetings of Paul’s letters (1 Thess. 1:1; Gal. 1:3; etc.). The concept of peace may be broken into the following headings: (a) Peace with God; (b) Peace with one’s fellow man; (c) Peace with oneself. I will follow this outline in this article.
1. Peace with God. One must understand that peace comes to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ who atoned for our sins; Jesus is our peace (Eph. 2:14). We have peace with God through the redemption from sins in Christ Jesus (Rom. 5:1; Acts 10:36). Hence, the gospel is a gospel of peace (Rom. 10:15). In this sense, peace refers to that serenity that arises from knowing that one is not at enmity with God, but in his favor. Peace with God requires that one remain in God’s fellowship after becoming a Christian.
“Jesus answered him, ‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me’ “ (John 14:23-24). One cannot remain in fellowship with God, that is to have peace with God, while disobeying God’s commandments. Many of God’s commandments pertain to conduct that makes possible living in peace with one’s fellow man.
2. Peace with one’s fellow man. The author of Hebrews commanded, “Follow peace with all men” (Heb. 12:14). According to Jesus, the second greatest commandment from the Old Testament is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:39). When one treats others as he would want them to treat him, peace with one’s fellow man is the usual and natural result.
Jesus added another commandment that relates to peace with one’s fellow man. He said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:43-48).
Paul wrote to the Romans much the same as Jesus preached in the Sermon on the Mount. He said, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:18-21). Admittedly, this command is not easy to obey, but the fruit of obedience is preferable to the taking of revenge. Revenge escalates the conflict until it eventually ends in murder.
3. Peace with oneself. The Christian has inner peace. Paul wrote, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7). The Christian finds peace of mind in Christ. He can live with God and, therefore, does not fret and worry himself about the future. This kind of inner contentment allows him to pillow his head at night, knowing that, if death should come, he will have an eternal home with God and if death should not come that the future is under the control of Lord God who saved him from sin.
The words of David in Psalm 23 reflect one’s inner peace:
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
The fruit of the Spirit is peace—with God, with one’s fellow man, and with oneself. Do you have that peace?