The Christian Life

Gospel of Peace

Praise be to the Living God!Peace be with you brethren.

Gospel of Peace
Gospel is the teaching of Divine grace distinguished from the law. It is this teaching of grace that bringeth peace.

Now Peace is defined as the state free of oppressive and unpleasant thoughts and emotions.

What may be the cause of the oppressive thoughts?
- I would say guilt, which is the regret of doing something wrong.

For in self accusation(of having done something wrong) our hearts condemn us.

Whenever our hearts in [tormenting] self-accusation make us feel guilty and condemn us. [For we are in God's hands.] For He is above and greater than our consciences (our hearts), and He knows (perceives and understands) everything [nothing is hidden from Him].
                                        I John 3:20

In the Old Testament, when the Israelites committed sin, sacrifices were made to atone for the sin they committed, because the wages of sin is death as stated in Romans 3:23.

The natural mind also reasons in the same manner, that if I'm to be at peace,then I must pay for the wrong I have done.

But there's no need for that anymore,because Jesus the Lamb of God standing in man's place, was slain to redeem him ,to clear him from death, the payment of his sin.

It is written,
Ephesians 1:7
In Him[Jesus] we have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor,

Redeem: To clear, release from debt or blame.

By believing in Jesus man is cleared from debt,debt of sin.

Now this is symbolic with an instance in Leviticus chapter I verse 4. Whereby, when an Israelite brought an animal as an offering to the LORD,he was to lay his hands upon the head of the burnt offering,that way it would be an acceptable atonement for him.

It is symbolic with believing in Jesus who is the Lamb that was slain to atone for man's sin.

Therefore, by believing in him, man is seen to be laying his hands upon the head of the offering (Jesus), transferring symbolically his guilt to the victim.

Jesus' blood washes clean. He recreates man giving him a new life, born anew like he never ever sinned.

[10]For we are God's [own] handiwork, recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].

It's a whole new beginning!
This is best gift ever man received, salvation.

So this is the gospel of grace that bringeth peace, that frees man from the oppressive thoughts.

It makes him understand, that righteousness which is the right standing with God,cometh not by his 'good deeds' but only comes by believing in Jesus Christ.

It is by grace,the undeserving favor not by might. You only have to believe.

I believe it for this reason that Paul a servant of Jesus Christ advocates that we put on breastplate of Righteousness.

This is one of the armor of God that a Christian should take on for we are in constant battle not against man but against the Satan and his agents(Ephesians 6:13..).

The Breastplate of Righteousness is a guard for the heart.

That it is not by our deeds that we obtain righteousness but by believing in Jesus we are made righteous and have a right standing with God.

This truth, guards the man's heart lest it condemn him, making him feel guilty and when he feels guilty, he lacks confidence before God.

And when he lacks confidence before God, shall he be able to pray?

But if our hearts do not accuse us, we have confidence before God and we receive from him whatsoever we ask because we obey his order.

I John 3:23, and this is His order that we should  believe in the name of his son Jesus Christ and that we should love one another,just as he commanded us.

And, beloved, if our consciences (our hearts) do not accuse us [if they do not make us feel guilty and condemn us], we have confidence (complete assurance and boldness) before God,
                                       I John 3:21

[22]And we receive from Him whatever we ask, because we [watchfully] Obey His Orders [observe His suggestions and injunctions, follow His plan for us] and [habitually] practice what is pleasing to Him.
 

                                  I John 3:22

But shall man continue to sin that God's grace may abound?

No for it is not fit for him to go back to doing the very things that made him guilty of sin.

For he has be given a new beginning let him not look behind.

He has been clothed with a new garment, let him not soil it but rather consider himself dead to sin and alive to God, to do the things that please Him.

For by doing so, man brings glory to His Holy name.

For it's written,
1 Peter 1:15
[15]But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living.

The Gospel of Peace is this, that when one believes in Jesus Christ, his sins are cleared, he is born anew like he never ever sinned before, with the new beginning, he may now live doing the good deeds that God predestined for man beforehand, Being Holy as God is Holy.

May God's peace be upon you and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you always in Jesus Amen.