Author: Grant Thorpe.

The topic of peace is always interesting to consider, because it has to do with our sense of well-being and our freedom to engage in all the necessary things of ordinary life. But there have been particular reasons for recent interest in the subject. First among these has been the ongoing dilemma of conflict in those churches where it would appear that God’s Spirit has refreshed the people of God in the meaning of their gospel. The second has been the opposite problem–a beguiling tranquility in churches where the absence of friction may be largely attributable to the socio-economic homogeneity of the people concerned, rather than the dynamic of love for God. A third reason has been the distress, of many in our community, over personal, domestic, national or international matters, and the need of those involved to find a peace which is more than an escape from the problems, and better than an anxious reaction to them. These things make it imperative for the church to rediscover the peace of God in all of its dimensions, so as to truly represent the message of Christ to our generation in the context of its present experience.

Peace is not a concept to master, but the environment which the Father God creates for his family, and in which his children have fullness of life. It is the kingdom of God coming upon a group of people so that they recognize the benevolence of their God. It is the cessation of judgement, the end of all fear and condemnation, and in its place, the favour of God on those reckoned to have kept his law.

The material in this booklet is largely resource material for those who are prepared to think more on the subject. Numbers of the biblical references quoted have valuable detail in them which I have not been able to amplify. The material is also capable of application to many areas of life which will become apparent as the subject opens up.

May you have grace and peace as you consider this theme and subject matter–and may your peace come to all your fellow believers. As you read on, you will see that such a prayer is not a mere wish, nor a presumption, nor a pious exercise for inactivity, but the normal blessing whereby Christians enrich the lives of others. If the truth is really the word of God, it does not explain peace but makes peace. Of course, it also destroys the peace of those who are trusting less than the truth.

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