Peace is one of the enduring quests for humanity and yet for much of our history, it has seemed elusive. A brief glance at the news reveals that the world is full of chaos, strife, and war. This world has often lacked peace since the fall, but the Bible speaks of the possibility of peace. Indeed, the biblical idea of peace is not just the absence of war; it has a deeper and more complete meaning – the way that God intended things to be and which leads to the well-being and flourishing of human existence. While sin has taken away this peace, Jesus Christ restores this lost peace, allowing Christians to have this peace.
Peace is a key concept of the Bible that begins since the time of the Old Testament and it continues into the New Testament. The Hebrew word for peace is shalom, and it appears in contexts that point to well-being and health; it has the idea of “wholeness”. In fact, translations often render shalom as wellness (Genesis 29:6; 43:27-28). The name of God that Gideon uses in Judges 6:24, “The LORD is Peace” (Jehovah-Shalom), shows that only God can bring this wholeness. This is why the blessing in Numbers 6:22-26 asks God to grant a peaceful life, one that is full of well-being and flourishing. In the Old Testament days, we read of how sin prevents this peace, for it breaks the intentions of God. Instead of peace, Israel experienced calamity, leading up to their captivity outside of the Promised Land.
Since they did not experience this peace of God, the nation of Israel longed for it. False prophets during the time proclaimed peace, but their counterfeit prophecies ignored the fact that peace could not come while evil and sin remain (Isaiah 48:18); righteousness and peace go together (Isaiah 32:17). So the true prophets of God opposed these false prophets and spoke of a covenant God made to bring peace to the land (Ezekiel 34: 20-31). This would happen through a “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).
Today, the promise of peace finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, as He has made peace and reconciled people and the universe back to God on the cross (Colossians 1:20). Thus the gospel message can be called “the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15), and many of the New Testament letters begin by sending greetings of “grace and peace”. The gospel proclaims peace because it brings the spiritual and social world back to the way God intended. It brings peace with God through the blood of Jesus (Romans 5:1), restoring the fellowship between humans and God that God designed.
Jesus also brings peace and wholeness to the social order by reconciling Jews and Gentiles and making them one body through His death (Ephesians 2:14-18). Because of what Jesus Christ has done for us, those who are faithful are no longer divided against each other but united under God. This peace is only partially experienced right now but will come to its fullness in the future; Christians still have trials (John 16:33) but know that the God of peace will one day soon crush Satan, who opposes peace (Romans 16:20).
Christians should experience and extend this peace. Paul commands Christians to let the peace of Christ rule in their hearts (Colossians 3:15) and to live in peaceful relations with one another as much as possible (Ephesians 4:3). In fact, peace is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). In addition, Christians should be peacemakers in this world (Matthew 5:9). Despite what we see in the world around us, we should promote justice and care for creation and for all people.
Christians should recognise the peace that they have and seek to model it in the world. We are blessed to live in the shalom now while we wait for the promise of shalom for the whole world.
Note: This article was rewritten from another article in August. The current edition of this article is set within the context of the Biblical understanding of peace and the responsibility of Christians for peace in a world at war. It is inspired and guided throughout from a book of Christian concepts that was published by Barbour Publishing.
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