THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:16-17).

Devotion 11 of 27

THE GOSPEL OF PEACE

When it comes home to your heart that sin has cut us off from God, alienating us from His life (Eph 4:18; Col 1:21), the Gospel becomes "good news!" It announces that peace has been made "through the blood of His cross" (Col 1:20). An amnesty is available to all who will receive it! When we are justified by faith, we experience "peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom 5:1). It becomes our possession! This peace is to be proclaimed!

I fear the facade of academics and pseudo-intellectualism has robbed the people of this glorious message! "And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, and bring glad tidings of good things!" (Rom 10:15). When Peter brought the Gospel to the Gentiles, he announced this critical aspect of the Gospel. "The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, PREACHING PEACE BY JESUS CHRIST: (He is Lord of all:)" (Acts 10:36).

The glory of this Gospel of peace is seen against the dark background of sin's alienating power. Transgression thrusts the transgressor into war with God! Even believers must be reminded of this. As James, the brother of our Lord, wrote, "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (James 4:1). Describing the human condition outside of Christ, the Spirit says, "being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them" (Eph 4:18). Showing the dramatic contrast between the new life and old life, Colossians 1:21 says, "And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled."

The "Gospel of peace" announces amnesty, reports reconciliation, proclaims propitiation. God is pleased to receive into full fellowship all those who "receive the atonement" (Rom 5:11). The peace forged by Jesus by means of the "blood of His cross" is very real. It means Christ's atoning death resulted in a "WELCOME" sign being placed over heaven. Now, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21; Rom 10:13).

Speaking of this marvelous message of peace, the spirit affirms the involvement of the Lord Jesus Himself in the proclamation. "Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two [Jew and Gentile], thus MAKING PEACE, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and PREACHED PEACE to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father" (Eph 2:15-18 NKJV).

The peace announced by the Gospel is so extensive that it unites those who receive it--even those once at war with one another. The presence of warring divisions within the Christian community confirms that this is not perceived as clearly as it should and could be. Those who perceive the greatness of the peace Jesus made between man and God will find it much easier to be at peace with fellow believers. When the scriptures admonish, "Be at peace among yourselves" (1 Thess 5:13), it is understood that the Gospel of peace will be of incalculable assistance in bringing about that peace.

For many believers, this is exceedingly difficult to receive. They have been subjected to spiritual terrorism from the pulpit. Even though God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world (John 3:17), that is the apparent mission of many that come in His name. The time has come for "good news" to be heralded to mankind. That is what the Lord Jesus mandated: "Preach the Gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:16).

In the good fight of faith, appropriate armor is essential. No one can expect to stand against the wiles of the devil in the energy of the flesh, or the natural man. Our lives prior to being in Christ attest to our impotence against the old serpent. Part of "the armor of God" is proper footwear. If we are going to stand on the rocky battlefields of this world, we cannot do so barefooted. Thus it is written, "And your feet shod with the preparation of the GOSPEL OF PEACE" (Eph 6:15). In this case, our shoes precisely fit us, enabling us to "stand in the evil day." Notice the nature of this provision: "the Gospel of peace." In a nutshell, knowing Christ has "made peace" between you and God diffuses the roars of the devil. As it is written, "When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble?" (Job 34:29). Thank God for the Gospel of peace!

PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank Your through Jesus Christ that I am no longer at war with You, and Your face is not set against me! I recognize and receive the peace Christ has made.

-- Tomorrow: THE GOSPEL--PREACHED TO ABRAHAM --