Scripture Reading: Lev. 3:1-5; Eph. 2:14-17; 4:3; 6:15; Col. 1:20-22; 3:15
Ⅰ
God is the God of peace—Rom. 15:33; 16:20a; 2 Cor. 13:11; Phil. 4:9; 1 Thes. 5:23; Heb. 13:20:
A
Our Father is the God of peace, who has a peaceful life with a peaceful nature—Rom. 15:33; 1 Thes. 5:23.
B
Because we have been justified out of faith, we have peace toward God through our Lord Jesus Christ—Rom. 5:1.
C
The genuine peace we enjoy is God Himself—John 14:27; Phil. 4:7, 9.
Ⅱ
The peace offering typifies Christ as the Peacemaker—Lev. 3:1; Eph. 2:15:
A
Apart from Christ, we cannot have peace with God or with others; therefore, we need Christ to be our peace offering—v. 14.
B
Christ has made peace "through the blood of His cross"—Col. 1:20; Lev. 3:2.
C
As the reality of the peace offering, Christ is our peace; through Him and in Him we have peace with God and with one another—Eph. 2:14; 1 Thes. 5:13b.
D
As the peace offering, Christ is food for God and the serving ones—Lev. 3:3-5, 9-11, 14-16; 7:28-35.
Ⅲ
In the world we have affliction, but in Christ we have peace—John 14:1; 16:33:
A
Our heart is troubled because we are in the world, and the way for this trouble to be solved is for us to enter into Christ by believing into Him—14:1.
B
In 16:33 there are two realms: the physical realm (the world), where all the troubles are, and the divine and mystical realm of the pneumatic Christ, where peace is.
Ⅳ
We need to experience Christ as the peace offering for the Body of Christ—Eph. 2:14-17; 4:3; 6:15; Col. 1:20-22; 3:15:
A
Christ as the peace offering for the Body of Christ in Ephesians:
１
Christ, who accomplished full redemption for both the Jewish and the Gentile believers, is Himself our peace, our harmony—2:14.
２
When Christ was crucified as the peace offering, His death abolished, annulled, the different ordinances of human life and religion—v. 15.
３
The differences among the races and the differences of social rank have been abolished by the death of Christ.
４
By Christ's abolishing in His flesh the separating ordinances, that is, by His slaying the enmity, and by His creating the Jewish and the Gentile believers into one new man, peace was made between all believers—v. 15.
５
In one Body both the Jews and the Gentiles were reconciled to God through the cross; we were reconciled to God not only for the Body of Christ but also in the Body of Christ—v. 16.
６
Christ as the Spirit to announce peace as the gospel—v. 17.
７
The peace which Christ made for His Body should bind all believers together and should thus become the uniting bond—4:3.
８
"Having shod [our] feet with the firm foundation of the gospel of peace," we have a firm footing that we may stand to fight the spiritual warfare—6:15; cf. Rom 16:20; Luke 10:19.
B
Christ as the peace offering for the Body of Christ in Colossians—1:20-22; 3:15:
１
The fullness (God Himself expressed) was pleased to dwell in Christ and to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross—1:20:
ａ
We who were enemies have been reconciled by the fullness in the body of His flesh through death so that we may be presented holy, without blemish, and without reproach before the fullness—vv. 21-22.
ｂ
It is the fullness that dwells in Christ, it is the fullness that reconciles us, and it is to the fullness that we shall be presented—vv. 19-22.
２
We should let the peace of Christ arbitrate in our hearts for the Body of Christ—3:15:
ａ
We were called to this peace in the one Body of Christ.
ｂ
For the proper Body life, we need the peace of Christ to arbitrate, to adjust, and to decide all things in our heart in our relationship with the members of His Body.
Ⅴ
In the church life we need to be at peace in everything, in every way, and with everyone; for this we need the Lord of peace to give us peace continually in every way—Heb. 12:14; 1 Thes. 5:13b; 2 Thes. 3:16:
A
"If possible, as far as it depends on you, live in peace with all men"—Rom. 12:18.
B
"Let us pursue the things of peace and the things for building up one another"—14:19.
C
"Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another"—Mark. 9:50b.
D
"Pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart"—2 Tim. 2:22b.
E
"The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace"—James 3:18.
F
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God"—Matt. 5:9.