“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).
When God promised peace on earth so long ago, imagining such a marvelous thing was quite difficult. How could there be peace when the world of humanity is so hostile to God and to one another? This problem only intensifies when one considers the personal conflict within themselves. Even the best people notice antipathy in their hearts and minds for those things they know are right and good. How shall we ever know peace?
In God’s wisdom, He has promised and enacted peace on earth through Jesus Christ. This perfect peacemaker has made peace and continues to do so on two distinct platforms. On the first and most emphasized platform in our day, Christ makes peace between the holy God and the penitent sinner. When any sinful person trusts in Christ’s finished work (His obedient life, surrogate death, and vindicating resurrection), he or she enjoys perfect peace with God.
On the second and less apparent platform in our day, Christ is making peace on earth. Oh, how we may lament the bitterness and animosity of our world. Aren’t human history and our contemporary times marked by war and woe? Ah, but Christ is making peace by the advancement of the Gospel in and through the lives of those who believe, and He is bringing all things to their final culmination, at which time we shall all know true peace on earth.
May all Christians know His peace, may we all strive towards experiencing His peace among us and in the world, and may we all eagerly await the day when He puts an end to all our striving.
Holding the Line 