“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1 ESV).
“Peace” is generally defined as a state of well-being or contentment. This may involve the absence of external disputes (ranging from armed confrontations to interpersonal disagreements), to internal struggles with various forms of worry, anxiety, and/or insecurity. A person who experiences freedom from these internal and external conflicts is likely to be someone who is “at peace.”
The problem is that peace is something that often proves to be elusive. In fact, peace can be so elusive that many simply abandon the pursuit. For example, some attempt to anesthetize their lack of peace through alcohol and/or substance abuse. Others attempt to fill that gap with a never-ending quest to accumulate financial wealth or material possessions. Then there are those who pursue a variety of self-help strategies that seem beneficial but may neglect the root causes that ultimately lead to an absence of peace.
Our text from Romans 5:1 thus suggests two points of application:
- We can trace the ultimate cause of a lack of peace to the unresolved conflict that exists between human beings and their Creator (as discussed extensively in Romans chapter one).
- Since “…we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” we can say that the road to genuine peace begins with faith in Christ.
As Jesus once told His disciples, “I am leaving you with a gift– peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27 TLB).
We should also recognize that “peace” and “happiness” are not the same. For instance, we often find happiness in acquiring the things we desire. Those aspirations often fall into four broad categories: power, money, relationships, and possessions. The problem is that power structures change, monetary wealth can disappear, relationships fail, and material possessions break down or become obsolete. When these setbacks occur in the lives of those who invest in such things, it often ruins their sense of happiness.
However, peace is something different, for the source of genuine peace is not something but Someone–God Himself. This peace is not like the type of peace that might exist between two rival nations. Such nations may peacefully coexist, yet still maintain a state of mutual antagonism and hostility. On the other hand, peace with God through faith in Christ is a lasting peace that signifies an end to all hostilities and the presence of fellowship with God.