Message Of Peace

Linda Rock
2 days ago
5 min read

The Bible text for this offering of Peace is Romans 9: 1 – 12.

The text begins with Paul pouring out the truth of his heart before the people. I speak the truth in Christ - I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit. Romans 9: 1

Paul is very sad and deeply hurt because of his family, his own race who are the people of Israel. I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Romans 9: 2 – 4.

God has chosen this race to be His people. It is from this people, his people that Jesus, who is God in flesh, has come. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen. Romans 9: 5. Yet they have been most unfaithful, hardened and wicked, not accepting the repentance path. Paul is then given clarity of thought and a higher order level of understanding, by God Himself.

In this single text, we note how Paul shares this Message Of Peace, which does four unmistakable and wonderful works. There are the marvellous works of, Expelling, Enlightening, Encouraging and Embracing us, all who will believe and accept the Works of God the Holy Spirit. Let’s examine each separately, although there will inevitably be much overlapping.

The Expelling Message Of Peace.

The first work this Message of Peace does is the work of Expelling. This work expels all the erroneous and damaging thoughts and ideas which keep us in a helpless and hopeless state. What is Paul saying? He has been shown truth that frees him from all his lawfulness. He is shown clearly that, not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Romans 9: 6b.

Here then is the Message of Peace that drives out, expels if you like, all the false thinking, understanding and beliefs that you have been harbouring all your life. Not all who are your human ancestry are reckoned as family, in the eyes of God.

The Enlightening Message Of Peace

The second work this Message of Peace does, is the work of Enlightening. When all that you thought was right, have been removed from you, the Lord never leaves you vacant and floundering to fill any gaps. There are no gaps or gaping voids left by God. He gives you enlightenment, new knowledge. Paul is shown that the very human ancestry of Jesus Christ, the family to which He belongs, is made up of those of the promise. In other words, it is not the natural children who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. Romans 9: 8.

Here then is the Message Of Peace that brings enlightenment. Only those of the promise are reckoned as family, according to God’s ways.

The Encouraging Message Of Peace

The third work this Message of Peace does is the work of Encouraging. You have been enlightened, but unless there is encouragement, you will remain outside these truths. So engrained has it been in us about our works getting us a place with God, that we become discouraged when we see the good and great works of others and we don’t have such works. Paul knows this first-hand, for his works were not just bad, but wretchedly and murderously bad, as his hands were deeply soiled with the blood of God’s children. Yet God included him into the family of God by His Sovereign Choice. Not by works but by him who calls - she was told, The older will serve the younger. Romans 9: 12

Here then is the Message of Peace that brings Encouragement. You are of the family of God not by your good or bad, but by His choosing.

The Embracing Message Of Peace

The fourth work this Message of Peace does is the work of Embracing. After you have been cleaned out and refilled, as it were, with undeceived thoughts and after you have been enlightened and encouraged, you need to be pulled in and embraced by all that you have heard. To embrace is what peace does. You are not the one who makes the first move to embrace this peace, but it is the Message Of Peace that embraces you.

There is no way, when you see yourself that you will lift your arms to embrace peace. Will you, with muddy, dirty hands and deeply filthy clothing go to embrace someone who is all clean and dressed in spotless white? That is why peace embraces you first, so that your response will be after His.

Once again, Paul knows this and he has become a living testimony to the fact that the mercy of God embraces anyone He wishes, regardless. Let this sink in deep. When God chose Paul as His family, when He brought Paul into the family-fold of believers, it had absolutely nothing to do with Paul’s desire to be a follower of Jesus. I can assure you that Paul had no burning desire to be a Jesus disciple. And worse still, all his efforts, waking and sleeping, were geared towards anti–Jesus efforts. This man made every effort to deny Jesus and deny Him big time. Does not Paul’s life testify to the Fathomless mercy of God? Who can fathom His mind? Who knows which way His Hand will swing? It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. Romans 9: 16.