getting it under the conditions that they have set for peace. How can one really possess peace as long as he believes that content ment will come only when the world lives in peace? I know of a situation where a Christian couple were both deeply involved in the activities of their church. At the same time, they fought constantly over many different things. One of their three children who was a teenage girl told me, "I can hardly wait to get married so that I can get out of this home. I cannot stand all that fighting much long er!" She had been trapped in a situation over which she had little control. This teenager thought she would only possess peace if she was able to change her circum stances. This form of definition is quite standard. But how sad it is to see people trapped in circum stances beyond their control. There is also the need to alter those circumstances over which we do have control. Have you never gotten into conflicts with other persons, perhaps through an argu ment, and as a result your mind has not been at ease? You may not even have been able to sleep at night. There is something you can do about this. It may require the swallowing of some pride, but it can be accomplished. We may also control our relationship with Cod. We are told in Romans 5:10 that we were at one time enemies of God. We can remain enemies and know little of His provision for us, including His provision for peace. But this is a circumstance over which we do have some control. When the Holy Spirit brings us to the place where we realize our need of a Savior, we can respond.
We do not need to remain sepa rated from Cod. The third question quite natur ally follows, "Why is Christian peace so special?" The first reason is very simple: Christ said it was special in John 14:27. Paul also re minds us that it is special. Paul says that if we will walk in the Spirit we will live with different qualities of life. The natural fruit which results is love, joy, and peace about which we have been study ing. There is a far different sub stance to the peace of Cod's Word than that sought by merely rear ranging the world's problems. Christian peace is. also different because all the circumstances do not have to change for the better in order for us to enjoy it. Notice that I said "all the circumstances do not have to change." Some of them will have to change, some over which we do have control. But we will be talking about that later. Christ promised in John 14:27 that His peace is different than that of the world. It is different, I be lieve, because the believer can en joy peace even in the midst of conflict over which he has no con trol. John, chapter 13, contains many things that would shatter the average person's peace. Yet, on the heels of these incidents, Christ promises peace in John, chapter 14. What were the adverse circum stances to peace in John, chapter 13? Note three key items. In verse 21, Christ says that one is going to betray Him. In verse 36, Christ says that He is going to leave His dis ciples and that they cannot follow Him. And, finally, in verse 38, Christ says that Peter will deny Him three times. Each of these in cidences speak of conflict. Con- Page 7
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