Christ Our Peace

(Taken from "Peace, Tribulation, Victory" by J.C. Philpot, 1847)

"These things I have spoken to you, that in ME you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)

"For He Himself is our peace..." (Eph. 2:14)

Here lies the force of the whole. Peace in self! That never can be found. Peace in the world! That never can be had. Peace in sin! God forbid any of His children should dream of peace there for a moment. Peace in the things of time and sense! Are they not all polluted - all baubles, toys, passing shadows, smoke out of the chimney, chaff on of the summer threshing floor? Can an exercised soul - one tried, tempted, dejected, cast down with the difficulties of the way - can he find any peace in these things? His carnal mind may, to his shame, for a while be drawn aside by them; his wicked lusts and passions may be entangled in them; his fallen nature may grovel amid these poor perishing day-dreams. But peace! there is no peace in these things; for God has said, "There is no peace to the wicked." And so long as our wicked hearts are going out after wicked things, if the conscience is really tender and alive in God's fear, there will be no true, solid peace within.

But how often are the souls of the Lord's people like the troubled sea, which casts up mire and dirt! How often are they far from peace! How many anxious thoughts, painful suspicions, trying doubts and fears, assail and harass their souls! In these temptations do they find peace? Does the Lord mean they should find peace in them? Are not these things intended to be to them what the floating carcasses were to Noah's dove - to drive them back to the ark? The raven, that foul bird of prey, could rest and fatten upon the floating carcasses, and never more returned to the ark; but the pure dove, that clean bird, could find no rest for the sole of her foot, but in, or upon the ark.

So while carnal professors can find peace in self, in the things of time and sense, in empty notions, in a graceless profession, in dry doctrines, in a name to live while dead - there is that in the heart of a child of God which, like the dove, can find no solid rest - except in the ark, the Lord Jesus Christ; as He says, "In Me you shall have peace."

But what is the import of the words "in Me?" Do they not point, first, to the truth of eternal union with Christ? for out of this eternal union flows every blessing in time. Do not the words also point to faith in Christ? for it is only by faith in Christ that we can have peace in Him; as the Scripture speaks, "peace and joy in believing." But is not the crowning point of "in Me," and that whence solid peace flows, communion with Christ? Not merely eternal union, not merely living union, but divine communion under the sacred influences and operations of the blessed Comforter.

Now the Lord designs that all His dear family should have peace in Him; He therefore drives them out of every refuge of lies that they may find no peace in self. He brings them out of the world, that they may find no peace there. He hunts them out of sin, that they may find no peace there. He sees fit also to exercise their minds, and to try them again and again, that finding no peace in anything else, they may come as poor broken-hearted sinners to the footstool of mercy, look unto Jesus, trust in His name, and find peace in believing.