R. PEACE
Another attribute of God is peace. The New Testament speaks about both the peace of God and the God of peace. Concerning the God of peace, Romans 16:20 says, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” Concerning the peace of God, Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.” The peace of God is actually God as peace, infused into us through our fellowship with Him by prayer, as the counterpoise of troubles and the antidote to anxiety (John 16:33). The God of peace mounts guards over our hearts and thoughts in Christ Jesus. He patrols before our hearts and thoughts in Christ.
The peace of God and the God of peace are one. When God is with us, peace is with us also. The genuine peace we enjoy is God Himself. The way to enjoy the God of peace is by praying to have fellowship with Him.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Paul says, “And the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly.” Here we see that the God of peace is the Sanctifier. His sanctification brings in peace. When we are wholly sanctified by Him from within, we enjoy His peace in every way.
In our experience peace is a condition that results from grace, that issues from the enjoyment of God our Father. When we enjoy God as grace, we are in a condition that is full of rest and satisfaction. This is peace. Grace is a substance, whereas peace is a condition. The substance of grace is God Himself, and the condition of peace is that which issues out of our enjoyment of God as grace. We all can testify of the peace we have when we enjoy God as grace. We have the divine substance as our enjoyment, and we have the heavenly condition. This is the peace which we enjoy.
The fact that peace is the issue of grace is indicated by the way Paul greets the saints in Ephesians 1:2 and in other Epistles: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” This peace results from the enjoyment of God as grace which is also an attribute of the God whom we enjoy in Christ.
S. JOY
Romans 15:13 says, “The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace,” indicating that joy is one of God’s attributes. God is the God of enjoyment. In our experience, if we enjoy God as grace, we shall have peace, and if we have peace, we shall have joy.
T. HOPE
Romans 15:13 speaks twice of hope which is also one of God’s attributes. “The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope in the power of the Holy Spirit.” God is the God of hope. When He fills us with joy and peace, we abound in hope. Those who are without joy and peace cannot have hope. But if we enjoy God as grace and thereby have peace and joy, we shall be full of hope.
(Conclusion of the New Testament, The (Msgs. 001-020), Chapter 10, by Witness Lee)
