Peace On Earth

Peace On Earth

      The message of Christmas is peace on earth, good will toward men. Up until the time that Christ was born, the world was in a state of profound spiritual darkness and enmity against God. Because of unbelief and sin, mankind had been expelled from the presence of God, when in Adam and Eve, they were driven from the paradise of Eden. From that time forward to the time of Christ, men knew God only as the higher power, the I am that I am, the tyrant God of the universe whom they thought poured out his wrath upon all those who could not measure up to his demands for holiness.                 Consequently, mankind was afraid and at war with God. Because men and women, boys and girls, were estranged from God, they became enemies one with another. Cain slew his brother Abel because Abel's sacrificial offering was accepted by God and his was not. Men began to murder, steal, lie, and commit adultery, and commit all manner of atrocities against one another until the world was so filled with such gross darkness that even when the light of the world was turned on at the appearance of Christ at his first advent, it was necessary for God to send a messenger in the person of John the Baptist to proclaim that the light had been turned on.

      Men have been at war with one another from the beginning of time – man against man, brother against brother – nation against nation, because all men have been at war with God.

The world has cried for peace on earth, but there can be no peace on earth among men until men and nations are at peace with God. “There is no peace., saith the Lord unto the wicked.” Isaiah 48: 22. “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace saith my God to the wicked.” Isaiah57: 20, 21. “ We looked for peace, but no good came, and for a time of health, and beheld trouble.” Jeremiah 8: 15.

      Men have longed and sought for peace on earth, even as they were waging war against God, but peace on earth will never be a reality until each individual is at peace with God.

      This is what Christmas is all about. God in his mercy took the initiative to make peace between himself and mankind. The message of peace on earth, good will toward men, was that God in his mercy was willing to take the first step and offer conditions of peace between himself and individual sinners. God the Father offered to pour out all his wrath for the sins of mankind on an individual basis on his only begotten son, if each individual would receive it as God's unspeakable gift of mercy and love. “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3: 16

      Jesus who is known as the prince of peace, came to earth to make peace between God and individuals, so that individuals, no longer at war with God because their sins are forgiven and paid for by the shed blood of Christ, and their consciences cleansed, could have peace with God and one with another, man with man, and nation with nation.

      How about you, my friend, have you accepted God's condition for peace with him? Are you, by your reclaimed relationship with God through Christ, contributing to peace on earth, or are you still at war with God and man?

      “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God the everlasting Father, the prince of peace.” Isaiah 9: 6. “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night, and lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, fear not: for behold I bring you good tiding of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you, ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men.” Luke 2: 8-14 – That is: God's good will toward men that they migjht be reconciled to him

      The only real peace there can be on earth is when mankind has turned to Christ for salvation and made him King of kings, and Lord of lords in their own individual heart.

      Some day when the Lord returns to earth , there will be genuine peace on earth, for in that day -”With righteousness shall he judge the poor and .reprove with equity for the meek of the earth, and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked, and righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down wth the kid: and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah 11: 4-9.

      We pray that all who read these lines will find peace with God, and have the peace of God abiding in your heart. We wish you all a very joyous Christmas, looking forward to that great day when Christ shall reign on earth.