(Col. 3:15.)

(Continued from p. 150.)

Ver. 15 presents three things:

1. Presiding peace-peace which is to rule or govern (literally, umpire) our hearts.

2. This is to be realized by us as those who are of one Body, as in its oneness or unity. Though it is in our hearts, it is not as isolated individuals but members one of another.

3. With thankfulness-the fretfulness, murmuring, and anxiety so natural to us is not to be given place.

It is the peace of Christ-that which comes from Him by reason of what He is and has done, and also that which characterizes Him, never more than when here in the midst of all experiences, trials and sufferings incident to His humiliation.

We may define peace as being a subsisting state of tranquillity and spiritual well-being, nothing feared from God, there being entire confidence toward Him, and contentment amid the circumstances and conditions in which we find ourselves, because all is committed to Him and

He is trusted.

On Christ's part this state was absolutely true and full, for He ever abode in God's love, enjoying communion with Him as always obedient, and by reason of it manifesting perfect calm, moderation, yieldingness, and quiet contentment in all His pathway. Such peace could be true of no other man before Him. But now it is possible for us to have His peace ruling our hearts. The peace of God is more general, the peace of Christ more intimate and personal. He said, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give unto you"-words which tell us that He is putting us relatively into the same place that He occupied as man down here.

This is made possible by two things:first, by what He has done; secondly, by the Spirit's presence and indwelling, for He forms in us the mind of Christ as we enjoy communion with Him through the Word. By means of the first we may now have the same confidence toward God as He had, for we are accepted in Him and stand in the value of His accomplished work, perfected forever by His one sacrifice. By this we are assured of full salvation, and know that we have nothing to fear from God. He is for us. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and we may boldly say, "As He is, so are we in this world." He has made peace by the blood of His cross. We are reconciled through the death of God's Son-we who were alienated and enemies in mind by wicked works. We know God as "the God of peace" who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus. Thus the Christian is assured of and privileged to enjoy a state of perfect tranquillity through Christ who is able to save completely all who draw near to God by Him.

We may think of this as positional in character, but it leads into peace in regard to and amid all circumstances. That this may be ours, we are assured nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord; the Spirit sheds abroad this love in our hearts, and He is with us forever. God is faithful who has promised, and He will never leave nor forsake. The peace of Christ gave character to His life of lowliness and dependence. So the peace of Christ means not only unclouded acceptance (ever His as Man and now ours through Him), but also that sense of rest, tranquillity, quietness, contentment, confidence, which rules the heart because God is known and trusted, as Paul could say, "My God shall supply all your need." Our circumstances may be anything but peaceful; outwardly turmoil and distress may prevail; it is a question of our inward state. If our hearts are so governed, contentment will prevail, no matter what circumstances may surround us. Now this comes from the knowledge of God and communion with Him realized in a life subject to His will and pleasing in His sight. This was Christ's peace as He walked here, suffering the contradiction of sinners against Himself, a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief, without place or portion on the earth-"nowhere to lay His head." In this relation He is the source of peace to us, because in occupation with Him our hearts are ruled by His peace. We learn the character of it as we see Him in His pathway among men. Practically it means that we allow nothing to come in between us and God. If we do, our hearts are disquieted, uncertainty and fear arise, doubts becloud, anxiety weighs heavily, and we become weak, depressed, and our steps soon falter. We are then overcome, instead of being overcomers. Surrounding evil has prevailed over us instead of the peace of Christ presiding in our hearts. He did not walk in that manner. We are to walk as He walked. Who like Him suffered at the hands of friend and foe, bore such contradiction, such accusation, such reviling, yet pursued His way in peace? -for He knew God and ever abode in communion with Him. He committed His way to Him, His work was with His God. He did not quench the smoking flax, no ruthless word or act proceeded from Him, nor did He assert His rights or claim His place in the face of those who assailed, rejected, and maligned Him. He has left us an example that we should follow in His steps.

The disciples did not have His peace when they wished to call down fire from heaven, but He shows it to us on that occasion. He is called a Samaritan, said to be in league with Satan, to have a demon, and to be a sinner, yet He meets it all in humbleness, meekness, gentleness, speaking words of grace seasoned with salt, words of grace and truth, designed to reach the hearts of even such traducers and evil-workers. Even His words of woe are tempered, and few in comparison. In all of this we see His peace-shown in that none of all these things ever came between Him and God. Because of this He could thus act and walk among men.

"O teach us more of Thy blest ways,
Thou holy Lamb of God,
And fix and root us in Thy grace
As those redeemed by blood."

In the Garden before Judas and his crowd, before Caiaphas and Pilate, who but One of whom it was practically true that, "Thou wilt keep in perfect peace the mind stayed on Thee, for he confideth in Thee," could behave and speak as He did under such circumstances? The peace of Christ! And that peace characterizes Him still as He waits until in God's good time His enemies shall be made the footstool of His feet. "The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of the Christ" (2 Thess. 3:5, N. Trans.). Patience has its perfect work where peace such as His rules. Well may He say to us, "Have faith in God." It was ever so with Him; hence His peace.

He says to us, "Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in Me." Do we so believe that it is manifested in following His example? He is the object of our faith, equally with God. He surely claims it in this very statement. To believe in Him really means to conform ourselves to His mind and ways so that it becomes true that for us to live is Christ. "Let the peace of Christ preside in your hearts."

We see Him on the road to Calvary, followed by those who weep and lament; but He says to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep over me." We think of Him during those hours of unequaled suffering on the cross. He prays for His persecutors; He blesses the dying thief; He keeps the fulfilment of God's Word before His mind and says, "I thirst;" He calmly dismisses His spirit. The peace of Christ!

As we think of Him our hearts know a great calm, and out of them flows not accusation, reviling resentment, pride, self-assertion, selfish claims and acts, but "bowels of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any should have a quarrel against any, even as the Christ has forgiven you."

Brethren, does the peace of Christ preside in our hearts?

It is individual first of all-"in your hearts." It relates to the inner man in all his individual relations, affections, interests. This peace ruling our hearts would effectually hinder a hard, unloving, unquiet spirit which practically destroys the unity of the Body.

The features of Christian character and action already considered imply occasions which will call out their exercise toward one another. In this connection we know how easily there arises in the heart a conflict of passions and motives over which a presiding or ruling influence is needed so that a proper adjustment is effected. This is to have in view our oneness, for we are called to the realization of this peace in one Body – not the Body viewed as to privilege and position in Christ, but our being called to be together as members one of another, brethren who are to dwell together in the unity of the Spirit, which we are to keep with all diligence in the uniting bond of peace.

If the broken and ruined state of the Church which is that Body witnesses to how little the peace of Christ has ruled the hearts of its members have we who stand for the truth proved ourselves better than our fathers? Does our condition show that the peace of Christ presides in our hearts? Did it, the confusion and shame of these days would not be upon us. Strife, alienation, and accusation are the breathings of another spirit than that of Christ-a spirit that blows its withering blast upon the fruit of the Spirit, "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, self-control." Quite unaware to ourselves, and because pride, worldliness, and self-seeking make inroads upon us, Satan may find his opportunity to take us captive for his will. Then it is not long before his character as the accuser of the brethren becomes manifest in our ways, and unmasks to others, if not to ourselves, the snare in which our feet are caught. The Lord alone can pluck them out of such a net.

Finally, we are to be thankful, surely to God who has called us in one Body; but thankful too even amid all that may arise in our relations as so called, though these require much longsuffering, forbearance, and forgiveness exercised in that love which, if it is the bond of our actions will affect even our words, so that they are neither hard or unseemly.

God grant to us the rule of Christ's peace in our hearts and our relations as called to it in one Body. John Bloore

(To be continued, D. V.)