The Suffering and Death of Christ Is the Peace for His People

Rev. J. Spaans, Norwich, ON

The word “peace” predates the time spoken of in our text since that word was mentioned already in the Counsel of Peace, in the never-begun eternity. There, God had thoughts of peace in Christ for His elect Church, chosen from all eternity. They would be brought forth in the fullness of time by His free and sovereign grace and be prepared for a never-ending eternity. The text of our meditation found in John 16 speaks about Christ’s farewell words to His Church in this world.

In the fourteenth chapter the Lord said to His disciples, “Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1). Later He told them that He was to leave them for a short time. In Chapters 14, 15, and 16, the Lord spoke about His death. In conclusion He instructed them with the words, “These things have I spoken unto you, that ye might have peace.”

The Lord reminded His disciples of that true peace which He would purchase with His active and passive obedience for His true church. Natural man does not know the true meaning of peace, but the Lord Jesus declared, “In Me ye shall have peace.” Without Christ there is no peace, but the peace which is in Christ is peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. It is through faith by the active work of the Holy Spirit.

An eternal wonder must happen in our lives, a wonder of which the Lord Jesus spoke in John 3, namely, to be born again. This is the wonder which took place in the life of Saul when the Lord arrested him on the way to Damascus. It was as with Ruth, who was awakened out of her dead state in Moab and who was taught to know that the Lord is God. One learns to know that God’s holy law is unchangeable and that one stands guilty and condemnable before that law. Though one may try to make amends by his own self-righteousness and may find some fleeting peace in God-given repentance, supplications, reformations, and religious activities (which may be the fruits of a hidden Christ), he must learn that with all this, he cannot make payment. In these experiences he learns to ascribe righteousness to God as Judge, and he will be stripped more and more of his selfrighteousness. Oh, what dark days and nights these are for such a soul when everyone can be converted except him and that because of his own fault. In our actual sins, which mount to heaven, we sin rebelliously, and our sins against the gospel are willfully committed. We are brought to see our hopeless condition and our deep and total depravity because of original sin, which has evil at its root.

The world and all of its amusements mean nothing to that poor soul. He sees death and hell as his due reward and acknowledges God’s fairness in the execution of His justice. It then becomes an unforgettable moment when God speaks to the soul, “I have laid help upon One who is mighty to deliver.” Christ is revealed as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. What peace he may then experience in the perfect righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom God found peace for a sinner while maintaining His attributes of truth and justice, grace and mercy, as it is described in Psalm 85:10. Our Psalter 232:2 reads:

His saving help is surely near To those His holy Name that fear;
Thus glory dwells in all our land.
Now heav’nly truth unites with grace,
And righteousness and peace embrace,
In full accord they ever stand.

When the Lord says in our text, “that in Me ye might have peace,” what a great blessing it then becomes if that soul may learn something of Christ’s prophetical, priestly, and kingly offices. Then the soul may, by faith, reap the blessed benefit that He “...is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Young and old, may you never rest until you hear from His own mouth, “I am thy salvation.” He is wisdom for my ignorance, righteousness for my wickedness, and holiness for my pollution and corruptness. His death is my life, His life my death. He is the faith of my faithlessness, the hope of my hopelessness, the love of my lovelessness, the patience of my impatience, the humility of my pride, the willingness of my rebellion, the heaven of my hell, the victory of my defeat. He is my song in place of murmurings; He is my glory for my shame. Oh, precious moments when the soul may say, “He is my All and in all.”

Having said a few words about Christ as the true peace, we also note in the text something about tribulation. The Lord said to His disciples, “In the world ye shall have tribulation.”

Of a person’s birth we read that Job said, “He is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward.” It would seem that the Lord is saying in our text that those who are born again will receive greater troubles. These troubles, however, are measured out “in the world,” which speaks of a certain time period. That is not true for those that are born only once.

The Lord told Adam that the earth would bring forth thorns and thistles, but what endless, endless troubles shall there be throughout all eternity if we die as we are born. Children and young people, it is awful to write what it will be to be lost forever and ever. The prophet Jeremiah cried out, “O earth, earth, earth, hear the Word of the Lord.” May the Lord give true repentance unto Him, and faith in Christ Jesus. The Lord says clearly in Isaiah 55 that we are to call upon Him while He is to be found. Tire time of grace is but a short time. Seek it not in the vanities of the world or in false religion which will have value only as long as life lasts. Do not forget, God will have the last word. If there has been no blood applied, there will be no peace.

The Bible says, “The wicked shall be turned into hell...” (Psalm 9:17). Concerned ones, how you may tremble, but never rest in your concerns, for concerns can go away. Pray for deeper convictions and for a biblical conversion. People of the Lord, the Apostle Peter said, “Unto you therefore which believe He is precious” (1 Peter 2:7). The Lord declares that His people shall have tribulations in this world. The Lord never promised His people two heavens, and tribulation is given out of love. May we, by grace, become and remain strangers in this world.

Part of this tribulation is the strife of our corrupt flesh. God’s people learn to know themselves first as Pharisees and later as Publicans. Another part of the strife is with Satan. Never think lightly of Satan’s power. He can come with texts as well as with curses. What strife can take place in the living soul which wonders whether a work is from the Lord or from Satan’s wicked devices. After every heavenly visit the Lord’s work may be tried. After every heavenly song, as with Miriam on the shores of the Red Sea, we may be brought to the bitter waters of Marah to teach us to abhor ourselves.

Another tribulation is the temptations of the world which find such easy access into our corrupt flesh. The Bible says, “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him...” (Psalm 25:14). God’s people are frequently a riddle unto themselves. For example, David said, “My soul cleaveth unto the dust...” (Psalm 119:25), yet he could not find his life in those things.

There is also the tribulation with modern Christendom, which often harshly attacks God’s people. They say, “Believe, be saved, and be happy.” God’s truly poor people, who, by grace, have been placed in another school, have to confess, “...Lord, I believe; help Thou my unbelief”(Mark 9:24). They experience that they could more easily pull the stars out of heaven than practice faith, for they can only experience it by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Finally, another tribulation is that the “Canaanite still dwells in the land.” There are trials and crosses in personal life, family life, and church life. If God’s people could only see, by faith, that these are all measured in divine love and wisdom. When Asaph confessed, “I was as a beast before Thee” (Psalm 73:22), then he might kiss the rod, might taste the honey upon the rod, and might experience as is written in Romans 8:28, “...All things work together for good to them that love God....”

People of the Lord, the Lord Jesus said, “But be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” The book of Hebrews says, “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God” (Hebrews 4:9). May the Lord give the application so that His Name might be glorified.

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