Message 18 - 1thessalonians Chapter 5:23 – May The God Of Peace Sanctify You Preserving Body, Soul And Spirit Series

MESSAGE 18 - 1THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 5:23 – MAY THE GOD OF PEACE SANCTIFY YOU PRESERVING BODY, SOUL AND SPIRIT

{{1Thessalonians 5:23 “Now may THE GOD OF PEACE Himself sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”}}

PART 1. THE GOD OF PEACE

Paul introduces this next thought with the phrase “the God of peace”. Our God is a God of peace. Allah is a god of war and revenge. What do we mean by the term “God of peace”. It means that God Himself is peace; He promotes peace, and works for peace for all His beloved. How do we marry this phrase with another character attribute of God – that God is a God of wrath? Well it is not difficult. Wrath must be employed to eradicate the enemy of peace so that peace might remain, and be universal. Sadly, soon in this world, the wrath of God will come on to the world because it is full of evil, and upon men and nations who hate peace and hate the Christians of peace. God will fight against His enemies who are our enemies too, and after He has prevailed then God lives among His people as the God of peace.

A God of peace must take measures to ensure that God’s peace will be the final outcome in the universe (or “world” if you like). These measures ensure that enemies are dealt with, and this we see in the Old Testament a lot, when God intervened on behalf of His earthly people, Israel. God brought in peace through the evil being replaced. However the greatest act of God in being the God of peace, was to send His Son into the world that through Him the dividing wall of hostility between God and man might be taken away, so that God’s peace is freely available for all human beings. It was not the Lord coming into the world that did that, but His work on the cross when the penalty for sin was paid to the last marked up transgression.

Ann Cousins wrote –

"Oh Christ, what burdens bowed Thy head; our load was laid on Thee.

Thou stoodest in the sinners stead; did bear all ill for me.

A victim led, Thy blood was shed; now there's no load for me.

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Death and the curse were in the cup. Oh Christ, ‘twas full for Thee.

But Thou hast drained the last dark drop; ‘tis empty now for me.

That bitter cup, love drank it up; now blessings draught for me.”

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(sometimes – “Now cloudless peace for me.”)

The sinful world might like the concept of a God of peace who is like a santa claus giving out presents to sinners regardless of their sin or sinful intentions. God will not stand for that. God’s peace must be in harmony with His righteousness and holiness. God’s righteousness and holiness condemn sin so that there is no peace in man’s natural state, but the sacrifice of Christ has brought holiness, righteousness, peace and forgiveness together into perfect harmony. You who hear me today, can only know the God of peace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. There is no redemption except through blood, and the blood of the Lamb was shed for your peace.

Daniel Whittle wrote –

Come sing, my soul, and praise the Lord,

Who has redeemed you by His blood;

Delivered you from chains that bound,

And brought you to redemption ground.

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Refrain:

Redemption ground, the ground of peace!

Redemption ground, O wondrous grace!

Here let our praise to God abound!

Who saves us on redemption ground.

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“THE GOD OF PEACE” is a favourite term with the Apostle Paul. In {{Hebrews 13:20, he writes, “Now may THE GOD OF PEACE who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, Heb 13 v 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”}}

In 2 Thessalonians 3 v 16 Paul uses “the Lord of peace”. In Romans 16:20, he writes, {{“THE GOD OF PEACE will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”}}

In 2 Corinthians 13 v 11, he urges the saints - {{“Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and THE GOD OF LOVE AND PEACE will be with you.”}}

Our God is a God of peace and love. The god of Islam is a god of war, and love is not mentioned for Allah. There is a hymn that speaks of the sublime truth that could only be written by a man who knew the God of peace in his life. Henry Lyte was moved to write this hymn as he was dying of tuberculosis in 1847:-