The Priorities of the Heavenly Citizen
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3:15–17).
What should be our priorities as citizens of heaven? When we were raised with Christ (cf. Col. 3:1; Eph. 2:6), we became citizens of heaven. Philippians 3:20 says, “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” As citizens of heaven living on earth, what should be our priorities?
The priorities of an earthly citizen are earthly, concerned with only the temporary things of this world, but the priorities of a heavenly citizen should be heavenly, concerned primarily with things of eternal value. In Colossians 3:1, Paul says to the Colossian believers, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” In the first verse, he gives the foundation for the rest of his teachings in the chapter. The believer’s new heavenly position in Christ should have radical effects.
When we accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior, we were unified with him in such a way that everything that happened to Christ, happened to us. We died with him on the cross, removing the penalty of sin and breaking the power of sin (v. 3). When Christ returns we will come with him in glorified bodies (v. 4). As believers, we were raised with Christ and seated in the heavenly realms (cf. Col. 3:1; Eph. 1:3). We are now heavenly citizens.
This new heavenly position in Christ should affect how we live. We should think on heavenly things instead of earthly things (v. 1). We should take off the clothes of sin and put on the clothes of righteousness such as patience, forgiveness, compassion, humility, and love (cf. Col. 3:4–14). People should be able to identify us as citizens of heaven because of the clothes we wear, the attitudes we display. Our position in Christ should affect everything.
In Colossians 3:15–17, Paul concludes his discussion about the clothes of a heavenly citizen by looking at the priorities of the heavenly citizen. A priority is one’s focus, what we give a great deal of our time and attention to. We can tell these are priorities of the heavenly citizen because he spends more time on these clothes than the previous ones. They are the outermost garments of the heavenly man, those that cover all the others. What should be our priorities as citizens of heaven living on the earth? In this lesson, we will look at one of the three priorities. We will study the priority of letting the peace of Christ rule in our hearts (3:15).
Big Question: What is the peace of Christ and how is it maintained in the believer’s life?
The Heavenly Citizen Must Let the Peace of Christ Rule in His Heart
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful” (Col. 3:15).
Interpretation Question: What does it mean to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts?
Paul says one of the priorities of a heavenly citizen is allowing the peace of Christ to rule in his heart. In Scripture there are two types of peace the believer has from God. One is objective. Listen to what Romans 5:1 says: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Because of Christ’s death we have been reconciled to God by faith in his Son. We were once enemies of God because of our sin (Rom, 5:10); we were under his wrath. But now we are at peace with him because of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins. The first peace is “peace with God.”
But the second type of peace is a more subjective experience called the peace of God, or the peace of Christ as Paul refers to in this text. Christ promised to give his disciples his peace. Listen to what he said: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
Shortly before Christ died on the cross, he encouraged his disciples with the fact that he was giving them his peace and that this peace was different than the peace of the world. The peace of the world is based on circumstances. If a person has a nice job and no difficulties at work or home, he has peace. But Christ was poor, about to die on the cross, and be rejected by not only the nation of Israel and the Romans but his close friends. Yet, he still could have peace. This is the type of peace that God desires to give the believer. Listen to how Philippians 4:7 describes it: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Paul describes this peace as a peace that transcends all understanding. This means a person can have peace even when it doesn’t make sense. This peace will guard the believer’s heart and mind.
The peace of God is synonymous with the peace of Christ. This means that Christ’s peace guards the believer’s emotions and thoughts. The word “guard” is a military word which pictures a centurion protecting something very important. People’s minds and emotions are constantly under attack because of hard circumstances, the world, and even Satan. People are constantly fraught with fear, anxiety, anger, and every other kind of negative emotion.
One of the new words and emotions that entered into the world after Adam sinned was “fear.” He was “afraid” (Gen. 3:10). Since then, we are constantly afraid. We’re afraid of our mistakes in the past; we’re afraid of what the future holds. We are afraid of failure and afraid of success. Though this may be the lot of the world, it is not God’s plan for believers to live in a state of fear and distress. The world has many solutions to remedy fear, but none of them work. Christ said, “My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give you” (John 14:27 ESV).
Christ’s peace was the kind of peace that could sleep in the midst of a storm that threatened to destroy the boat that he and the disciples were in (Mark 4:35–40). The disciples were so frightened that they ran downstairs and said, “Don’t you care if we drown?” Christ rebuked the wind and the storm and said, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” That is the kind of peace Christ wants to give—the kind of peace that can rest in the storms of life.
Christ wants to give the type of peace that allows someone to eat his food in the very presence of his enemies and be at peace. That is the type of peace that David at times had. He said of his Shepherd, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” He said he walked through the valley of the shadow of death and yet feared no evil (Ps. 23). Yes, this is the type of peace God wants to give believers.
Paul says the citizens of heaven must let the peace of Christ rule in their hearts. The word “rule” is an athletic word. “It was used to describe the activity of an umpire in deciding the outcome of an athletic contest.” The umpire would decide if a person had won the race or broke the rules. Kent Hughes said the sense of the word is, “Let the peace of Christ be umpire in your heart amidst the conflicts of life. Let it decide what is right. Let it be your counselor.” We should let the peace of God decide in our lives and not our emotions or our circumstances.
Fear Tries to Rule
When we have fears, worries, or thoughts that come into our minds and try to rule our life, we should choose to let the peace of Christ rule instead. Many believers are ruled by worries and fears. Worries and fears direct their lives: fear of the economy, fear of failure, fear of success, fear of what others think, etc.
Fear of family, friends, or society many times guides decisions in marriage, career, etc. However, it is the peace of Christ that should govern and rule in the believer’s life, not what family, friends, or society says. Proverbs says, “The fear of man brings a snare” (Prov. 29:25 NASB). It traps people and keeps them from walking in God’s best. It is the peace of Christ that should rule and decide in our lives.
Guidance in Decision-making
The peace of Christ has a special role in decision-making, or determining the will of God. Many times God speaks through giving peace to our hearts or removing peace so we can discern his will. We see this many times in Scripture. When Saul was in sin against God, the Lord removed his peace and sent a tormenting spirit (1 Sam. 16). When Pilate was trying to discern what he should do with Christ, God took away peace from his wife. She was tormented at night through a dream, and the next day said, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man” (Matt. 27:19).
In addition, we see Paul making a decision based on this principle in Scripture. Consider 2 Corinthians 2:12–13:
Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good–by to them and went on to Macedonia.
Paul as an apostle lived for open doors. There was an open door for the gospel in Troas, and no doubt many people were getting saved. However, he had no peace of mind because he could not find his brother Titus there. Therefore, he left Troas and went to Macedonia to find him. Paul, the writer of Colossians, allowed the peace of Christ to rule in his life, and it should be this way for every heavenly citizen. It will be one of the determining factors as we are seeking to discern God’s will.
With that said, the peace of Christ is not the final factor or the only factor. It is possible to have a “false peace.” We must test our peace against the Word of God. Would this decision conflict with anything the Scripture says? Would it bring dishonor to God? We also should test things through the counsel of godly saints. Proverbs 11:14 says, “In the multitude of counselors there is safety” (KJV).
The believer should discern the peace of God as he seeks God’s will. We will talk more about this later in this lesson. Let us first ask ourselves generally, “How can we let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts? How can we make this a daily discipline?”
How to Let the Peace of Christ Rule
Application Question: How do we let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts (cf. Phil. 4:6–9; Col. 3:15)?
The word “let” means that we have an active part in allowing the peace of God to rule in our hearts. What must we do? There are many disciplines we must practice in order to maintain the peace that Christ has given.
We learn a lot about letting the peace of God rule in our hearts by not only studying Colossians 3:15, but Philippians 4:6–9 as well. Listen to the Philippians text:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you (Phil. 4:6–9).
1. The peace of God will rule in our hearts when we reject anxieties and ungodly fears.
Paul says in order for the peace of God to guard our hearts and minds, we must begin to reject fears and anxieties that steal our peace. Proverbs 12:25 says, “Anxiety in the heart of man brings depression” (NKJV). Many of us harbor fear of the past, the present and the future, and therefore miss the peace of God.
Paul told this congregation that was both being persecuted for the faith (Phil. 1:29) and also struggling with division in the church (Phil. 4:2–3) to “be anxious for nothing.” This is the problem with many Christians: they accept fear as normal and rational instead of rejecting it as Scripture says.
Listen, it is not rational to live a life of fear when the God who created heaven and earth and runs everything according to the counsel of his will is your Father (Eph. 1:11). Would it be rational for the daughter of a billionaire to run around afraid of not having enough food to eat? How much more ridiculous is it for a child of God to live in anxiety or fear? Listen to what Paul said about the graciousness of the Father:
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Rom. 8:31–32).
Paul makes an argument from the greater to the lesser. If God sent his only Son to die on the cross for your sins, if God gave his best for you in his Son, how much more will he not ‘graciously’ give you all things? He already gave you his best. Won’t he make sure you have food to eat, clothes on your back, a job for the future? Won’t he make everything work for your good even in horrible situations?
It is not irrational to reject fear. It is irrational to live in fear when God is your Father. First John 4:18 says, “Perfect love casteth out fear” (KJV). When you know the Father’s love, you won’t be running around worrying about this or that because you know God is in control.
Application Question: What types of fear commonly rob the believer of peace? What types of fear rob you?
• Fear of failure
Many believers are robbed of God’s peace because they are afraid to fail. Their fear of failure rules in their hearts instead of God. The Israelites went into the Promised Land and chose to not take it because the fear of failure was ruling them. They said the giants were too big. They chose to not let the “peace of Christ” rule.
• Fear of people
Many believers are robbed of God’s peace because of fear of what others think, say, or do. They are constantly worried about how others feel about them. Therefore, they can never enjoy the peace of the God who is satisfied with them. When people are big and God is small, we are ruled by the former.
• Fear of the future
Many believers are robbed of God’s peace because of fear of the future. Again, Proverbs says anxiety in the heart of man brings depression. Many Christians are worried about what’s next and are worried about tomorrow, and it robs them of their peace.
How else do we let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts?
2. The peace of Christ will rule in our hearts when we live in an atmosphere of prayer.
After telling us to “be anxious for nothing,” Paul says, “But in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests unto God” (Phil. 4:6). One of the reasons the peace of Christ doesn’t rule in our hearts is because we don’t pray about “everything.” We don’t live in an atmosphere of prayer. Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to pray “without ceasing.” Christians need to learn how to bring prayers before God throughout the entire day, and this practice will result in having a supernatural peace guarding their hearts.
Paul names three types of prayer in this passage we must practice: prayer, petition, and thanksgiving. When he says “prayer,” even though it is a general word for all prayer, he seems to be referring to a type of prayer since he adds the conjunction “and” after it and adds two other types of prayer: “by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving.” “Prayer” seems to refer to “special times of prayer that we share in periods of devotion and worship.” If the peace of Christ is going to rule in our hearts we must constantly worship God throughout the day.
The second type of prayer is “thanksgiving.” The very reason many of us cannot have peace is because we are constantly complaining and arguing whenever something bad happens (cf. Phil. 2:14). Sometimes we don’t even give God thanks when good things happen. Thanksgiving in everything is a discipline we must develop in order to have Christ’s peace. First Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Finally, he says we must give “petitions,” which means bringing our requests before God. Peter said, “Cast your cares before the Lord for he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). The very reason we don’t constantly cast our cares—our petitions—before God throughout the day is because we are too independent and too prideful. Pride will keep us from recognizing our need for God in everything and coming to him in humility with our requests. The humble person who knows his weakness, and therefore constantly brings his requests before God, will receive grace. Scripture says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6 ESV). One of the aspects of grace that God gives the humble person who constantly brings petitions before him is peace.
Are you practicing living in an atmosphere of prayer?
I think sometimes the discipline of having a prayer and devotional time once a day can detract from us living in an atmosphere of prayer. What do I mean by that? I don’t mean to say that having set times each day to pray and read the Bible is bad. I’m not saying that at all. Those are necessary disciplines in the Christian life. However, many Christians have their time of prayer in the morning and then check off the box. To them, they have done their duty and there is no need to pray more. It’s like completing an assignment and then not thinking about it till the next day. No, Scripture never commands us to have one time a day to pray or read our Bible. The standard is much higher than that. Scripture commands us to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). It commands us to meditate on the Word of God day and night (Ps. 1:2). The reason we set one or two times a day aside for devotion is to help us to do it all day.
The one who learns to pray in all things, bringing every thought and concern before the throne room of God, is the person who the peace of Christ will rule in. For many Christians, fear, doubt, and anger are ruling instead of the peace of Christ. The priority of a citizen of heaven must be the rule of Christ’s peace in his heart, and one of the ways that happens is by living in prayer—bringing constant worship, thanksgiving, and petitions before the Father.
Application Question: What is your prayer life like? What are some disciplines that will help us live in an atmosphere of prayer in order to have peace?
• Having a prayer list
• Having a prayer place
• Having a prayer partner or routinely participating in corporate prayer
• Having a prayer routine: daily, set times of prayer; monks would commonly pray at the chime of the clock.
• Having times of prayer; the more a person prays, the more he will reap the benefits of prayer and therefore desire to pray.
3. The peace of Christ will rule in our hearts when we practice thinking on righteous things.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you (Phil. 4:8–9).
Paul gives two requirements that are needed to experience the God of peace: righteous thinking and righteous practice. We can be sure that where the God of peace is, there his peace is as well. We will consider the need for righteous thinking first.
Again, Paul says that when a believer thinks on godly things, it will result in the God of peace being with them (v. 9). It brings the presence of the giver of this peace into our lives. Listen to what Isaiah 26:3 says: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (KJV).
God keeps at perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on him. When our minds are consumed with God and his will, this brings a spirit of peace in our lives. For many Christians, God and his will are not the major concern on their minds every day. Their work, trials, or entertainment is the chief endeavor of their thoughts, and this keeps them from having peace. It is not that we stop thinking about other things; it’s that we learn, as an act of discipline, to make everything an avenue that leads us to meditation on God and his will.
If a person who loves you gives you an expensive piece of jewelry, is it given just for your pleasure? No. The purpose of giving you the jewelry is to help you think about the intimate relationship you share together. To enjoy the jewelry without thinking of the giver is to misuse the gift. The gift is meant to point to the giver and not obscure the giver.
I did not give my wife a wedding ring so she could have an addition to her wardrobe. The ring was a reminder to her, and also to everybody else, that she is in a covenant relationship with me.
Scripture says that “every good and perfect gift cometh from God above” (James 1:17). He gives “life and breath and everything we need” (Acts 17:25). Each breath is a reminder of our dependency on God. Our food, our job, and our relationships are reminders of the Giver. These gifts were never meant to be enjoyed apart from our relationship with God, and to enjoy them apart from him is to misuse his gifts.
That is how the world lives their lives and that is how many Christians live their lives. They take the gift and enjoy it apart from and in spite of the Giver. However, the one whose mind is stayed on God, thinking on what is noble, pure and just, will experience the presence of the God of peace—the Giver of every good and perfect gift.
In order to think on what is righteous, we must reject what is sinful and saturate ourselves with what is righteous. The reality is that many Christians forfeit Christ’s peace by the music they listen to, the movies they watch, the books they read, the conversations they entertain, etc. In order to think on what is right, we must guard our hearts and minds from all that pollutes and taints us (cf. Prov. 4:23; James 1:27). It must be our daily priority to think on what is righteous as we study God’s Word and think about everything in accordance with his revelation. God and his peace are with the person who practices this as a daily endeavor.
Are you training your mind to enjoy and meditate on the Giver in everything? This does not just happen organically; it is a work of discipline. We must choose to think upon God in everything, through the study of his Word, worship, and appreciation of his gifts. There, the peace of God can rule in our hearts.
How else can we allow the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts?
Application Question: In what ways is God calling you to think on what is right and good in order to not only have peace but also the presence of the God of peace?
4. The peace of Christ will rule in our hearts when we practice righteousness.
Paul says that not only should we think on what is right, but we must practice it as well. Paul said, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:9).
When we think on what is right and put into practice God’s truths, then the God of peace will be with us. We have all experienced this before. When we walk in rebellion toward God, we subsequently lose our peace with God. Peace cannot exist without righteousness. Listen to what David said in Psalm 32:2–5:
Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Selah. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD’— and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.
David says “blessed” or “happy” is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. There is happiness and joy in a righteous relationship with God and a righteous walk. But, when David sinned and did not confess his sins, he suffered physical pain; he suffered heart pain as he groaned. His strength was sapped.
We experience this all the time. When we live in sin, we cannot have the peace of God; instead, we experience the discipline of God. David said he could sense the Lord’s hand upon him, taking away his physical strength (v. 4). He groaned all day long. But when he confessed, he began to again walk in the “happiness” of the man who was forgiven.
It’s the same for us. Paul said, “Put these things into practice” and the God of peace will be with you. A righteous life brings peace and the presence of the Giver of peace. When we live and think on sinful things, we forfeit the peace of God and instead bring the wrath of God.
Application Question: In what ways have you experienced both this sense of peace in doing God’s will and loss of peace when living in rebellion?
5. The peace of Christ will rule in our hearts when we walk in peace with the body of Christ.
Finally, in returning to Colossians 3:15, not only does Paul say we must “let the peace of Christ rule” in order to have peace, but we also must maintain peace in our relationships. Look at what he says: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.”
This is also a common experience for us when we are walking in discord with a brother or sister: it removes our joy and peace. Often, instead of thinking on God, we are thinking about how we were mistreated or misunderstood, what we should say or do next, and sometimes how to get even with those who have harmed us. There is no peace of God when we are out of fellowship with one another.
Paul says we are members of one body. When one part of the body is not functioning in harmony with the rest of the body then there is some type of sickness and possibly even a cancer. The body can’t function that way and, similarly, there can be no peace of Christ in our lives when we are in discord with another member of the body.
Look at what David says about walking in unity:
How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore (Ps. 133).
When there is peace and unity amongst the brothers, that is where God’s blessing is. That is where he bestows his peace. But where there is discord he removes his blessing. If we are out of fellowship with a brother or sister in the Lord, one of the ways we “let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts” is by seeking to reconcile that relationship. Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” As much as it depends upon us, we must seek to live in harmony with others. That means we must forgive others, we must bless those who curse us, and we even must serve our enemies. Romans 12:19–21 says,
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Application Question: In what ways have you experienced the peace of Christ or lost the peace of Christ because of relationships with other people?
Discerning God’s Will through the Peace of Christ
The first priority of a heavenly citizen is allowing the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts. It is very easy to allow worry to rule, either through the fear of man or fear of the future. Oftentimes fear can lead us to make irrational decisions. However, the child of God who is a citizen of heaven should not be ruled by fear but by the peace of Christ. It must umpire and decide our course of action.
How do we apply this to discerning God’s will? How do we apply this when trying to discern future steps, like “Whom I should date or marry?” or “How should I serve in the church?” When trying to discern God’s will we must ask these types of questions concerning the peace of Christ.
• “Will taking this action disrupt my peace with God?” Each believer must develop sensitivity to his relationship with Christ and the Lord’s peace. Sin always causes discord in our relationship with God. Therefore, if it would be displeasing to God, then we should reject it. The peace of Christ must rule as we seek to do his will on the earth.
• “Will taking this action disrupt my peace with his body?” Paul said, “It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.” (Rom. 14:21). If it causes discord in the body instead of peace, we should not do it. This includes rejecting freedoms such as wearing certain clothes, going to certain places, enjoying certain types of entertainment, etc.
• “Has God given me peace in my heart in order to proceed in this direction?” It has often been said, “Darkness about going is light about staying.” If there is no peace, then many times that is enough of an answer to not proceed. Again, peace is not the only determinate; it is possible to have a false peace. It must be tested by God’s Word and the agreement of the saints, but the peace of Christ must be discerned and obeyed.
Christians must develop sensitivity to the peace of Christ. He has left us his peace, and we must let it rule in our hearts. It must decide like an umpire. This should be the priority of every heavenly citizen.
In the next chapter, we will look at two more priorities of a citizen of heaven: the Word of God dwelling in our hearts and doing everything to glorify God (Col. 3:16–17).
Application Question: What ways have you experienced the peace of Christ, especially in the area of decision-making?
Conclusion
The peace of Christ is one of the outer garments among the clothes of a believer. In this world we will have trials, but Christ has given each of us his peace. We must labor to maintain it; it must be one of our priorities as a believer. How do we let the peace of Christ rule in our lives?
1. The peace of Christ rules in the heart of the person who practices rejecting fear and anxiety. Fear and anxiety want to rule over our lives, and therefore they must be continually rejected.
2. The peace of Christ rules in the heart of the person who practices living in an atmosphere of prayer through worship, thanksgiving, and bringing their petitions before God.
3. The peace of Christ rules in the heart of the person who practices thinking on righteous things. We cannot have peace with wrong thoughts.
4. The peace of Christ rules in the heart of the person who practices righteousness. God and his peace are present with a righteous man. However, living in sin will forfeit both the Giver and the gift.
5. The peace of Christ rules in the heart of the person who practices living in right relationships with others. Discord in the body will only remove peace. However, those who live in peace with their brothers and sisters will enjoy the peace and blessing of God (Ps. 133).
