Treasures New and Old

Christian Convictions: Vessel – A Vessel of Peace

-Author unknown

As we continue this study, I thought it prudent to remind you of the Seven Disciples’ Principles that we should remember and observe (as in guard, hold important). We have also discussed the definition of a disciple and who can be a disciple. As part of that discipleship walk is the call to be a peacemaker – a vessel of peace. First, a review of the seven principles of discipleship:

Seven Principles Recap:

1) We must always strive to be like Him and understand that we can never be better than Him

2) Always remember that Christ is our Master – others may be teachers or counselors, or brethren, but He is our Master

3) The Master is coming back and will ask for an accounting

4) Hold fast to the truth, don’t stray, avoid the gray areas

5) Disciples serve one another – as our Master gave example

6) Stay in the Master’s Book

7) Be a vessel of honor

What is a Peacemaker?

We all seek peace in our lives, or we should. Instead of causing strife and conflict, we, as believers in Christ and as His disciples, should strive to seek peace with everyone. We should be striving to become a vessel of peace; in other words, a peacemaker. A few interesting notes about peace:

In Hebrew:

• It occurs 318 times in the Old Testament. There are also other occurrences where the English is different (like peaceable) (e-Sword’s Strong’s).
  
• To “hold your peace” (Hebrew: charash Strong’s H2790) was to stop scratching at a thing – the picture of giving your opinion even if it was not wanted.
• Shalom (Strong’s H7965) means peace, tranquility and equates to the cessation of hostilities.
• Shalam (Strong’s H7999) to be safe in mind, body or estate. Several other words are based on this root word in Hebrew.
• Shelem (Strong’s H8002) refers to the peace offering required in the Old Testament and is based on H7999.

In Greek:

• It occurs 111 times in the New Testament (e-Sword’s Strong’s)
• Eirene (Strong’s G1515) from eiro, which means peace. By far, the most used Greek word in the Bible translated peace. It has several uses:
  • The end of war or dissension
  • A state of mind – peaceful
  • Health, welfare and every kind of good
• Eirenopoios: (Strong’s G1518): one who makes peace, a peacemaker, Only appears twice in the Bible, Matthew 5:9 and Roman 12:18 (which has a derivative of the word. It derives from G1515: eirene).
• Hesuchazo: (Strong’s G2270): to hold your peace, be still, be quiet – akin to the Hebrew word charash.
• Sigao (Strong’s G4601): to keep silent to hold a secret.
• Siopao (Strong’s G4623): inability to speak, muteness, silence.
• Phimoo (Strong’s G5392): to muzzle.

So the English word peace in the Bible has several Greek and Hebrew words that, although they have a common result (quiet, silence, even tranquility), are very different in their use as to why there is silence. We will concentrate on shalom and eirene, which can both mean several things including the end of conflict, a state of mind, and a healthful life.

A peacemaker is obviously one who promotes or pursues peace, or more specifically, the end of conflict. Today that position can be taken up in a variety of ways:

• Peacemaker
• Negotiator
• Arbitrator
• Diplomat
• Mediator
• Intermediary
• Go-between
• Conciliator
• Pacifier
• Appeaser

Peacemaker definition: “One who makes peace by reconciling parties that are at variance . . .” American Dictionary of the English Language.

What Does Jesus Say about It?

Matthew 5:9: “Blessed [happy, well off, fortunate, extremely blessed (Strong’s G3107)] are the pacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”

Romans 12:18: “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”

With so many verses in the Bible with the word peace, it should be clear that God considers peace an important state of being. Jesus had a list of things that he called “blessed” and one of those was the peacemaker. God’s heart includes a desire for us to live in peace – but the right kind of peace. Consider the following verses:

• In Luke 1:76, 79 Zacharias said at John the Baptist’s birth (his son): “And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest . . . To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” He is prophetically speaking that John would cause many to walk in peace. But what kind of peace? Not with man, for John was the one who confronted Herod of his sin of sleeping with his brother’s wife. He ultimately was beheaded. The peace spoken of here is the peace that comes when one becomes a child of God, steps out of darkness, and walks in light – thus ceasing the war between that individual and God.

• In Luke 2:13-14 we see angels proclaiming: “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 toward men.” God’s desire, and the reason He sent us His Son, was to bring peace and good will to men. Yet the wrath of God still abides on the lost every day. How then is this peace? Again, through the gospel and work of the Savior to bring men to Christ, and thus end the war between God and man.
  

• In Luke 10:3-6: Jesus gives instructions to the seventy disciples as they went about the countryside declaring the Kingdom of God. Some of them were: “Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. . . . And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.” Part of their mission was to impart peace to the households they visited.
  

• We are to be salt and light in this world as Christians. But to what end? In Mark 9:50 we read: “Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.” We see Jesus teaching His disciples that there is to be peace among them. Is He saying they should be silent? Mute? They must not give their opinions? No – He is clearly saying that He desires no conflict between them.
  

• Look at this passage: John 14:25-27: “These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” So the peace that Jesus gives us equates to an untroubled heart, a person that is not afraid, someone at peace with God.
  

In numerous places, at the beginning of most of the epistles, the apostles wish the readers peace. Paul uses that phrase in his greetings: “Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 1:2).” (Or some variation, like in his letters to Timothy and Titus he adds mercy to the list.) Peter says: “Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied” in his two letters. John says in his second letter: “Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.” And Jude says, “Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.”

Peace was something the apostles wished on all the saints no matter their condition, location, or state of being. In all these cases, it was the Greek word eirene which holds all three meanings wrapped within the word:

• The end of war or dissension (primarily between God and man, but also between man and man).
  
• A state of mind – peaceful, without worry, fear, or anxiety. As we fellowship with God and with each other, one of the outcomes ought to be peace between us.
• Health, welfare, and every kind of good. I am reminded of these verses from James 1:17-19: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, show to speak, slow to wrath:”

Although the word peace is missing, the context is the kind we find in a person who is to be a peacemaker.

Consider the following verses and how peace is connected to other qualities, actions, or benefits:

• Acts 10:36: “The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)” (We are to preach peace as part of the gospel.)

• Romans 5:1: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” (The act of salvation justifies us before God and, thus, brings peace – end of war between us – to our souls and spirits.)
  

• Romans 8:6: “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (A carnal mind is a spiritually dead mind and, therefore, cannot experience the peace of God.)
  

• Romans 14:19: “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.” (One calling includes doing those things that pursue peace and help us to edify one another. We are to build up each other in the most holy faith and not to tear down.)
  

• Romans 15:13: “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Peace here is connected to joy, hope, and power – but not separate from God or, in this case, the Holy Spirit. True peace only comes from God.)
  

• Galatians 5:22: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,” (As said above, true peace comes from God and is one of the fruits of the Spirit – fruit that we can “grow” and “harvest” as we walk in the Spirit.)
  

• Ephesians 2:14-18: “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” (This clearly teaches that before we are saved we are at war (enmity) with God. But after becoming saved, that enmity ceases, and we become one with Christ and have peace with Him.)

• Ephesians 6:15: “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;” (The gospel is a gospel of peace, to take away the sins of men and to reconcile them to God. This is what we preach.)
  

• Philippians 4:7: “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (God’s peace “keeps” our hearts and minds. What does that mean? It means that He settles our hearts, provides the faith to serve Him and believe Him as well as lay all of our cares, worries, fears on Him. We are to take up His yoke and drop our own because His yoke is easy and His burden is light.)
  

• Colossians 1:20: “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” (Clearly, all true peace is rooted in the cross and work Jesus performed on the cross. This is also part of the gospel we preach.)
  

• Colossians 3:15: “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” (Ok, we are to make a choice – virtually every morning – that we will walk in the Spirit and let God’s peace rule (command, manage, order, direct) our hearts throughout the day.)
  

• 2 Timothy 2:22: “Flee also youthful lust: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (Youthful lusts brings the opposite of peace in our lives. Instead, we are to focus on and follow the behaviors that are righteous, faith-filled, loving-charity, and peaceful as we serve Him and especially with other believers. Woe to those believers that lead other believers astray! And we are to do so with a pure heart.)
  

• Hebrews 12:14: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” (Ok – all men. Not just believers, but we are to strive to have peace with all men.)
  

• James 3:18: “And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” (Peace becomes the medium that allows righteousness to be planted all around us. If you are “good” at work, obey the laws, are honest with your dealings, etc. but are contentious, do you really think that the lost around you will see your witness? Your witness must be sown in an atmosphere of peace if at all possible to be seen and believed by others.)
  

Let me finish this article with the following ending from Peter:

2 Peter 3:11-18 (bold added):

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.

Maranatha!

May God bless you all!

Bro. Joe

Kress, J. (2021). On Being a Disciple – Seven Principles.

Meyer, R. (2005). e-Sword. [computer software] . Franklin, TN: Equipping Ministries Foundation.

Strong, J. Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries. Meyers, R. (2005). e-Sword. [computer software] . Franklin, TN: Equipping Ministries Foundation. (Original work published 1539)

Webster, Noah. Noah Webster’s First Edition of an American Dictionary of the English Language Facsimile Fifth Edition. San Francisco, CA now at Chesapeake Bay, VA: The Foundation for American Christian Education. 1987. (Original work published 1828)

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