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Colossians 3:15
15 And [kai] let [brabeuo] the peace [eirene] of God [theos] rule [brabeuo] in [en] your [humon] hearts, [kardia] to [eis] the which [hos] also [kai] ye are called [kaleo] in [en] one [heis] body; [soma] and [kai] be ye [ginomai] thankful. [eucharistos] KJV-Interlinear
15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. NASB
Peace, is the sum total of the environment that is developed or constructed within your soul, when you have grown up spiritually. It is the armor, the fortress, the temple, the palace, the muscle in your soul that gives you strength and stability in your life.
But here it is referred to with one additional characteristic, and that is rule, or rulership.
This type of rule is ascribed to those who sit in judgment, or who preside over others, in order to preserve order and allow the activities to run smoothly.
In the competitions of the ancient world, there were those who coordinated and ruled and made decisions regarding disagreements or issues where a decision had to be made in order to determine an outcome.
Did the race end in a tie, or was one runner ahead of the other by a nose or arm or whatever? Was the throw out of bounds or in bounds? Did the competitor commit a foul? Was the goal made or missed?
Phil. 4:7
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard [garrison] your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. NASB
The peace of God is the sum total of all that you have learned, and comprehended and come to understand, and has transformed its content to a form of wisdom within your soul. And it is that wisdom or set of guidelines or rules, that you are to use in your life, to exercise self-control over your own life, moment to moment, day to day, throughout your entire life.
Peace is the comfort level, whereby you have a clear view of life, and of the issues within your life, and peace is the decision maker by which you are to listen to, and follow its instructions. Instructions, by the way, which you order yourself to follow. It is the foundation for your own self-discipline in life.
Peace, is the means of your self control. Peace comes only from the learning of Bible doctrine, and the spiritual growth it promotes. Peace comes only through ones advancement in the spiritual life.
And note one important thing here, if there is no peace, there is no self control. True self control belongs only to the spiritual life. The carnal life possesses no self control, in that it is a form of slavery to the sin nature which rules your life, not you.
Eph. 4:4-6
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. NASB
Note here too. There is but one peace, which increases through advancement and attainment of spiritual maturity.
The one body, is a reference to all of the components that go into the make-up of the believer in Christ. His life, his growth, the foundation building blocks (doctrine) of one’s spiritual life and of one’s temporal life.
There is one God, the Father, who authored one divine plan, and one Spirit who powers that plan, and one Son who executes that plan, and one doctrine through which we have access to that plan and so forth.
Christianity is one full and complete and comprehensive plan by which God has created creatures from dust (humanity), and has established a means by which this dust can inherit the new universe and heaven.
And if you really think about it, that is a pretty awesome accomplishment. And you are, or can be, an active and productive part of that plan.
But you have to pay attention to doctrine, learn it, grow up, and then use the doctrine within your soul, to call the shots of your life.
The Christian life is not one of indecision, or vacillation, but one of confidence and certainty.
