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2 Thessalonians 3:16
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16 Now [de] the Lord [kurios] of peace [eirene] himself [autos] give [didomi] you [humin] peace [eirene] always [dia] [pas] by [en] all [pas] means. [tropos] The Lord [kurios] be with [meta] you [humon] all. [pas] KJV-Interlinear
16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all! NASB
Peace is the highly prized and ultimate objective of the spiritual life.
Peace in the spiritual life is not anything similar to the peace of the world. Whereas the world defines peace in terms of calm, tranquility, contentment and so forth and just as the spiritual life includes these attributes, the means of obtaining them is very different. The peace of the world is based on the presumption powered by arrogance, wherein people believe that their efforts or beliefs are adequate to bring themselves before God, or in some religions, make God unnecessary.
The world can obtain calm, through drugs, alcohol, false beliefs, wealth, status and so forth. These things are not real, but produce a calm or peace based on lies, deception, or temporary things. The worlds definition bases its peace on having everything going well. When things do not go well, then that peace vanishes.
Spiritual peace, on the other hand, is based on the integral relationship between the soul of the individual and God. Spiritual peace is obtainable by everyone who pursues it through their legitimate spiritual growth. The peace offered by the world is not available to everyone, but is in fact elusive to everyone.
Spiritual peace is based on the inner resources of the soul, and those resources are determined and defined by doctrine which the individual learns, understands, and uses in their daily life.
The peace offered by the world is difficult to obtain, and in fact cannot be obtained because it is a pseudo peace.
The peace offered by the spiritual life is obtainable by everyone, if only they will commit themselves to God, Christ, doctrine, and their spiritual life, and it consists of the inner confidence beginning with salvation and continuing with ones eternal life, based on Gods sovereign control and power over everything.
Peace from God has several characteristics. First it originates from God. From the Father, who is called the God of peace, Judg. 6:24, Rom. 15:33, 16:20, 1 Cor. 14:33, 2 Cor. 13:11, Phil 4:9, 1 Thess. 5:23, Heb. 13:20.
Christ is called the Lord of peace, making His deity equal with the Father, 2 Thess. 3:16, Isa. 9:6, Eph. 2:14.
The Holy Spirit is called the source or fruit of peace, Gal. 5:22, Rom. 14:17.
Therefore, the Father authored peace, the Son obtains it, and the Holy Spirit brings it to humanity, Acts. 10:36, Rom. 5:1, Col. 1:20.
Peace is not something that you can work for to obtain for yourself, but is a gift from God, Num. 6:26, Psa. 29:11, and is available only through the successful advancement through the spiritual life.
There is no peace available to unbelievers or spiritually negative believers, Rom 15:13, Isa 48:22, 57:21, Jere. 6:14, 8:11, Ezek. 13:10,16.
True peace of the soul is inseparable from Gods righteousness and justice (holiness), Psa. 85:10, Isa. 32:17, Deu. 29:19.
The peace of the spiritual life is continual regardless of life’s circumstances, and is not dependent on circumstances.
Peace is the product of the spiritual life. When the spiritual life is interrupted by sin, then the spiritual life and therefore peace, can be resumed or recovered by confession, Psa. 42:11, 42:5, 43:5, Lev. 26:3-6, Rom. 2:10, 1 Jn. 1:9. This allows you to resume walking in the Spirit (fruit of the Spirit – reside in fellowship), Gal. 5:22.
Peace is on the promise of eternal salvation, Heb. 5:9, and promised by God who cannot lie, Titus 1:2, is anchored in the successful spiritual life, Phil. 1:6, is unlike what the world offers, Jn. 14:27, and stabilizes the believer in every situation, Phil4:7.
The inner peace of the believer’s soul, is the ultimate objective of the spiritual life. It is the basis for inner happiness, fulfillment, contentment, meaning and purpose in ones life.
The world will swirl around you, and no matter what you do or accomplish in this world, you can lose it in a moment of time. You can be injured, laid off from your job, endure a loss in a storm, be diagnosed with some physical problem, or simply be the victim of hard times.
There is nothing offered in this world which will give you hope or secure your life, except Bible doctrine.
Jesus Christ is the living reality of the written word. By taking in, learning, understanding Gods word, you are taking Christ into your soul, making Him the foundation and structure of your soul and of your life, which structure gives you completeness, meaning and purpose, and becomes the strength in your life, which will allow you to endure life.
Strength is covered in the last half of this verse, which we will cover in tomorrows study.
And then will also touch on the foundation of the stability of the world through women in tomorrows study, because they are an integral part of peace and stability. That is one reason why the appeal to women in general through Bible studies, and specifically to women of Islam, or any other faith for that matter, through Bible studies. But we are getting ahead of ourselves.
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