Christ Preeminence is Detailed to the Colossians Volume 34

Paul Urges these Colossian Believers to Walk in Christ Peace

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. KJV

What is Peace? We humans define peace in a few ways, such as, the state prevailing during the absence of war or harmonious relations; freedom from disputes or a treaty to cease hostilities or the general security of public places or lastly the absence of mental stress or anxiety. These man-made definitions are fine and I have no argument with any of them, but the 'peace of God' is as high above any of these human derived answers as the heavens are above the earth and this is the peace that every soul on planet earth yearns for, aches for, or longs for, yet everyone outside of Jesus Christ will never know this peace that they so desperately desire, because it is only found in a personal union and relationship with Him. This peace will never come through meditating, or any of the vast other forms of Eastern mysticism, which is like the depth of a street ditch compared to our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ and His peace which would be like the big ditch, the Grand Canyon.

This English word 'peace' the Apostle Paul uses here is translated by the Greek word eirene meaning by implication prosperity: - one, peace, quietness, rest, or to be set at one again. In other words, God's peace probably is best defined by the words used here as a state of rest or repose or quietness of the soul or inner man or inner woman that comes through believing in and trusting Jesus Christ alone for salvation of the soul as Christ Himself said with these words, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden {and} overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls." (Matthew 11:28-29) (Amplified Bible).

The Apostle declares to these Colossian believers and we believers today, that we should allow God's peace to 'rule' in our inner man or inner woman. This English word 'rule' is translated by the Greek word brabeuo (used this one time only in the New Testament) it means to arbitrate, that is, (generally) to govern (figuratively prevail): - rule or to act and serve as an umpire. In other words, just as an umpire in a baseball game is the ultimate arbiter judging and deciding disputes in the game and settling and making the final decision on all calls in the game, so is the peace of God to rule or settle all of the disputes, conflicts, and struggles in our inner man or inner woman by virtue of grief, anger, or any of the other negative emotions that are aroused within us, as well as, the ongoing battle and fight between our renewed, recreated, and reborn nature and our old nature we were born with in the flesh as this Apostle Paul declared to the Galatian believers the conflict and our responsibility in it with these words, "But I say, walk {and} live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to {and} controlled {and} guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings {and} desires of the flesh (of human nature without God). For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free {but} are prevented from doing what you desire to do." (Galatians 5:16-17) (Amplified Bible).

The Apostle declares to these Colossian believers and we believers today that 'ye are called in one body', which means that we are bid to come forth into Christ Body (the Church) and be members of His Spiritual Body where He is Peace Himself, therefore, we all who have been born again are called to peace and to walk and live in Christ Peace as He Himself declared with these words, "Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give {and} bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]" (John 14:27) (Amplified Bible) and also when He said this, "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace {and} confidence. In the world you have tribulation {and} trials {and} distress {and} frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]" (John  16:33) (Amplified Bible).

As Paul is accustomed to do he declares that they/we are to be thankful for such a blessing from God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ that we can know and experience this peace that the world seeks after through working and striving and getting and attaining and on and on, but never coming into this blessed state of spiritual tranquility of soul because it is only found 'in Christ' and as Paul declared to the Philippian believers no one can understand it, but can walk in it and experience its mighty calming, resting, and quieting work upon our souls as he says here, "Do not fret {or} have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance {and} in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison {and} mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7) (Amplified Bible).

"We can lose this peace or better said, we can block our experience of God the Father's peace to us through Christ Jesus our Lord by our sin and rebellion and the only way for us to unlock this barricaded steel door is to repent of our sin and turn back to obedience, then the peace of God locked away behind our door of sin and rebellion is opened and the peace of God is once again known by the believer, as better said by the Prophet Isaiah with these words, 'You will guard him {and} keep him in perfect {and} constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, {and} hopes confidently in You. So trust in the Lord (commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him) forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages].' (Isaiah 26:3-4) (Amplified Bible)." Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

"'The peace of Christ' is ours in the measure in which we live the risen life and put on the new man, and that peace in our hearts will rule, that is, will sit there as umpire; for it will instinctively draw itself into itself, as it were, like the leaves of a sensitive plant, at the approach of evil, and, if we will give heed to its warnings, and have nothing to do with what disturbs it, we shall be saved from falling into many a sin. That peace gathers all the possessors of the new life into blessed harmony. It is peace with God, with ourselves, and with all our brethren; and the fact that all Christians are, by their common life, members of the one body, lays on them all the obligation to keep the unity in the bond of peace. And for all these great blessings, especially for that union with Jesus which gives us a share in His risen life, thankfulness should ever fill our hearts and make all our days and deeds the sacrifice of praise unto Him continually." Alexander MacLaren

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…