The Fruit of Peace

Fruit of the Spirit: Peace

One of the greatest human desires is for peace: peace between nations, peace between neighbors and peace within our own minds. Yet our experience confirms the biblical assessment: “The way of peace they have not known” (Romans 3:17; quoted from Isaiah 59:8).

Acting in a way that leads to true and lasting peace is not part of our natural human tendencies. Instead, the apostle Paul wrote that our human nature leads to “hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions … murders” (Galatians 5:20-21). In contrast, those who are baptized and receive God’s Holy Spirit can have access to a new nature that allows us to grow in the fruit of peace (verse 22).

What is peace?

The word Paul used for peace was the Greek word eirene. This word includes the meaning “peace between individuals, i.e. harmony, concord” (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon).

Peace includes a calm, harmonious absence of conflict that this world has never known. There may have been isolated times and places where conflict was halted for a time, but real world peace has never been seen. That hasn’t stopped this world from pretending, however. Think of all the peace treaties that have been broken almost as soon as they were signed.

Notice Philippians 4:6-7: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (emphasis added throughout). God’s perfect peace is one of those wonderfully deep things of God that have not “entered into the heart of man” but are only “spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:9, 14).

The fruit of the Spirit of peace also provides the inner peace of mind and contentment found by living God’s way of life—even in less-than-peaceful situations.

“Usually in the New Testament eirene stands for the Hebrew shalowm and means not just freedom from trouble but everything that makes for a man’s highest good” (Barclay’s Daily Study Bible). Peace is more than the absence of war or something felt in the mind. It is a way of living life in a proper relationship between man and God, as well as man and man.

Why does God want us to demonstrate peace?

Peace is so alien a thing in this world. Imagine a world:

Where people actually let others finish speaking instead of interrupting them.

Where people don’t have heated arguments.

Where differences are settled with patience rather than fists.

Where people show compassion to others even when they don’t deserve it.

Why, in Romans 12:18, does Paul say, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men”? He said this because God wants His entire creation to be at peace, and this must start one person at a time. Repentant, baptized followers of Christ are given the gift of the Holy Spirit now (Acts 2:38), and they are the first of hopefully billions to follow.

God wants us to be a part of His family as sons and daughters, and His family must be peaceful. Eventually the whole world will be part of this peaceful family; but now, amidst the hatred and conflict, it must start with us.

Peace self-examination questionnaire

How are we doing in growing in the fruit of peace? To find out, ask yourself questions such as:

When conflict comes, do I strive to make peace or add fuel to the fire? Why?

What areas of my life or actions demonstrate that I am truly a peacemaker?

Do I know the difference between godly peace and the world’s peace? How do I know?

Considering specific interactions with others, ask: Did my email/phone call/text/Facebook post/conversation/behavior promote peace or strife?

How do we demonstrate more peace?

We must practice the way of peace starting in the only area we can really affect: our sphere of influence. Remember, Paul urged us “if it is possible” and “as much as depends on you” to live peaceably with “all men.” This will be challenging. Here are a few ideas:

Drop conversations that are getting out of hand. This might involve saying something like: “Let’s agree to disagree.” Then be satisfied that you can’t change someone else’s mind about certain things. Peace is knowing that God’s intervention might be necessary to change someone’s thinking (including our own).

Make yourself stand out as the calm and collected one in whatever encounters you experience. Others may fight or say insulting, jealous or prideful things, but we should edify, build up and walk away from an encounter if necessary.

Respect other human beings as potential future members of the family of God. Remind yourself that God does not want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9), no matter how angry you are at the person at the moment.

God’s peace transcends earthly matters growing in the fruit of the Spirit of peace. Believers are to be "anxious for nothing," for God promises to "guard your hearts and minds." It is a peace “which transcends all understanding”; that is, to the worldly mind, such peace is incomprehensible. Its source is the Holy Spirit of God, whom the world neither sees nor knows (John 14:17).

The Spirit-filled Christ Follower has a peace that is abundant, available in every situation, and unlike anything that the world has to offer. 

Be Blessed and be a Blessing!