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  THE PEACE OF GOD IN OUR HEARTS
  by W.H. Griffith Thomas
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Summary: The peace of God rules in our hearts, giving assurance of
acceptance with God and protection, and resolving every conflict and
showing us God's will.

Topics: "Inner Peace", "Church Unity"
Scripture References: Psalm 85:10, Isaiah 9:7, Isaiah 26:3, Isaiah 32:17, Romans 5:1, Philippians 4:7, Colossians 3:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Titus 1:4

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DESCRIPTION
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W.H. Griffith Thomas preaches on the importance of letting the peace of
God rule in our hearts, emphasizing that this peace assures us of
acceptance with God and provides protection. The peace of Christ is
meant to be the arbiter in our lives, settling conflicts of thoughts and
feelings, and revealing God's will. This divine peace is especially
powerful in the unity of the body of Christ, the Church, where believers
are called to experience and maintain peace.

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CONTENT
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"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts..."

(Col. 3:15).

What does the peace of Christ do? Primarily it gives assurance of
acceptance with God (cf. Rom. 5:1), and the protection of God (cf. Phil.
4:7, Gr., "shall garrison," a paradoxical use of a warlike term). But
here Christ's peace is to be received into the heart as the arbiter
deciding the course and ruling the life (Gr., "umpire"). A similar idea
and practically the same Greek word is found in 2:18, as we have seen,
where the apostle is warning his readers not to let anyone judicially
deprive them of their reward as though they were unworthy. This word,
translated here "rule," suggests that which settles differences,
especially where there is any conflict of thoughts and feelings. Under
such circumstances "the peace of Christ" is to decide; and if it be
asked how peace is able to do this perhaps the explanation is that just
as peace with God is the result of our acceptance of Christ as Savior
(Rom. 5:1), so the experience of peace in the soul, in union with Christ
and through the presence of the Holy Spirit, will at once settle every
difficulty, resolve every conflict, and show us what is the will of God.
In this case there is a special reason for such divine peace--the
essential unity of the body of Christ, the Church, and to this peace, we
are told, every believer has been called. When we are one with Christ,
in whom God "called us with an holy calling" (2 Tim. 1:9), and also one
with Christians, "called in one body," as Paul says here, there is no
question as to the great power of divine peace in our lives. We read of
"government and peace" (Isa. 9:7), of "righteousness and peace" (Ps.
85:10; cf. Isa. 32:17), and of "grace...and peace" (Titus 1:4). Until
these prevail universally, however, "the God of peace himself" (1 Thess.
5:23, ASV) will be with us, keeping us meanwhile "in perfect peace"
(Isa. 26:3).

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/wh-griffith-thomas/the-peace-of-god-in-our-hearts/
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