Bible Question:

How can I be at peace with God? Hello, I'm an 18 year old college student wanting change in my life. It was evident that God watched over me throughout the early stages of my life. Even though I knew I was bestowed with many blessings, I never fully committed my life to God. As I get older I feel as if God is not much of a factor in my life anymore. On too many occasions I have taken him for granted. I know that I want to give my life to God, but I haven't yet because I want to fully commit my life to him, and not turn back to my old life. I've been feeling the need to do for quiet a while, I just can't figure out why this feeling came upon me suddenly. How can I fight the temptations in this world so that I can find peace through God? I only desire to live for him.

Bible Answer:

Our God is a God of peace. Since He is our creator, it is reasonable that we want to be at peace with God.  He wants us to be at peace with others, including Himself. He seeks peace. That is the message of Romans 15:33.

Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. Romans 15:33 (NASB)

Peace is an amazing attribute or characteristic of God (1 Cor. 14:33; 1 Thess. 5:23; 2 Thess. 3:16; Heb. 13:20). This is an important truth because it reveals that our God does not rejoice in conflicts and interpersonal tensions. Peace was lost in the creation when Lucifer (Satan)sinned and peace was lost in the universe when Adam sinned.

Positional Peace

Romans 5:10 teaches that every human being is born as an enemy of God. We are the ones in conflict with God. Yet, God seeks peace. We do not seek peace. So, God provided a way for us to have peace with Him. He sent the second person of the godhead into the world to be born as a human (John 16:28). Colossians 1:20 says that God offers us spiritual peace with Himself, that is, the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ. This description reveals that non-Christians are in conflict with God. God has called us to be sinless or obedient (1 John 3:10). Those who practice sin are in conflict with God.

Here are a few verses to mediate on.

The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all . . . Acts 10:36 (NASB)

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ . . . Rom. 5:1 (NASB)

In the book of Ephesians, God calls the gospel, the gospel of peace.

. . . and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE . . . Eph. 6:15 (NASB)

So, we are at peace with God when our sins are forgiven. That is, we are declared to be at peace with God, even though we still sin. That is, we are judicially declared to be at peace with God. God has made a legal decision that declares we are at peace with Him because of Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:19). It comes by trusting in Jesus Christ to forgive our sins.

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. John 14:27 (NASB)

These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. John 16:33 (NASB)

Practical Peace

But positional peace does not guarantee that we will have daily peace with God since we still sin. Positional peace means that we arejudicially declared to be at peace but, yet, we still sin. King David is a good example of man who did not have peace with God due to sin. In Psalm 51 David cries to God telling Him that He is miserable and feeling distant from God. King David believed in God and was an Old Testament saint, yet, because of His sin he felt distant from God. As one reads the Psalm, it becomes obvious that he is miserable due to his sin. At the end of Psalm, he finally has peace with God (Ps. 51:10-17). His peace comes after confessing his sin to God (Ps. 51:4-9).

I have found in my own life that when I feel distant from God it is almost always due to sin in my life. David had sinned by committing adultery with Bathsheba. The result was that he felt distant from God. He did not find peace until he confessed his sin. Psalm 51:11 reveals that He understood that the sense of peace comes through the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17). That is, being filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:17-21).

Look For The Following

If you do not have a sense of peace with God, look for sin in your life. First, look for sexual sins such pornography, premarital sex, adultery, and your thought life. King David committed sexual sin. Second, look for other sins such as conflicts with others. Read the following verses:

Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Cor. 13:11 (NASB)

If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. Rom. 12:18–19 (NASB)

Message? Just as God seeks peace with us, we are to seek peace with others. Sometimes that is not possible, however.

Conclusion:

Finally, even though you are a Christian and are positionally at peace with God, are you sill in conflict with God – refusing to submit to Him? Have you submitted your self completely to God in every way? Are you like the prophet Jonah? Jonah was told to go to the people of Nineveh and preach repentance. He disobeyed and ran from God. God chased Jonah down. Are you like Jonah? Running from God? If so, then you are in sin and you will not find peace until you submit.

Related Links:

Searching For God
Filled With The Spirit
Be Filled With The Spirit, part 1 – MP3 audio
Be Filled With The Spirit, part 2 – MP3 audio
Be Filled With The Spirit, part 3 – MP3 audio
Schemes of Satan, part 1 – MP3 audio
Schemes of Satan, part 2 – MP3 audio